NEWRY – The 40th Anniversary Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, May 8, at the Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River. A silent auction, featuring more than 75 items from businesses throughout Maine, will accompany the event.

The Rooster’s Roadhouse and owners Steve Etheridge and Gary Szpara will be presented the 2009 Business of the Year Award. The Forest Products Industry Award will be given to Ross Timberlake of the S. Timberlake Co.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Barbara Douglass for her volunteerism. Roger Beaudoin, co-owner of the Matterhorn Ski Bar, will be presented the President’s Award for his service to the Chamber.

The Public Service Award will be presented to Loretta Powers of Newry, an employee of the town. In its second year, the Bethel Area Nonprofit Award will be given to Jacquelyn Cressy of Bethel for her contributions to the nonprofit community.

The chamber will present Employee of the Year Awards in four categories. Receiving the Education Award will be Norma Salway, 34-year employee of SAD 44. Amy Bennett will be presented the Hospitality Employee of the Year. She is a 17-year employee of Bethel’s Best Pizza Grille and Dairy Bar.

Receiving the Retail and Service Employee of the Year Award will be Chris Martin of True North Adventureware. The 2009 Ski Industry Employee of the Year Award will be presented to Pete Murphy of Mt. Abram Resort.

The chamber will present three Telstar High School students with awards. Alan Scott Hadley of West Paris, son of Dale Hadley and Tammy Bean, will receive the Taste of Bethel Award in his pursuit of post-secondary training in culinary arts. Hadley has been accepted to both SMMC and the Maine Army National Guard.

Two students will be presented Student Citizenship Awards: Brianna Elizabeth Douglass, daughter of Brent and Shelley Douglass of Albany, and Patrick Michael Joseph Gallagher, son of Tom and Elizabeth Gallagher of Bryant Pond. The students were selected by the staff at Telstar and have been cited in exemplifying the highest qualities of school and community citizenship.

A new award this year, the Rising Star Entrepreneur Award, will be presented to Sam and Karen Saito, owners of Homeslice Pizza in Bethel.

A Special Recognition Award will be presented to Betsy and Dennis Doyon for their two decades of service to Maine Handicapped Skiing.

The Henry H. Hastings Award for Citizenship will be given to Leslie B. Otten, who has been devoted to business development and charitable giving in Maine.

A surprise Volunteer of the Year Award will be also be presented. The emcee will be Dr. Harry Dresser of Bethel.