LEWISTON — The woman stood inside J. Dostie Jewelers on Lisbon Street, asked to see a piece of jewelry, and Michael Dostie told her sorry, no.

“It wasn’t about the jewelry for that night,” he said.

All summer long, on the last Friday of the month, Dostie, 29, packed up his inventory, set up easels along the glass counters, helped curate two blocks’ worth of art displays, then stayed stationed at the store serving wine for the new, all-volunteer Art Walk Lewiston Auburn.

It took 30 hours of prep each time. “This was the most stressful thing that I’d ever done,” Dostie said.

A half-hour into each event, he’d look at the bustling crowd, artists talking to admirers, families making a night of downtown — that made it worth it.

This Friday, he’ll receive the Community Involvement Award at the Young Professionals of the Lewiston-Auburn Area annual meeting for his work with the art walk.

J. Dostie Jewelers, a family business, has been downtown 64 years. Dostie lives above the shop. He got involved with YPLAA four years ago.

“A single person can make a difference,” something he likes about Lewiston, Dostie said. “This city and its downtown, as well as Auburn’s downtown, are kind of like empty canvases. I just think it takes motivated individuals who are willing to work.”

In a few months’ time last spring, he and other volunteers “created the most complex art walk in the state of Maine,” Dostie said.

They put out calls for artists, pulled in more than a dozen downtown shops willing to act as four-hour gallery spaces, created online shops for the artists, hung art and printed up maps.

Between May and September, 1,500 people turned out on those Friday nights and bought $6,000 worth of local art.

Plans are already under way for next year.

No one single person could have pulled it off, Dostie said. He’s hoping someone else might see his award and get inspired.

“This is the type of thing we want: more people to step up and take on a project that isn’t self-serving,” Dostie said.

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Also being honored by YPLAA on Friday:

Mary LaFontaine – Mentor Award

Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Company – Business Champion Award

Julia Sleeper, Tree Street Youth – Entrepreneur Award

Dustin Carrier, Carrier Lawn and Landscape – Business Person of the Year Award

The YPLAA dinner is being held at The Carriage House in Lewiston. Tickets are $35 a person.