Fisherman's Wharf Inn was packed on Friday, May 30 for the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce's annual awards dinner. This year's theme was “Let's Go Green Together.”

Hosting the event was Catherine Wygant Fossett, executive director of the chamber, and Treasurer Sue Wood, who was filling in for Chamber Board President Jim Chaousis, who was sick with laryngitis.

Going along with the theme this year was a special Green Award, which was given to an organization of business that “championed steps towards creating a sustainable/resilient local community through positive solutions that may include energy efficiency, renewable energy, local foods development and innovation modes of transportation,” according to the chamber.

Winning the Green Award this year was East Boothbay’s Bigelow Laboratory. Other nominees for this new award were Flagship Inn and Suites and the Tugboat Inn.

Winning this year’s Community Improvement Award was the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library. Other nominees were Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and Marketing Cents 4U.

This year's Community Service Award went to Friends of Windjammer Days. Other nominees included Fleet Davis and the St. Andrews Auxiliary Thrift Shop.

The Business Improvement Award went to Hodgdon Yachts. Others nominated were Biovation and Two Salty Dogs Pet Outfitters.

The Exemplary Citizen Award went to Laura Honey for the “dedication, commitment and energy she exhibits to the community she loves dearly,” according to the chamber.

The Volunteers of the Year award went to Guy Peaslee and Kris Ward for their work on the Windjammer Days Committee, Claw Down, Annual Awards Dinner and Harbor Lights.

The Volunteer Appreciation Awards went to Dave “Bucket” Thomson, Albert Greenleaf, and Kim Upham for the dedicated service to the Harbor Lights Festival every year.

Keynote speakers were Dr. Richard Silkman, founding and co-managing partner of GridSolar, and Heather Chandler, owner and publisher of The Sunrise Guide and Green & Healthy Maine.

Silkman spoke about the GridSolar pilot program, which involves over 80 local businesses and has saved enough energy already to power around 136 homes in Maine. GridSolar seeks to create energy for the region in the region, rather than bringing it in from elsewhere. This will mean Central Maine Power will not have to build an $18 million new transmission line to the region, avoiding rate increases to local citizens to pay for the line.

Chandler spoke about sustainable tourism, and how 79 percent of tourists prefer to stay in locations using eco-friendly practices, according to the 2013 TripAdvisor “TripBarometer” study. She suggested ways businesses in Maine could become more green, including creating electric vehicle charging stations and promoting car-free travel through trains and trolleys.

The evening ended with congratulations being traded over warm blueberry cobbler and coffee.