The planning committee of Art Walk Lewiston Auburn will receive the Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce’s Community Service Leadership Award tonight, February 9, at the Chamber’s 2012 Annual Meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. at the Ramada Conference Center in Lewiston.

Each year the Chamber of Commerce hosts an Annual Meeting, where members are invited to attend a social hour, a dinner and awards ceremony. Art Walk Lewiston Auburn will be honored at tonight’s event for their creativity, resourcefulness and ability to engage the community in creating a downtown art event each month during the summer.

During the summer of 2011, Art Walk Lewiston Auburn—a grassroots endeavor run completely by volunteers—transformed Lisbon Street into an impressive arts district, making over local businesses and storefronts into galleries featuring exclusively local artists. By the end of the summer, the Art Walk had attracted over 1,500 people, sold over $6,000 of local art and captured the attention of art organizations around the entire State of Maine.

The planning committee for Art Walk Lewiston Auburn includes; Michael Dostie of J. Dostie Jewelers; Jeremy and Elise Corbally-Hammond; Odelle Bowman of LA Arts; Kerry Landry of Captive Elements Art House; Grayling Cunningham of Captive Elements Art House; Shannon and Tristan Coffin; Tammie Grieshaber; and Megan Emery.

Michael Dostie will be accepting the award on behalf of the planning committee at tonight’s dinner.

“We are so honored to be recognized by the Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce with a Community Service Leadership Award for Art Walk Lewiston Auburn,” said Dostie. “This event came about from a group of citizens who wanted a more vibrant downtown and about local artists and art enthusiasts coming together and deciding to get to work making that happen. It was so rewarding this summer to see over 1,000 people from throughout our community and beyond enjoying, experiencing, feeling not only the art on the walls and in the windows, but also the diverse and inspiring community and culture that is Lewiston-Auburn.”

For information about the Chamber’s Annual Meeting 2012 event, see www.androscoggincounty.com or contact The Chamber at 783-2249.

If you are interested in learning more, or about getting involved in future Art Walks, see www.ArtWalkLewistonAuburn.com or email Team@ArtWalkLewistonAuburn.com.

Others who will honored with awards include:

The Business Leadership Award for a larger company will be presented to Agren Appliance.

The Business Leadership Award for a smaller company will be presented to Baxter Brewing.

The prestigious Ray Geiger Award will be presented to Steve Closson of Androscoggin Bank.

In addition to Art Walk L-A, the second Community Service Leadership Award will be presented to the L/A Cash Coalition, which has helped the L-A area lead the state in filings for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The Poland Business Award will be presented to Pike Industries.

The Education Award will be presented to Healthy Androscoggin.

The “Cool Chamber Award,” which is presented to an organization that has made a significant difference in reducing energy usage and preserving resources, will go to Industrial Roofing.

The Ken Additon Small Business Advocate award will be presented to the Lewiston CareerCenter.

There will be two winners of the prestigious President’s Award. The first will be awarded to Northeast Charter and Tours and owner Scott Riccio; the second will go to The Library Café and owners Daphne and Bill Berta.