The Brunswick Downtown Association Board of Directors has selected Curtis Memorial Library as the 2020 Member of the Year during the board’s annual meeting Jan. 28. The theme of the meeting was A Year Like No Other.

Library Director Liz Doucett recalled how the decision to close the library twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic was not easy, but necessary to protect the staff and patrons. After closing in March 2020, the staff began finding ways to move many services online.

“I’m so proud of how quickly we shifted gears,” said Doucett in a news release from the downtown association. “They put their fears and anxieties aside and came up with plans to help the community to be able to enjoy the benefits of the library.”

Cocktail bar Vessel & Vine was named Business of the Year. When the pandemic hit, owner Nikaline Iacono began by offering local deliveries of retail items and later expanded and focused on retail offerings.

“Business has nearly doubled every month since March over last year,” Iacono said.

Iacono was able to retain all but one of her employees throughout the closures and transition to retail.

She has launched a wine club and began a weekend series of Regional Outdoor Dinners.

Michael Cartwright of Berries Hearing & Optical and association board member was named Volunteer of the Year. Cartwright chaired the association’s Lights of Hope committee and engineered a program that included gift cards purchased from local businesses that became of a raffle funding the expansion of holiday lighting in downtown Brunswick.

Also at the meeting, Brunswick resident Annie O’Rourke was elected chairperson and Dee Perry of Senter Place was voted vice-chairperson. Henry Recknagel of Thornton Oaks was voted secretary and treasurer is Cathy Barter of Bangor Savings.

Mark Rockwood, pastor of the Berean Baptist Church in Brunswick was recognized as an honorary board member and will stay on the board in an advisory capacity.

For more information, visit http://www.brunswickdowntown.org.