Tourism group to honor contributors

BANGOR – The Greater Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau’s eighth annual tourism awards dinner and silent auction will be held during National Tourism week at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at Best Western Black Bear Inn in Orono.

The greater Bangor CVB will present the Eagle Award to individuals and an organization in the Bangor region who have positively contributed to the regional economy through outstanding contributions of time, efforts and talents. This year the USA Track & Field committee, John “Jack” Quirk and Joseph and Sue Cyr will receive Eagle Awards.

The University of Maine coaching staff brought the USA Track & Field event to the Bangor region. The event returned for a second successful event because they were so positively impressed by their university and Maine experience. The event attracted active seniors from all over the country who competed in tough athletic events track and field events.

The two events brought more than 3,000 participants and their families to the greater Bangor and eastern Maine area.

John “Jack” Quirk, chief executive officer of Quirk Auto Park will receive the Individual Achievement Eagle award for his commitment to fostering economic development through tourism in greater Bangor.

Quirk has been a staunch advocate for bringing meetings, conventions and large numbers of visitors to Maine to help boost area economy for more than seven years. In addition to his responsibilities overseeing the Quirk auto business, Quirk serves on the boards of the Greater Bangor CVB, the National Folk Festival, the Folk Festival marketing committee, the Maine Discovery Museum and St. John’s Catholic Church.

Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Eagle Award will be Joseph and Suzanne Cyr of Cyr Bus, Old Town. The Cyrs acquired the company in 1967 when it had only 13 buses. Today the fleet includes 180 vehicles that travel the East Coast and more than 112 school buses serving seven school districts.

Joe Cyr has tended to the fleet and the technical side of the business. Sue Cyr has developed tours and has been involved in the travel and tourism side of the business for more than 20 years. Joe Cyr serves on the boards of directors for Husson College and St. Joseph’s Hospital, in the Old Town Rotary, United Way and American Bus Association.

Past Eagle Award recipients include Bangor Symphony Orchestra; architect John Rohman; Bill Zoidis of Pilot’s Grill; Galen Cole, Cole Land Transportation Museum; VICA Skills UA; Maine State Principals Association Tournaments; Anah Temple, Northeast Shrine Convention; Dale Theriault, Bangor Parks & Recreation; Mark Torres, Penobscot Theatre and Shakespeare Festival; Peter Daigle, Lafayette Hotels; Jack Quirk Sr., Canadian Appreciation Days.

Eaglet Awards will also be presented to tourism industry employees in two categories – the Tourism Employee of the Year Award and the Spirit of Hospitality Service Award.

The eighth annual tourism awards dinner and silent auction is open to the public. Tickets may be obtained at the Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau, 947-5205 or (800) 91-MOOSE.