Years of dedicated behind-the-scenes work for Lincoln County Democrats, for the town of Nobleboro, for Lincoln County, and for the state of Maine were recognized June 4 when Lincoln County Democrats awarded their biennial Frances Perkins Club award for service to Bud Lewis of Nobleboro.

Mary Ellen Anderson, recently retired tax collector, treasurer and clerk of Nobleboro, where Lewis is in his fourth term on the Board of Selectmen, captured the tenor of the evening’s comments with her listing of the almost countless contributions Lewis has made and continues to make to the town. Anderson — a lifelong Republican, she said — thanked him personally for the help and encouragement he offered her during her years on the job.

Lewis was director for 22 years of the Maine State Government’s Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired, where he led the development of comprehensive services for blind children and adults throughout the state. For the local Democrats, Lewis has served repeatedly as Town Chair, as Lincoln County Campaign Chair and in many other roles. For the county, he serves on the Budget Committee, and was a member for eight years of the Lincoln-Sagadahoc Multi-County Jail Authority while that board planned and built the Two Bridges Regional Jail. He also served six years on the board of Skidompha Library in Damariscotta. He and his wife Sue are active members of the First Congregational Church of Wiscasset, where he led a four-year-long renovation and expansion project.

The Frances Perkins Club was founded by LC Democrats in 1996 to pay tribute to outstanding Democrats in the county as well as to raise funds to support their efforts to advance good government, in the spirit of former Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, whose family home was in Newcastle.

In his response to the award, Lewis spoke of the inspiration he takes from Perkins.

“Her history of accomplishment in looking out for other people, her concern for folks who weren’t in the same place she was or had the same opportunities she had, is the thing I try to carry with me,” he said. It is especially gratifying, he said, to be recognized in her name.

The event was held at Damariscotta Lake Farm in Jefferson.