Norwich — About 200 people gathered at the Marina at American Wharf on Thursday to honor this year's recipients of the Ron Aliano Service Awards, but also to ensure that Norwich Harbor doesn't fall silent again next summer on July 4th weekend.

The sixth annual event is a key fundraiser for what had been an annual July 4th Fireworks Festival, but the organizing committee canceled the 2016 event last spring citing lack of funds.

On Thursday, 200 tickets were sold in advance, and more than 60 businesses, local artists and organizations donated items ranging from pottery and an original watercolor to baskets of wine and liquor and ride-alongs in a police car or an ambulance for a silent auction.

Mayor Deberey Hinchey even offered “lunch with the mayor” as an auction item.

Fireworks committee member Miria Toth said she was pleased with the high turnout for Thursday's event.

The committee needs at least $30,000, but the group hopes to raise more to get a jump start on the 2018 fireworks. Several fundraisers are being planned through next spring but are not yet scheduled, she said.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the committee or wanting to organize a fundraiser is asked to call Toth at Norwich Community Development Corp. at (860) 887-6964.

John Bilda, general manager of Norwich Public Utilities, was named the individual recipient of the Ron Aliano Service Award — named in memory of the former owner of the marina and American Ambulance and the main underwriter of the fireworks festival for decades.

This year, a business award was added to the program, with Dime Bank as the recipient.

Bilda said he felt “fortunate and proud” to receive the award named for Aliano and also to be standing at the podium with past recipients John Paul Mereen, Theodore Phillips and Scott Capano.

Bilda, a lifelong Norwich resident, recalled being thrilled when he was hired as an engineer at his hometown utility many years ago.

On his second day on the job, a water division worker brought him back to Earth, bluntly telling him: “We don't need anymore engineers. With your salary, I could have bought two pumps.”

But Bilda said he learned a lot working with dedicated NPU employees who cared about the community.

In February 2015, Bilda was asked by Mayor Deberey Hinchey to serve as interim city manager. Bilda did so for a year, while also continuing his NPU duties. He also has served on the boards of Norwich Community Development Corp. and Norwich Free Academy and served as a Taftville volunteer firefighter.

“I'm always a Norwich guy,” Bilda said.

Nick Caplanson, CEO of Dime Bank, accepted the award on behalf of the bank and its 175 employees.

He said the bank donated $350,000 to community organizations last year and the bank's employees donated more than 1,000 hours of time in community service.

“This is a team making a difference in the community,” Caplanson said.

c.bessette@theday.com