Norwich — When someone from the Norwich Events Committee called Shiela Hayes about the annual Ron Aliano Service Award, she figured the caller wanted to get information about someone they were selecting for this year's award.

She was right, only it wasn't about someone else.

Hayes, a longtime civic and youth activist, was honored Wednesday, along with the Edward and Mary Lord Foundation, with the service award named for the founder of American Ambulance and the Marina at American Wharf. The award is presented each year to an individual and a business for commitment to the Norwich community and for promoting economic development.

More than 100 people attended the award ceremony at the Mount Crescent House Bed and Breakfast on Broadway in a fundraiser for the Norwich Events Committee, which organizes the city's annual July 4 fireworks festival, Winterfest parade and St. Patrick's Day parade and street festival.

The event featured auctions of dozens of items donated by local businesses and groups, including a skybox to a Connecticut Tigers game, several beer, wine or liquor baskets, tickets to Cross Sound Ferry's lighthouse tours and even ride-alongs with the Norwich Fire Department or American Ambulance.

Hayes and Jeff and Kathryn Lord, niece and nephew of Ed and Mary Lord, said receiving the award made them reflect on Aliano's dedication to Norwich and his tireless promotion of the city.

"I always respected him," Jeff Lord said. "He wasn't afraid to put his money where his mouth was. He got things done. ... You gotta respect that."

Hayes said Aliano was always willing to talk about his ideas and her ideas. She said even if they didn't always agree on things, he was "gracious" and willing to talk.

"When you think about everything he did for this city," she said, "some things he did accomplish, and some things he didn't. It was the same with me. I accomplished some things, and some things, I didn't get done."

Hayes is a founding member and secretary of Sankofa Education and Leadership Inc. She serves as the secretary for the Ellis Walter Ruley Project Committee, is a member of the Norwich Personnel and Pension Board, a member of the Rotary Community Corps of Norwich and a founding member of the Norwich Rotary Clubs' Celebrate Cultural Diversity Committee. Hayes also serves as a corporator at Norwich Free Academy. She is a life member of the NAACP and past president of the Norwich branch and current chairwoman of the Robertsine Duncan Youth Council NAACP ACT-SO academic and cultural Olympics program.

The Lord Foundation, funded in 2009 upon the deaths of Ed and Mary Lord, awarded its first charitable grants in 2010 to nonprofit organizations. The foundation since has granted more than $6 million to over 90 organizations, mostly local, typically ranging from about $10,000 to several hundred thousand for major capital projects.

Kathryn Lord noted that Ed Lord and Aliano died within a few months of each other in 2009 and said they shared many of the same characteristics of hard work, feistiness and dedication to their endeavors.

"We are honored and grateful for the meaningful recognition we are given tonight," Lord said on behalf of foundation trustees, herself, Jeff Lord and attorney Joel Suisman.

c.bessette@theday.com