The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce's "Treasured Memories" contest is open to all visitors, past and present, who have traveled to the region.

Visitors will have until October 31, 2008, to submit their story up to 500 words and an accompanying photograph. The top three entries will each receive a deluxe week-long adventure in the Boothbay Harbor Region including free accommodations, meals, activities and even an original watercolor painting of the area.

"We are looking for the most heart-warming, exciting, or memorable experience that someone has had in their visit to the Boothbay region," says Ron Brann, Chair of the Chamber's Marketing Committee. The memory can date as far back as a long-ago recollection of a childhood adventure or to as recent as a romantic getaway just last week.

For some, a trip to the Boothbay Harbor region has become an annual pilgrimage, attracting visitors seeking the abundance of natural beauty and coastal air, as well as the freshest seafood, especially Maine lobster. The Boothbay Harbor Region also maintains a rich maritime heritage and is world renowned for the skill of its sailors, fishermen, and shipwrights.

"We've always heard from our visitors that they value the authentic, unspoiled quality of our community - like the traditional harbor with its fleet of lobster and fishing boats, the sunset vistas and hiking trails and the quaint village with its tiny shops and restaurants - and that they consider the Boothbay region the soul of the coast," continues Brann.

"So now, we're asking people to share their most `Treasured Memories' with us, for publication on our web site, enabling others to share in discovering the beauty of the Boothbay Harbor Region," Brann said.

In return for your memories, some of our finest businesses have offered up very impressive prizes for the winners. From lodging at charming inns, resorts and bed and breakfasts, to delicious meals and adventure passes to area attractions, to stunning, unique, and practical gifts from area merchants - the treasure couldn't be better!

We've assembled three deluxe gift packages for contest winners: the family memory gift package, the romance memory gift package, the adventure memory package and a special judge's award getaway gift package (all packages based on double occupancy.)

A complete breakdown of gifts in each category can be viewed on the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Web site, boothbayharbor.com

In the name of keeping it simple, we ask the following: make your entry to the point and limited to 500 words or less.

A high-resolution photo is also requested (e.g., little Jimmy's first striped bass, that perfect family lobster photo, or the wedding sunset to remember.)

Submit entries, via e-mail to:

mem o ries@boothbayharbor.com no later than October 31, 2008.

Please provide with your entry: your name, regular mailing address, phone number and e-mail address.

The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to use all information in the entry for future promotional use for the Boothbay Harbor Region. All decisions on winners and awarding of number and type of prizes are final.

All prizes will be awarded in early November and will be good through the 2009 season unless otherwise indicated.

Lodging prizes subject to availability. All Gift Certificates will be mailed to prize winners. Shipping of non-Gift Certificate items is not included - prize winners must come to The Boothbay Harbor Region to collect those prizes.