Campaign for the County

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – As the first-ever major gifts campaign undertaken by Northern Maine Community College and the NMCC Foundation enters its fifth month, officials are reporting the Campaign for the County’s College has received $72,475 in community gifts, bringing the overall total of funds raised to $329,569 toward the $2 million goal.
    The 28 gifts, pledged by community leaders and a number of Aroostook County businesses, range from $100 to $7,500 and add to the $127,094 contributed by NMCC students, employees, Foundation board and general advisory council members, as well as the $130,000 raised in lead gifts of $10,000 or more committed by businesses and organizations from throughout Aroostook and other parts of Maine.
“We are extremely pleased at the support we have received to date,” said NMCC President Timothy Crowley. “NMCC has always taken great pride in delivering high quality education to its students. These gifts, and the additional contributions we anticipate receiving in the coming weeks and months, will ensure we not only deliver a quality education, but provide the margin of excellence that will set our institution apart.”
The Campaign for the County’s College was launched by NMCC and the NMCC Foundation in late February with a goal of raising $2 million within a year to fund student scholarships and instructional technology, as well as to assist the College in meeting immediate community needs. A team of volunteer leaders, headed by campaign tri-chairs Brian Hamel, Robert Clark and Kris Doody, has been instrumental in generating support for the fund-raising effort.
“We are delighted with the overwhelming financial support of the greater Aroostook County community as we inch closer to our goal of raising $2 million to benefit our students,” said Hamel. “The success of Northern Maine Community College has always been predicated on earning the trust and moral support of our community, and now our community has answered the call by committing their financial resources to ensure a bright future for NMCC.”
Community supporters making gifts of $7,500 are Daigle & Houghton and F.A. Peabody Co.
Contributors at the $5,000 level include Aroostook County Federal Savings & Loan, Dead River Co., Maine Farmers Exchange, Soderberg Construction, Betty and Jack Holder, Harold and Bea Mailman, and Rick and Nancy Duncan.
Connect North America has made a gift of $3,800.
Donors making gifts of $3,000 are the County Federal Credit Union and Aaron Carlson.
Community supporters at the $2,500 level are B.R. Smith Associates, Inc., and Powers Roofing & Sheet Metal.
Making a gift of $1,500 are Marilyn and Art Thompson. The following have made gifts of $1,000: Academy General Dentistry, Craig Green and James and Laura Mills.
Other community gifts received include: Chester M. Kearney, $750; Mike and Carol MacPherson, and Richard Schmidt III, $500; David J. Madore and an anonymous gift, $300; Michael and Mary London, and Alexandra Weeks, $200; John Weeks, $125; Cheryl Duperry, Emmaleen C. Lynch, and Kevin Plourde, $100.
The Campaign for the County’s College has also received lead gifts of $10,000 or more from several Maine businesses. The list to date includes Katahdin Trust Co., Key Bank, N.A., Machias Savings Bank, Maine Potato Growers (MPG), McCain Foods USA, Patriot Mutual Insurance Co., S.W. Collins Co., and the United Insurance Group (UIG).
“We are so pleased that businesses located in and with ties to ‘The County’ have stepped forward and have committed to support the teaching and learning that occurs everyday at NMCC, as well as the vital role the institution plays in the economic vitality and development of our region,” said Raynold Gauvin, chair of the NMCC Foundation Board of Directors. “We look forward to others joining the Campaign for the County’s College in the coming months.”