Harold Alfond College Challenge Grant Workshop

    PRESQUE ISLE — Babies born in Maine on or after Jan. 1, 2009 are eligible to receive a $500 grant to help pay for education beyond high school through the Harold Alfond College Challenge, a program set up by the Maine philanthropist to encourage generations of Maine families and their children to pursue college.     The grant is used to establish NextGen college investing accounts for newborns through the Finance Authority of Maine. No additional contributions are required to start the account, but friends, family members and businesses can contribute to it at any time.
    A free workshop will be held on Thursday, March 5, at 5:30 p.m. at A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital in Presque Isle to provide information about the program and to help parents or family members with the application process. This workshop is perfect for families who have recently had a child or are expecting a baby in 2009. A representative from the Finance Authority of Maine will be on hand to answer questions. No registration is necessary to attend.