Organizers deem Northern Maine Community College homecoming a huge success

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – The first Homecoming hosted by Northern Maine Community College in over two decades is being called a resounding success by event organizers. The NMCC Alumni and Friends Organization, which hosted the Sept. 10-12 celebration, is pleased with how events unfolded and their decision to pair the event with the Maine State Federation of Firefighters Convention held in Presque Isle.     “We couldn’t be more pleased with our first time hosting a homecoming weekend,” said Scott Carlin, president of the Alumni and Friends Organization. “Our events provided a great opportunity for old friends to reconnect and for new friends to meet. Joining forces with the firemen’s convention also proved to be beneficial to our activities. Members of fire departments from downstate who are NMCC alumni participated in both activities.”
The weekend, which was themed by the Alumni and Friends organization as “celebrating the past, present and future,” began with a nod to all three as NMCC hosted a campus-wide open house Sept. 10. More than 250 guests visited the college, including 175 area high school students, who toured the campus.
One highlight of the open house was a noontime barbecue and pep rally, originally planned for outdoors, but moved into the college’s Reed Dining Commons because of inclement weather. The event featured the music of the Presque Isle Middle School Jazz Band, under the direction of Pat Bragdon, and an introduction of the members of the 2010 NMCC Falcon soccer team by coach Bill Casavant.
The evening was dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of NMCC’s outstanding alumni. Four honorees were presented with the NMCC Alumni and Friends Organization’s Shining Star Award at a banquet attended by more than 100 people, including Congressman Michael Michaud, in the Edmunds Conference Center.
The alumni, Robert Clark of Fort Fairfield, Robert Lilly of Scarborough, Nancy Putman of New Limerick and Ammie Toby of Houlton, will serve as the first of 50 individuals to be honored by the college in the coming years to mark the institution’s 50th anniversary which will officially begin in 2011.
Saturday’s highlights included the NMCC Alumni and Friends Organization’s participation in the firefighter’s convention parade in downtown Presque Isle. More than two dozen alumni, current students and staff participated, handing out NMCC pencils and watermelon donated by Star City, Hillside and Mars Hill IGAs to parade-goers. The NMCC entry won first place in the civic category.
That afternoon, NMCC alumni, more than 20 strong, took part in the first annual NMCC alumni versus NMCC Falcons soccer game. The alumni team won the close match by a score of 3-2.
On Sunday, the Falcons hosted Yankee Small College Conference rivals Eastern Maine Community College for a match on the artificial turf at the Johnson Athletic Complex adjacent to the Presque Isle Middle School. The Falcons fell in their official season opener by a score of 5-3.