York’s of Houlton donates funds
to support new wellness center
PRESQUE ISLE — York’s of Houlton has donated $5,000 and leveraged an additional $5,000 gift from the Toyota Dealer Match Program to support Northern Maine Community College’s new wellness and student center project.
NMCC PRESIDENT Timothy Crowley, left, and Vicki Smith, chair of the NMCC Foundation board of directors, accept a donation from Dick York, co-owner and general sales manager of York’s of Houlton. 
York’s, coupled with a matching gift from Toyota, donated a total of $10,000 to support the Rodney Smith Wellness Center and the Akeley Student Center project at the college.
“We really appreciate the support of York’s of Houlton. They really stepped up as one of the first businesses to donate in support of our new center,” said NMCC President Timothy Crowley. “Jerry and Dick York are business owners who are truly committed to The County and have the vision to support causes such as our wellness center that they believe will benefit their future workers, their customers and the region as a whole.”
The college will be breaking ground this spring for a 10,000 square foot addition to house the Rodney Smith Wellness Center, a facility that will benefit both the NMCC campus and members of surrounding communities. Renovations begin in February on existing space in the Christie and Martin buildings for the new Akeley Student Center. The space will be a gathering spot for students to socialize, do homework, and access services such as the health center.
“The NMCC wellness center project is deserving of community support,” said Dick York, co-owner and general sales manager of York’s of Houlton. “Healthy lifestyle choices play an important role in determining an individual’s chances of success in life, and having the wellness center an integral part of students’ curriculum will enhance that probability.”
York’s began as a Ford dealership in Houlton in 1968, growing over the years to add Lincoln and Mercury franchises in 1983, followed by the Toyota franchise in 1990. The company changed its name to York’s of Houlton in 1993. The company completed a major addition and renovation project four years ago, adding a customer service drive, extra office space and 14 additional service bays.
NMCC was able to move forward with the student center as a result of a $5 million gift from a private donor earlier this year. The college is continuing its work to raise $1 million needed to complete the project.
