S.W. Collins donates $10,000 to NMCC campaign

    PRESQUE ISLE – S.W. Collins Co., a fifth generation family-owned lumber, building material, and hardware store with locations in Presque Isle and Caribou, has pledged $10,000 to the major gifts campaign at Northern Maine Community College.
    The pledge will support the “Accessing Opportunity” fund, specifically benefiting students in the building trades programs, which include residential construction, welding and metal fabrication, computer-aided drafting, plumbing and heating, and electrical construction and maintenance.
    The latest in a growing list of businesses and organizations contributing to the Campaign for the County’s College, the S.W. Collins’ pledge brings the Campaign closer to the goal of raising $2 million by February 2007.
    “S.W. Collins has been an avid supporter of Northern Maine Community College over the years, and we are delighted this very well-respected company and family has endowed a scholarship fund that will assist future students for many years to come,” said Brian Hamel, tri-chair for the Campaign for the County’s College. “S.W. Collins’ 163 year commitment to Aroostook County has been the cornerstone of this family owned business for five generations, and we are delighted that our students will be the beneficiary of its generosity.”
    The intention of the major gifts campaign is to both support student scholarships and instructional technology, as well as to assist NMCC in new and ongoing efforts to respond promptly to ongoing needs.
    “Contributing to our local community college is a smart investment in the county. NMCC provides the training and skills necessary for the ever evolving workplace,” said Sam Collins, president of S.W. Collins. “By partnering with employers to provide today’s required training, the college allows local businesses to grow and provide quality job opportunities to the employment force in Aroostook.”
    In addition to the Accessing Opportunity (scholarship) fund, money raised can be allocated in two other areas, the Investing in Innovation fund, a technology endowment fund that will ensure the college keeps pace with changing instructional technology, and the College and Community Advancement fund, which provides an immediate source of funding, allowing NMCC to launch new curricula and respond promptly to evolving community needs.
    S.W. Collins has been supplying the needs of Aroostook County contractors and homeowners since 1844. The company has recently acquired a new property, taking ownership of the Fogg’s True Value Store in Houlton. S.W Collins recently partnered with NMCC on the “Do It Best Aroostook” television series, designed to assist county residents with projects around the home.