Press Release

Skowhegan Savings Donates Nearly $10,000 for Local Projects

SKOWHEGAN, Maine – Skowhegan Savings announced its charitable donations for the first quarter of the year, totaling $9,250, with awards going to Lake George Regional Park, The Kneading Conference, KVCAP, Skowhegan History House and the Skowhegan Farmers Market.
 
The funded projects span a wide range of educational, economic and community development endeavors that align with the bank's mission and values. They include:

• $5000 to Lake George Regional Park towards capital improvements to buildings, fields and waterfront facilities. The park is home to popular events, a children's day camp and numerous families, Scout troops, school groups and individuals who hike, boat, fish and picnic throughout the year. The park is a destination that draws visitors from a large region and serves as a community outdoor recreation hub for the Skowhegan and Canaan communities.
  
  
• $2500 to KVCAP (Kennebec Valley Community Action Program) to support classes for first-time homebuyers. These courses prepare hundreds of potential homebuyers for the purchase and maintenance of their home mortgage, and will expand to include topics on energy efficiency indoor air quality and other topics relevant to responsible home-ownership in Somerset and Kennebec Counties.
  
  
• $1000 to the Kneading Conference to assist in bringing experts from the bread and baking industry to the event for trainings and workshops for participants. This will support local farmers, kneaders and entrepreneurs interested in the local food movement with professional development to boost this fledging industry in the Skowhegan region.
  
  
• $500 to the Skowhegan Farmers Market to support a new community garden project.The Garden will serve as an educational tool while the market is open to teach the basics of gardening including what to plant when and when to harvest. Later, ingredients from the demonstration garden would be used in the Somerset Grist Mill to teach classes on how to cook with fresh ingredients, canning and other food storage methods.
  
  
• $250 to Skowhegan History House to support upgrades to the electrical system and environmental monitoring system to insure that the historical and educational assets housed at the facility are preserved and can be used for school and community educational programs into the future.

Skowhegan Savings reviews applications for donations from community organizations on a quarterly basis; the next deadline is March 31, 2010. More information about their charitable giving guidelines, including applications, is available on the Web at: http://skowsavings.com/charitable_donations.php.

Photo Caption: Lake George Day Campers in the Art Building

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