Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. I I JA N UA R Y 2 2 , 2 0 2 4 12 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E Jackson Lab opens $4.5 million child care center Jackson Laboratory opened the $4.5 million Island of Imagination Early Learning Center, helping to address the need for child- care resources in Bar Harbor. e facility will be operated by the Ellsworth-based Down East Family YMCA and will serve both lab employees and members of the community. More than 20 children are enrolled. At capacity, it could accommodate up to 50 children. Plans for the 6,800 square-foot center started in 2018, and ground was broken on the site in October 2022. It has three primary class- rooms, along with large indoor and outdoor playgrounds, a kitchen, staff offices and a dedicated room for one-to-one support services such as speech therapy. e cen- ter was supported by a $250,000 grant from the Maine Child Care Infrastructure Grant Program, part of a $15 million state investment into the construction or expansion of workforce child care programs. Design and construction were han- dled by TAC Architectural Group in Bangor, Bowman Constructors in Newport, Woodard and Curran in Portland and Cordjia Capital Projects Group in Camden. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T The Maine Community Foundation in Ellsworth awarded $176,975 to 23 organizations and programs through its Maine Expansion Arts grant program with an additional $5,000 awarded from donors with advised funds. Also, the foundation's Maine Theater grant program awarded 18 nonprofit theater companies and programs a total of $88,944; its Maine Land Protection grant program awarded $127,199 to three nonprof- its and donors with advised funds at the foundation providing an additional $105,000 to three more organiza- tions that in total will conserve nearly 2,600 acres; and its Conservation for All grant program awarded $186,034 to 13 nonprofits that build strong connections between Maine people and its land and water with donors with advised funds at the foundation awarding an additional $51,390 to seven other nonprofits. American Unagi Inc., a Waldoboro startup that's the only U.S. producer and processor of American eel, has re- ceived a $1.5 million investment from RuralWorks Partners LLC, an impact investment firm with offices in Vermont and Minnesota. Alfond earmarks $80M for UMaine athletics With an $80 million gift, the Harold Alfond Foundation is nearly dou- bling its financial support of athletics at the University of Maine. e new donation will help pay for facility improvements on the Orono campus and benefit all 17 UMaine varsity sports programs, the school said in a news release. ree years ago, in a $500 million series of contributions to the University of Maine System and other schools and organizations across the state, the Harold Alfond Foundation pledged $90 million to support UMaine athletic facility upgrades. With the additional funds, the $170 million total represents one of the largest contributions ever to a college sports program. UMaine will seek to raise another $18 million as a challenge match to the recent gift. e new funding will go toward projects including a 4,900-square- foot expansion of Alfond Arena and a 13,000-square-foot addition to the Shawn Walsh Center, with renovated conditioning facilities, a new film room, recovery rooms, team offices, expanded locker rooms and team lounges. N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N The Greater Bangor Association of Realtors donated $8,750 to House in the Woods, a nonprofit committed to aiding U.S. armed forces members and their families. Katahdin Bankshares Corp. (QTCQX: KTHN), the Houlton-based parent company of Katahdin Trust Co., plans to buy back up to $2 million of its own shares in 2024. Outstanding shares of common stock may be repurchased by the company and purchased by Katahdin Trust's Employee Stock Ownership Plan by Dec. 31. Scan the QR code to learn more Are you ready for the retirement of your dreams? Whatever your destination, let Golden Pond be your guide. Let's start a conversation... visit www.goldenpondwealth.com or call us at 207-873-2200 Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N

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