Advocate: Heritage programs depend on state funds

MADAWASKA – Aroostook County reading and literacy programs at several libraries, microfilming projects for the Acadian Archives at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, arts programs and historical preservation programs at several sites were funded by the state’s New Century Program during the last two years.

The program is up for funding in the 120th Legislature and northern Aroostook County is helping in the fight for the continuation of the program.

In the last round of funding, 70 Aroostook County projects received $166,014.

“The need is there, greater than ever,” Jason Parent, chairman of the Maine Acadian Heritage Council, said Friday. “The proposal received testimony from many proponents yesterday [Thursday] in Augusta.

“We [Aroostook County] fared well during the last two years,” he said. “Many projects were funded, and many things got done with literacy, the arts and historical programs.”

Parent believes that many of the programs funded by the New Century Program would not have been done without the state money.

Don Cyr of Lille, a St. John Valley historian and special projects coordinator of the Maine Acadian Heritage Council, testified on behalf of the council and St. John Valley historical societies, schools and libraries at Augusta on Thursday. He could not be reached Friday.

Sheila Jans, a Madawaska member of the Advocacy and Information Committee and the Maine Arts Commission, was also at the hearing.

“There seems to be a lot of support for the legislation at the legislative level,” she said. “That’s good because the St. John Valley has received some real interesting grants from the program.

“The project provides seed money for small organizations which have a really hard time in getting money,” she said. “This allows them to get assistance for other funds and assists them in gaining momentum.”

“The benefit to the St. John Valley is great,” Parent said.” It made such a difference for us, because we could not have funded the programs without the state money.”

His group, created by the federal Maine Acadian Preservation Act, has twice the number of proposed programs for 2001 than it can fund.

In the last round, programs like the Roy Family Painters program was funded. The project allowed for three exhibitions of paintings and sculptures by the George Roy Family from Fort Kent. Exhibits were placed at Van Buren’s Acadian Village, UMFK’s Blake Library and the Madawaska Public Library during the summer and fall of 2000.

With some of the money the Morneault Memorial Library at Van Buren was able to purchase equipment to install an electronic card catalog and electronic circulation for its users.

Textile collections at St. Agatha and Van Buren received money for the appropriate storage of textile collections and The Stockholm Historical Society was able to catalog, conserve and promote artwork of self-taught local artists born prior to 1930.

The money also funded a photography project for the Fort Kent Historical Society and book programs for the Fort Kent Public Library.

The list goes on and on.

Continuation of the program is sponsored by the leadership of both the Maine House and Senate. It is also supported by the Maine Cultural Affairs Council, the Maine Arts Commission, the Maine Humanities Council, the Maine State Library and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

“The program and the money it offers is a must for the St. John Valley,” Jans said. “There are so many things that need to be done in the St. John Valley and there is so little money to do it with.”