NMCC, foundation top $2M funding goal

PRESQUE ISLE – Last week, with $1.9 million in their coffers, officials with the Northern Maine Community College Foundation were optimistic they would reach the $2 million goal they set last February as part of the “Campaign for the County’s College” major gifts campaign.

They were correct – in fact, they officially exceeded their objective late this week, two months ahead of schedule.

Officials with NMCC and the NMCC Foundation announced Friday that the campaign had surpassed its $2 million goal thanks to more than $70,000 in donations made to establish the Peter G. Hunt Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Hunt, a Fort Fairfield resident and member of the NMCC Foundation board of directors, died unexpectedly in June at the age of 63.

A founder of the statewide United Insurance Group, Hunt established and successfully operated a number of businesses in The County and beyond, including acquiring, in recent years, the Harry’s family of businesses comprising Top of Maine Insurance Co., Harry’s Honda and Harry’s Motor Sports in Presque Isle.

Hunt also was involved in several other community and civic organizations, including Aroostook Partnership for Progress, Community General Hospital in Fort Fairfield, Fort Fairfield Housing Authority and the Fort Fairfield Community Development Board.

The major gifts campaign was launched by the college and the NMCC Foundation to raise $2 million through February 2008 to support student scholarships and instructional technology and to assist NMCC in efforts to respond quickly to community needs throughout Aroostook County.

The foundation benefits the campus community by raising and managing student scholarship funds and other special initiatives that help students receive postsecondary degrees at NMCC.

The Hunt Memorial Scholarship Fund initially was established by UIG at the time of Hunt’s death. Since then, donations were made to the fund by family members, friends and business acquaintances in Hunt’s memory.

Contributions totaling $70,690, including a $60,000 donation from UIG, recently were presented to the foundation to create an endowed fund to provide scholarships or awards to fund tuition, books, tools and equipment. The scholarships will be awarded annually to NMCC students who are residents of Maine and are pursuing degrees in business, nursing or the trades.

Tim Crowley, president of NMCC, said Friday that Hunt’s “life work was centered on creating opportunity for people to live, work and do business in northern Maine.

“Certainly that mission will be accomplished through the lives of generations of future students who attend NMCC and benefit from the Peter G. Hunt Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund,” he added.

After its launch, response to the major gifts campaign was swift and generous.

By last fall, the campaign had taken in more than $1.5 million, and last week’s donation of $100,000 from the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation pushed the initiative over the $1.9 million mark.

Some of the largest gifts have come from individuals.

The largest donation came when Floyd Harding, a Presque Isle attorney and former state senator, bestowed $1 million upon NMCC on behalf of himself and his late wife.

The charitable remainder trust will benefit student scholarships, specifically the Jean and Floyd Harding Scholarship Fund.

Former state legislator James McBreairty also gave the college $60,000 to create the Dickinson-McBreairty Memorial Scholarship fund. The fund is named in honor of McBreairty and his late wife, Doris Dickinson McBreairty, as well as the couple’s parents.

Although the campaign has reached its goal, the foundation still intends to keep accepting donations through next month.