Fuller’s gift transformative for Cony students
Letter
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I am responding to the Feb. 28 letter from Michael Garguilo of Waterville regarding the turf field project in Augusta (“People are hungry; Cony turf should wait“). Mr. Garguilo questioned why the Augusta School District is spending $2.6 million on turf fields vs. laying off cafeteria staff.
The two items referenced have no correlation. School expenses are appropriated through the school budget process, funded by Augusta taxpayers. Unlike recent turf projects completed or underway (Messalonskee, Gardiner and Bangor), the Augusta turf field project has no municipal funding.
The disappointment among student-athletes, their families, and the entire community when the project was put on hold last year was distressing. I can’t begin to describe the feeling of euphoria that Bob Fuller’s transformative gift created, particularly among the student-athletes who lost so much over the past year.
Community Compass: Fuller’s gifts will last generations
By Dave Rollins and Bill Bridgeo
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We write to publicly acknowledge the generosity of longtime local philanthropist Robert J. Fuller Jr. and to thank him on behalf of the City Council and our community for his kind-heartedness in general and for his most recent $1.64 million gift in particular.
As many are aware, Bob Fuller had a distinguished career as a local attorney, a partner in one of Maine’s premier law firms. He also served our nation as a longtime senior officer in the Naval Reserve. For many years, he has supported a wide array of worthy local causes, ranging from our community hospital, to the preservation of our deep and rich local history, to the renovation and expansion of our library, to our first-class YMCA complex and to local scholarship funds.
2021 Kenny Awards Announced
One of the more positive things to come out of the pandemic is the way the community comes together to support each other. This is evident through many community programs and non-profit organizations. There are also numerious individual people who have made it a personal mission to help others in need during this unpesidented time.
This sense of community also extends to the many businesses in the area both small and large who have made a signifigant different in the lives of many.
One of the ways the Kennebec Valley recgonizes those who have made an amazing contribution is with the annual Kenny Awards put on by the Kennebec Valley Chamber and presented this year by Kennebec Savings Bank. This year the event will be virtual and held on March 26th at 7:00pm for safety reasons however, the nominees as well as the winners deserve a great amount of recoginition.
Virtual 2021 Kenney Awards to be celebrated March 26
Event hosted by the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce.
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The Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards, the Kenney Awards, will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 26. To ensure the community and the deserving winners and finalists can be celebrated safely, the 2021 Kenney Awards, presented by Kennebec Savings Bank, will be held virtually. Tickets for the event are on sale on the Kennebec Valley Chamber’s website, according to a news release from the chamber based in Augusta.
The Kenney, named for the region it hails from, is awarded annually to area businesses and professionals that are deserving of the community’s attention and recognition. The Kenney’s will recognize six awardees, with three of the awards being determined by live voting at the event.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, the number of people and families in Maine who are food insecure is higher than Maine s ever seen. More and more people are using local food banks to put dinner on their tables. Many of these same people have lost their jobs due to businesses closing.
On Saturday, February 20th, Manchester Motors is hosting a Veterans Initiative food drive. It will take place at Manchester Motors, located at 1031 Western Ave in Manchester, and will run from 9 am to 2 pm. The first 50 people to donate will receive a spring treat bag.
As a community, it is our responsibility now more than ever to help those around us. That s why I am encouraging you to check your cabinets or pantry at home for that extra box of pasta or soup that you re not using. Or, if you re able, grab a few extra items on your next shopping trip and donate them.