Staff Writer
HOULTON — Efforts to move the Houlton Community Arts Center from the drawing board to real life took a sizable step forward last week with a major donation from a local business. Joe Fagnant, president of the Houlton Community Arts Center Council, announced Friday that F.A. Peabody Co. had given $100,000 toward the arts center’s $5 million capital campaign.
“The ultimate measure of success is the wide range of support that we are able to garner from corporations, individuals and foundations,” said Fagnant in a press release. “This generous gift from F.A. Peabody represents further recognition of the Houlton arts tradition and its critical importance to the community. I am proud that a Maine-based business with such a long-standing history in the Houlton area has offered their support.”
The donation, which represents the largest single charitable gift F.A. Peabody has ever given, is an investment in ensuring a strong local school, said F.A. Peabody President Chris Anderson on Tuesday.
“We need to make certain our schools stay strong,” said Anderson. “We want to take a lead role in encouraging strong local schools and the arts are a critical component of a well-rounded education.”
Investment in local youth and their educational facilities is critical to the future, he added.
Funds raised through the Houlton Community Arts Center (HCAC) capital campaign will support renovation of current arts space at Houlton High School and fund construction of 13,000-square-feet of new space for a visual and performing arts center.
“I was excited to hear the news about the gift from F.A. Peabody,” said Fred Grant, co-chair of the HCAC capital campaign. “It is leadership support such as this that will set the pace for the campaign and encourage giving from others as they see support for this project. It is wonderful to see the Houlton arts receiving the necessary attention that is deserved.”
Renovation and construction for the arts center has been in the works since 2003 when Music Boosters helped with start-up costs for the project. In 2004, the school board expressed initial support for the project, and this year, they OK’d initial groundwork for a $5 million bond — half of which would go toward the arts center. The arts center council is seeking to raise $2.5 million through the bond and $2.5 million in private donations with the goal of breaking ground in 2009.
