Celebration to mark Gentile Hall milestone
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine Presque Isle will mark the 10th anniversary of Caroline D. Gentile Hall in a way its namesake would approve — with wellness activities, healthy snacks and a celebration of community. This anniversary celebration will take place Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016 from 2-5:30 p.m. inside the facility. All are invited to attend this free event.
Community Day from 2-5 p.m. will feature a free open gym, rock wall, swimming pool, tours and fitness equipment orientations. There will be a social in the lobby from 4-5:30 p.m.; there will be healthy snacks and a short program with membership appreciation at 4 p.m.
“There are so many events and activities that take place in Gentile Hall over the course of any given year, from academic classes and Special Olympics events to the Sportsman’s Show and the City of Presque Isle’s swimming activities,” UMPI President Linda Schott said. “We are so pleased to be celebrating 10 years of wellness and the connections to our community that this facility has fostered.”
Gentile Hall opened to the public Jan. 21, 2006, with a 13,000-square-foot multipurpose gym, a 4,000-square-foot fitness center, 25-yard pool, elevated track and a 37-foot-high climbing wall. The lobby includes a bronze sculpture entitled “Fiddleheads” by Vermont-based artist Jim Sardonis.
Named in honor of the University’s longest-serving faculty member, the building continues the legacy Gentile created during her 56-year career as a physical education professor. In 2002, she stepped forward with a $500,000 gift — the largest individual gift in the institution’s history — to help build the wellness facility. Including a legacy gift that she bequeathed to the campus upon her passing in 2008, her total gift was approximately $1.1 million.
Those latter funds have been used to keep equipment up to date and to increase the building’s energy efficiency. Gentile Hall staffers, including Dick Gardiner, Amanda Baker, Keli Marston and Donna Underwood, are looking forward to showcasing the facility, and showing guests how it’s been well used and well maintained over time, during the anniversary event.
“This Community Celebration is our way of saying ‘Thank You’ to all the individuals and businesses for their overwhelming support and partnerships these past ten years,” Dick Gardiner, Director of Gentile Hall, said. “Miss Gentile would be very proud to see her facility as a driving force in promoting healthy lifestyles.”
For more information, contact Amanda Baker or Keli Marston at 768-9772.
