HOULTON, Maine — The LP Foundation and employees at the Louisiana-Pacific Corp. engineered wood products mill in Houlton, have teamed up to ensure that the students at Houlton Southside School have a safe, fun place to learn and play.
Mill employees selected the school to receive its share of the LP Foundation’s annual community grant program to help pay for playground equipment for the school’s third through fifth graders.
“Building youth builds communities and there’s no better way for our grant money to be used than in helping these young students grow and mature in a safe and healthy manner,” LP Houlton Plant Manager Bruce Avery said.
The grants are part of the LP Foundation’s efforts to bolster communities where Louisiana-Pacific has a presence.
The mill has an annual allotment of $3,000 to give to a local charity or a public school and for the past two years, has opted to give the money to Southside to help pay for its fitness cluster playground equipment.
The school is installing the equipment in phases. The first two phases involved swing sets. The fitness cluster will be installed this summer. The new playground equipment gives the children the opportunity to build stronger bodies while sharpening their mobility and interpersonal skills, according to school officials.
“We continually seek donations and grant money along with ongoing fundraising with our student council playing an integral part in this effort,” Southside Principal Cindy Peterson said.
“Thus far, we have received additional financial support from Louisiana Pacific, our local Rotary, and the Putnam family trust,” she said. “We are very fortunate to live in a community that truly cares for the youth and their well-being. We continue to be amazed and are very appreciative.”
For LP employees, the grants give the satisfaction of knowing they are building a better Houlton while enriching the lives of its children, according to the company.
“Partnering and investing in our local youth’s education and well-being is critical to building a healthy and dynamic community,” LP Houlton Human Resources Manager Ryan Bushey said. “The children in our local school systems are our community’s future. As a corporate citizen we need to have a strong relationship with our community that supports our employees and their families’ futures.”
