FORT KENT, Maine — A new Facebook page is shining a light on on all things positive about Aroostook County.
Aroostook County Administrator Ryan Pelletier instituted the page, ‘Positively Aroostook!,’ which offers members an opportunity to share positive news about local businesses, community events and individuals from The County who achieve success.
“I started the page because I see a lot of negative on Facebook all the time. Groups are actually popping up to criticize everything all the time and being in the position I am, I get to travel a lot throughout The County and know there is a lot of great stuff happening all over the place, but because of our geography and size, often times people don’t know about what might be happening just down the road from them or vice versa,” Pelletier said.
“Obviously as the County Administrator, I have a vested interest in seeing Aroostook grow and prosper and my past work in economic development lets me know that a lot of stuff happens in The County that the general public sometimes just doesn’t see,” Pelletier said. “I hope that as time goes on, this site will be able to bring some of that good stuff to light. I can think of a dozen manufacturing firms in The County that are doing very well, but again, (it is sometimes) out of sight, out of mind and people just need to be reminded that yes, The County can be home to great companies and great jobs; we already are, so why not get more.”
The ‘Positively Aroostook!’ Facebook page is public so anyone can join, and as moderator Pelletier said the only rule for posting to the page is that the posts remain positive. Just 24 hours after he created the page on April 13, 500 new members joined the group, and Pelletier said he hopes that number will continue to grow.
As well as his own Facebook friends and personal contacts, Pelletier said he also invited key policy makers such as members of the Legislature from The County to join the Positively Aroostook! Facebook page “so that they can be clued in to what is happening all over The County as well.”
“I think it’s important to do that for a couple of reasons, but mainly to keep them in the loop especially when they are in Augusta all week and sometimes not aware of things happening back home,’” Pelletier said.
Pelletier said he would like to expand upon the page’s message at some point but has not yet decided how that will happen.
“Social media is great for something like this, but long term, I hope this grows beyond just a Facebook page,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure how that will look right now, but I’m going to keep working on it and hoping that as more people get involved it will take on a ‘life of its own’ sort of thing.”
Pelletier is enthusiastic about the growth of Aroostook County and hopes that others will become educated about the benefits of the area through the Facebook page.
“In less than a year, a new craft brewery opened in Fort Kent, a new authentic Mexican restaurant opened in Presque Isle, and a new Internet cafe/work share space opened in Houlton,” Pelletier said. “There are people in different parts of The County doing really cool stuff, and some people aren’t even aware of it. Let’s spread the word.”
