By Joshua Archer
Special to the Star-Herald
Another exciting year for Star City businesses. Here are some highlights of what happened during the second half of 2016.
July
McCain Foods, the largest buyer of potatoes in Aroostook County, planned a major expansion at its potato products factory in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick.
The Aroostook County Action Program announced July 7 that it received a $25,000 grant from the John T. Gorman Foundation. Funding will allow the organization to offer some innovative approaches for families in need of emergency services.
After hiring over 2,000 employees, Mike Cote of Ashland retired as human resources manager at Maibec Lumber. Cote worked for the company that was also owned by Brookfield Asset Management, Fraser Paper, and started by J. Paul Levesque as Levesque Lumber, since January of 1985.
After a car crashed into Claudette Edgecomb’s thrift store on the first day it opened, she was back to running the small business Nana’s Thrift Store in Fort Fairfield.
The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce presented Ben’s Trading Post of Presque Isle with the Customer Service Recognition Award for July.
August
2016 was the third year of the Presque Isle Public Market, which began being held in its new permanent home: the Public Market Pavilion along Riverside Drive, next to the Courthouse.
New Ventures Maine announced the winners of its Downtown Dollars marketing mini-grant competition for small businesses in Aroostook County. Two awardees were selected from a strong group of applicants throughout Aroostook County, including one in Fort Fairfield MaineSimple on Presque Isle Street received an award of $100. Wicked Water Graphics on Main Street in Madawaska received $300.
A University of Maine at Presque Isle faculty member received a prestigious national award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). Barbara Blackstone, coordinator of athletic training education, chair of the College of Professional Programs and chair of the College of Education, was selected to receive a 2016 Athletic Trainer Service Award during the 2016 NATA Convention, held in Baltimore, Md.
Katahdin Trust Company donated $25,000 to help upgrade the County Dialysis Center facility and equipment that allows patients from County hospitals to receive local care close to home.
Contributed file photo
Among community and TAMC leaders taking part in the ribbon cutting at the new County Dialysis Center in September were, from left, front row: Cindy Thibeau of Machias Savings Bank, which donated funds in support of the new center; Chamber of Commerce board members Laurie Nelson and Shelley McAtee; Aron Chalou, manager of County Dialysis Center; Shawn Lahey, chamber president; Gene Lynch, member of the TAMC Board of Trustees; Glenda Dwyer, TAMC interim president; Donna and Robert Umphrey of Northeast Packaging; and Sherry Beaulieu, manager of TAMC’s Country Heart Gift Shop, which has donated proceeds to the CDC effort. Back row: Orpheus Allison, dialysis patient; Renee Saucier of Machias Savings Bank; Floyd Rockholdt, chamber board member; Diane Greene and Joe Clukey from Katahdin Trust Company, another donor for the center; Dr. Jay Reynolds, chief medical officer at TAMC; Pete St. John, Katahdin Trust Company; and Michael Bosse from The County Federal Credit Union, also a donor for the center.
September
The County Federal Credit Union announced support for the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative (AAI). In the spirit of the founders of the AAI, the credit union presented a $1,000 donation Aug. 31 to the initiative to help them continue their work with stemming the outmigration of youth from Aroostook County.
The McCain Top 10 Potato Growers were recognized at the annual McCain Grower Barbecue at the Aroostook County Shriners’ Club in Presque Isle on Aug 25. Almost 300 guests gathered to celebrate the top growers and their achievements. Flewelling Farms of Easton was named the McCain Champion Grower.
Members of the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club, with help from local volunteers, organizations and businesses, hosted a successful Kids Day at the Presque Isle Forum on Saturday, Aug. 27.
October
MMG Insurance, with the support of its employees, business partners and the local community, announced a donation of $27,159 to the United Way of Aroostook.
The County Federal Credit Union on Oct. 21 announced a $15,000 donation to the County Dialysis Center so it can continue its life-changing mission.
November
A partnership between the Presque Isle Rotary Club and Aroostook Huskies Football will bring a new football field on Route 1 midway between Presque Isle and Caribou came one step closer to reality.
For more than 100 years, 172 to be exact, the S.W. Collins Company has been serving the northern Maine community. The company was named a member of the LBM Century Club by LBM Journal, which is the leading media organization serving America’s lumber and building material industry.
The Presque Isle-based financial services firm of Thompson-Hamel LLC, which was originally founded in 1962, announced it has reached an agreement to purchase the Bangor-based Farrington Financial Group.
The Aroostook Medical Center’s Aroostook Cancer Care Center was recognized nationally by the QOPI Certification Program (QCP), an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and is one of only five such certified centers in the state.
