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| Contributed Photo Tim Crowley, president of Northern Maine Community College, and Vicki Smith, chair of the NMCC Foundation Board, accepted a donation to support the college’s new wellness and student center from Gregg Collins, vice president of S.W. Collins Company |
CARIBOU — S.W. Collins, a family-owned, full-service lumber and building materials supply center with stores in Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton, recently provided the Northern Maine Community College’s wellness and student center project with a $5,000 donation.
“S.W. Collins has a long history of supporting the college, and we’re very grateful for this gift, which will help us in our local fund-raising effort,” said Timothy Crowley, NMCC president, “We are anxious to provide our students with a comfortable, state-of-the-art facility to work out, focus on wellness, and get together with their fellow students.”
The college will be breaking ground this spring on a 10,000-square-foot addition to the Christie Building, which will house the Rodney Smith Wellness Center, a facility that will benefit both the NMCC campus and members of surrounding communities.
Work began this month to prepare for construction on existing space in the Christie and Martin buildings for the new Akeley Student Center. The space will be a gathering spot for students to socialize, do homework and access services such as the health center.
“S.W. Collins understands the importance of a healthy workforce, and we support NMCC’s investment in the wellness of its students and the promotion of health in the area,” explained Gregg Collins, vice president of S.W. Collins Company. “We are happy to give back to the community we serve, and our involvement in this project was a natural fit.”
Many of the Collins’ team of professionals have worked firsthand in the building trades, including electrical, plumbing and drafting.
NMCC was able to move forward with the building project as a result of a $5 million gift received last year from a private donor. The college is continuing its effort to raise $1 million in matching funds needed to complete the project.
