Building Community, One Project at a Time
Our Katahdin launched in December 2014, and has since raised more than $90,000 to support local leaders who have identified “small win” community development projects. The projects we have delivered include:
- Revitalization of the Millinocket bandstand during the 2014 Christmas season
- Design and posting of banners in the Millinocket downtown business district
- Creation of a community garden to supply the local Farmer’s Market and the Food Pantries
- Support for the 2015 Millinocket Fireworks at the 4th of July and Summerfest in East Millinocket
- Revitalization of Hillcrest playground into a public park that is designed for all citizens to enjoy
- Purchased professional-grade outdoor movie theater and required licensing for public showings
- Sponsored the Maine Outdoor Film Festival to come to the Katahdin region for the first time
In each case, Our Katahdin used its platform to allow local leaders to create plans, raise funds and mobilize volunteers to get the job done. With this approach, we are not dictating the agenda for the Katahdin region, but we are providing all the support needed to enable local leaders to be successful.
We chose to start with “small wins” to build optimism and to cultivate a “can do” attitude across the region. So far, we’ve been blown away by the positive response. Step by step, project by project, we see more leaders stepping forward, more project ideas being cultivated and more funds being raised. Ambitions and standards are increasing, including our own. This is what we dreamed would happen. It’s happening faster than we imagined.
