Concert closes out Moosehead Caring for Kids Foundation fundraising year

GREENVILLE — Moosehead Caring for Kids Foundation had a very successful fundraising year closing with a sold out community concert at Bartley’s Center Cove Events featuring Whisky Dan Williams, who opened for The Mallett Brothers Band, on Aug. 30.  Concert goers could purchase food from Café Crepe and Hungry Mama Tacos food trucks and had access to the Stress Free Moose beer garden.

This family friendly event raised over $18,000 in ticket sales and generous business sponsorship by Moosehead Marina and Jamos Pizza. Like our golf tournament and auction event over the July 4 weekend held at Mountain Village Golf Club which also raised over $18,000, community participation and the overwhelming financial support by local businesses exceeded our fundraising goals allowing the foundation to donate $20,000 to the YES Project. Other contributions made this year by the foundation include financial support to Little Schoolhouse Childcare for operational expenses, staff training, and pledged financial support for the Greenville Rec Center’s 4 year old club providing a place for preschoolers to have after-school care on the school grounds.

The YES Project is our most ambitious project. As we are anxious to start construction, the remaining needed funds must be secured. To date we have raised over $215,000 from public and private donations through the Giving Tree Campaign; Festival of Trees; Trailside Trivia Night; Moosehead Lake Planning Team from eclipse sales; Greenville High School Alumni donations and brunch/auction event; engraved sidewalk brick sales; quilt raffle donated by Crazy Moose Fabrics; as well as business donations through the Giving Ladder Campaign. We secured a federal CDS grant for $1,561,000 and a brownfield grant through the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council for up to $30,000 to be used for the required environmental impact assessment. We submitted two additional applications for funding through the State Childcare Expansion Grant and the Northern Border Regional Commission Catalyst Grant for a total of $1,250,000 which will be awarded by January. Ongoing fundraising will continue through the Giving Ladder Campaign and the engraved sidewalk brick sales.

We would like to thank our business donors who have already generously given to the YES Project: Indian Hill Trading Post and Shop N’ Save, Planson International, Folsom Realty, W.L. Bartley, Glacier Wear, AE Robinson, Mud Puddle Mercantile, Currier’s Flying Service, Camden National Bank, People’s United Methodist Church, Rockwood Community Church, Century 21 Moose Country, and Peace of Moosehead. Additionally, we would like to thank our business event sponsors: Hammond Lumber Company, Moosehead Marina, Burke’s Roofing and Masonry, Bartley’s Center Cove Events and Rentals, The Loft at Lakeside, and the many golf hole sponsors as well as the businesses that donated auction items. 

Moosehead Caring for Kids Foundation is an all-volunteer board working to support sustainable, quality childcare in the Greenville area. As noted by Janet Chasse, a foundation member and substitute teacher at Little Schoolhouse Childcare, “The current lack of childcare space is heartbreaking. I personally have had a parent stand in front of me crying, wanting to go back to work because she had no income. There are many children in our region currently in unregulated childcare, out of necessity. I can’t stress enough how important childcare is to the families in our community.”

Thank you to this community for your financial support and donation of your time and talents to help us reach our goals for the children of the community.