SKOWHEGAN, Maine - Skowhegan Savings announced a gift of $10,000 to the Belgrade Lakes Association StopMilfoil Campaign. The campaign, a join effort of the Belgrade Lakes Association, the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, the Congress of Lakes Association and the Maine Lakes Resource Center, seeks to raise a total of $500,000 over a three year effort to stop the spread of milfoil. Milfoil is an invasive plant that spreads quickly once introduced to a new environment. The invasive was positively identified in the Great Meadow Stream in 2010 and threatens virtually all of Great and Long Pond without aggressive eradication action. The StopMilfoil Campaign was launched in January 2012.

"The StopMilfoil Campaign is absolutely critical to the health of the lakes in our community, as well as the health of the local economy," said John Witherspoon, Skowhegan Savings President and CEO. "Skowhegan Savings is committed to investing in projects that benefit our community members, and the Stop Milfoil Campaign certainly falls into that category."

Skowhegan Savings has long been a dedicated partner in various Belgrade watershed preservation projects. In 2010, Skowhegan Savings pledged $15,000 for the Docks to Doorways community development and conservation initiative to enhance the Belgrade watershed. New funds from the bank will be used to support research about milfoil, and the action plan that has been formed to stop its continued spread.

"Skowhegan Savings Bank continues to be a great partner in the Belgrade Lakes community," said Mark Heuberger, co-chair of the StopMilfoil Campaign. "The bank has provided key support for the StopMilfoil Campaign through its participation in the Milfoil Task Force and the Belgrade Lakes Region Business Group. The generous gift from Skowhegan Savings Bank announced today will help ensure our future success in preventing the spread of milfoil in our lakes."