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Notes from APP and NMDC
Volume 2, Issue 80
Jan. 17, 2013
In This Issue
Registration Deadline
APP Donation
Deadline to register for Aroostook Day at the Legislature approaching

    The deadline for registering for Aroostook Day at the Legislature is rapidly approaching. The annual event is set for Wednesday, Jan. 29 at the Senator Inn in Augusta, but the deadline for registering is next Friday.

    LEADers Encouraging Aroostook Development (LEAD), a key partner in the Aroostook Partnership for Progress (APP), organizes the event.

    "We sponsor Aroostook Day as an opportunity for members of the business and education communities in Aroostook County to interact directly with our elected state representatives on issues of importance to The County," said Jim Davis, LEAD president. "This year's theme revolves around educating our representative about the importance of updating the mining regulations in the State of Maine to achieve the dual objectives of enabling economic growth and protecting or improving the stellar environment we enjoy in northern Maine and the importance of science and technology education to provide the future Maine workforce."

    The two featured speakers will be APP President Bob Dorsey and Maine School of Science and Mathematics Executive Director Luke Shorty.

    Ryan Pelletier, executive director of LEAD, said the event begins with a social hour, followed by a meal and then more formal presentations.

    "Once the meeting is over, delegates are usually asked to give a brief update to the attendees of what is happening with them and issues that they see happening or coming up," he said. "The next day we try to hold a meeting with officials on a subject that LEAD has an interest, in the past it has been transportation related but this year it will focus on education to industry initiatives in the region."

    Pelletier said invitees include LEAD and APP members, NMDC Executive Board, Aroostook and Washington County legislators and legislative leadership.

    Anyone who would like to attend Aroostook Day at the Legislature is urged to contact Judy Dinsmore at Northern Maine Development Commission by email at [email protected] or by phone at (207) 498-8736.

APP donates $5,000 to economic component of World Acadian Congress
    The Board of Directors of APP meets for the first time in 2014. Around the table, from left, are: Larry Shaw, Gene Lynch, Bob Clark, Sylvia Getman, Bob Dorsey, Kris Doody, Linda Schott, Steve Gagnon and Tim Crowley. Also present but not pictured are Chris Anderson, Jim Davis and Dave DesJardins.

    CARIBOU - Meeting for the first time in 2014, the Board of Directors of Aroostook Partnership for Progress (APP) today approved a $5,000 donation to the economic component of the World Acadian Congress.

    The money will be for sponsorship of conference on exports and market development in North America and the French-speaking world, to be held on August 19-20 in Fort Kent during the World Acadian Congress. The donation matches one from Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC).

    "We look at this as not a donation, but an investment," said Bob Clark, executive director NMDC. "We want the economic component of the congress to have a lasting effect."

    During the August event several economic seminars, conferences and summits will be held to help grow the economy of the three regions, northern Maine, northwestern New Brunswick and the Temiscouata, Quebec. Topics include a forestry seminar, business plan competition, agriculture and agri-food conference, a future of energy seminar and a final economic summit, which wraps up the entire economic component of the congress.

    The World Acadian Congress is a major celebration of Acadian culture and history held every five years since 1994. In 2014 from Aug. 8-24, more than 300 activities, including more than 100 family reunions, should attract up to 50,000 visitors to the region. The estimated economic impact is $55-million, but organizers want to make sure the ripple effects last for many years after the congress closes.

    Acadia Federal Credit Union, an investor in APP, previously made a $10,000 pledge, $5,000 to the business plan competition that will award three winners with $5,000 each, plus legal services for a year.

    Also at the board meeting, APP President Bob Dorsey presented the APP 2014 goals that will focus priorities for the upcoming year.

    Strong emphasis was placed on workforce recruitment, via an "attraction campaign" and the need to collaborate on training the workforce to support the anticipated mill openings and manufacturing expansion.

    Dorsey also used to the opportunity to thank the people who work on the various working groups looking to advance agriculture, forestry, renewable energy and others.

    "I am really blessed with participants on the six working groups - folks that care about advancing Aroostook and wish to see progress and jobs materialize for our region."


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