Contributed Story/ Special to the Gazette
Members of the Southern Maine Boys & Girls Club got a special surprise on Wednesday when they were presented with a new passenger van to support the many programs the Club offers to area youth.
The van was donated by Bridgestone Retail Operations as part of an ongoing celebration to mark the opening of the company’s first Firestone Complete Auto Care store in Maine, located on the Alfred Road in Biddeford.
Company officials said the new van will provide Club kids with transportation to and from their clubhouses and other enrichment activities, addressing one of the biggest hurdles families face and giving more kids and teens access to high-impact, out-of-school programming.
The donation is part of the Bridgestone Driving Great Futures initiative, which has raised nearly $30 million to help kids and teens gain access to Boys & Girls Club resources across the United States since 2015.
The company’s partnership is currently celebrating 10 years of impact with major donations, special giving campaigns and unique engagement opportunities for Club kids throughout the remainder of the year.
Speakers at the event included Brian C. Elowe, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine and Patrick Cassella, region manager of Bridgestone Retail Operations.
According to their website, the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine includes five Club locations serving Greater Portland and the Lewiston/Auburn area.
The Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine was founded in 1909 and has nearly 2,000 members between the ages of six and 18 attending the clubs each year.
The organization’s staff works to ensure that “the Clubs are safe places for our members to learn, grow and have fun.”
Among other programs and services, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine prioritize Club members’ academic success by providing after school and summer programs to elementary, middle and high school students.
“We work to ensure Club members stay on track to graduate from high school and leave our Clubs with a plan for their future,” reads their website. “Our programs include homework help, tutoring, STEM programs, coding, and career and college exploration and preparation.”
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