United Way of Aroostook

The mission of United Way of Aroostook is to mobilize resources to improve the lives of people in our communities. We're igniting a social movement by empowering people to unite and solve complex problems that affect us all. HISTORY 1957 – C. Hazen Stetson and eight other men met at the Northeastland Hotel in Presque Isle to incorporate the UNITED FUND of PRESQUE ISLE. Others were organized in Caribou, Fort Fairfield and Limestone. 1977 – The “Greater Presque Isle” and Caribou groups were combined to form the United Fund of Central Aroostook. Later that year, other communities joined to create the Presque Isle Regional United Fund. 1979 – Limestone and Fort Fairfield United Funds joined and the UNITED WAY of AROOSTOOK was created to raise funds and support County health and human service agencies. The first President was Eugene Conologue. Campaign Chairman Norman Fournier raised $101,256. 1980 – Al Giberson was President and Campaign Chairman was Dale Olmstead. They raised $121,000. 1981 – James Patterson was President when Campaign Chairperson Pat Sutherland raised $109,701. 1982 – Maureen Beaulieu was President and Larry Hersom was Campaign Chairman. They raised $93,986. 1983 – President Norm Fournier and Campaign Chairman Bob Ashby raised $115,715. 1984 – Richard Wadman, President and Campaign Chairman Dave Peterson raised $118,921. 1985 – Pat Lyons was President and Norm Johnson was Campaign Chairman. They raised $125,553. 1986 – Pat Lyons was again President when Campaign Chairman Sam Collins raised $133,762. 1987 – President Bob Ashby and Campaign Chairman Art Thompson raised $164,254. 1988 – Bob Ashby was President when Campaign Chairman Art Thompson raised $164,254. 1989 – The building at 650 Main Street in Presque Isle was purchased by the United Way. President Sam Collins and Campaign Chairman Bert Michaud raised $193,198. 1990 – President Bruce Sandstrom and Campaign Chairman Al Giberson raised $230,774. 1991 – Bruce Sandstrom was President when Campaign Co-Chairs Paula Fowler Kilby Connie Sandstrom raised $237,929. 1992 – On July 4 the United Way building burned, causing extensive damage. Temporary offices were set up at the Key Bank Building in Presque Isle while repairs were made. Steve St. Pierre was President. Connie Sandstrom was Campaign Chairperson and raised $237,853. 1993 – In January United Way moved back into its building. President Steve St. Pierre and Campaign Chairman Peter Cannan raised $242,720. 1994 – Bill Cyr was President when Campaign Chairperson Athill Hebert raised $241,975. 1995 – Bill Cyr was President when United Way of Aroostook adopted it’s own Mission Statement, a Donor Bill of Rights and implemented a Code of Ethics for Volunteers and Staff. In its first Campaign following the closure of Loring Air Force Base, United Way of Aroostook raised $254,663 led by Campaign Chair Lynn Lombard. 1996 – Alan Dunn was President and Patti Crooks was Campaign Chairman when the Annual Campaign raised $262,279. 1997 – President Alan Dunn and Campaign Chair Brett Barnum raised $292,302. 1998 – Lynn Lombard was President when Steve Richard raised $358,012. 1999 – Lynn Lombard was President and Steve Richard was Campaign Chairman when the Annual Campaign raised $391,464. 2000 – Chris Condon was President and Barry McCrum was Campaign Chairman. The Annual Campaign raised $416,018. 2001 – Chris Condon was President and Jason Parent was Campaign Chairperson. The Campaign raised $426,581. The building that was located at 650 Main St. in Presque Isle was sold and the United Way of Aroostook office moved to the 3rd Floor of the KeyBank Building located at 480 Main St. in Presque Isle. 2002 – Athill Hebert was President and Rick Duncan was Campaign Chairperson. The Campaign raised $429,415. 2003 – Athill Hebert was President and J. Nicholas Bayne was Campaign Chairperson. The campaign raised $507,000! 2004 – Jason Parent was President and Dennis Curley of Channel X was Campaign Chairperson. The campaign raised $491,000! 2005 – Jason Parent was President and Patricia Sutherland was Campaign Chairperson. The campaign raised $505,000! A community assessment was completed in 2005-2006 to determine what the communities greatest concerns were throughout the Aroostook County. The United Way came to the conclusion that Substance Abuse played a major contributory role in most of the problems that were sited. A committee was formed to address the issue and look for programs that the United Way might fund that positively impacts Substance Abuse problems in the regions by bringing about sustainable change. 2006 – Brian Sipe was President and Carolyn Dorsey and Brian Sipe served as co-chairs of the campaign. The campaign raised $530,000! 2007 – Brian Sipe was President and Mike MacPherson served as campaign chair. The campaign raised $538,000! 2008 – Bonnie Foster was President and Athill Hebert served as campaign chair. The campaign raised $767,915.88 which included $139,158.65 in in-kind for a total balance of $628,757.23. 2009 – Bonnie Foster was President and Carolyn Dorsey-Durepo served as campaign chair. The campaign raised $654,617.06 which included $126,869.41 in in-kind for a total balance of $527,747.65. 2010 – Don Zillman was President and Dan Bagley served as campaign chair. The campaign raised $506,473.73 and additional $99,875.39 in in-kind for a total balance of $657.873.56. 2011 – Donald Zillman was President and Dan Bagley served as campaign chair. The campaign raised $506,473.73 and additional $99,875.39 for a total balance of $606,313.12. 2012 – Cheri Doak was Presidnt and Wanda Guiggey and Tim Doak served as co-campaign chairs. The campaign raised $489,753.29 and additional $130,431.87 in in-kind for a total balance of $620,185.16. 2013 – Cheri Doak was President and Wanda Guiggey served as campaign chair. The campaign raised about $470,000 and an additional $118,500 in in-kind for a total balance of $588,500. The United Way of Aroostook office moved from the KeyBank on Main Street to the Machias Savings Bank on Dyer Street in November. 2014 – Dan Bagley was President and Luke Rossignol served as campaign chair. The campaign raised $490,756.10 and an additional $122,610.30 in in-kind for a total balance of $613,366.40. 2015 – Claudia Stevens (Executive Director) retired at the end of 2015. Sherry Locke was hired as the new Executive Director and started November 16, 2015. United Way of Aroostook also moved in April of 2016 from the Machias Savings Bank on Dyer Street to the Aroostook Centre Mall. Dan Bagley was the President and Luke Rossignol served as the campaign chair. The campaign raised $550,630.39 and $183,275.33 in in-kind for a total balance of $733,905.72.