Second Annual Commemorative Ornament to be Unveiled at UMaine Bookstore
Contact: Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571, Holly Williams at 581-1700
ORONO — The second annual University Bookstore Commemorative Ornament will be unveiled on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 12:30 p.m. in the University of Maine Bookstore. This program is intended to celebrate and recognize UMaine organizations that best live up to the spirit of the holiday season. All proceeds from the sales of the ornaments are donated to university groups that best achieve the altruistic goals of helping others.
For the second year, the commemorative ornament program will honor Alternative Spring Break. The organization promotes community service on the local, regional, and international levels through programs that immerse students in different cultures. The students spend their spring break performing community service and advocating lifelong social action.
“The thing about Alternative Spring Break is when you think of the word altruism — wanting to do something just for the benefit of others — they are the first group many people think of on campus,” says Holly Williams, publications coordinator for the University Bookstore.
Lyn Dexter, coordinator of Alternative Spring Break, says she couldn’t be happier about her group being selected as benefactors again this year. The group needs to raise approximately $20,000 each year, to cover expenses involved in sending students to the program locations.
“We’re just phenomenally excited to be able to have this for two years in a row,” Dexter says. “It’s a huge help for us.”
Previous fundraising efforts have included bake sales, bottle drives, letter writing campaigns, benefit dinners and “adopt a breaker” programs to raise the estimated $300-400 needed to send every breaker to a destination.
“You name it, we’ve tried or done it,” Dexter says.
The Alternative Spring Break program at UMaine is based on a national program called Break Away. The affiliation allows Dexter to find locations through a national database and requires group members to uphold the components of strong and direct service, alcohol and drug free participation, orientation, education, training, reflection and reorientation.
Alternative Spring Break has been chosen to receive the proceeds from the ornament again this year in hopes that second year sales will be higher. After this year, a search committee will be formed to select the organization that will receive the proceeds.
“Last year was the first year so Alternative Spring Break deserves another shot at potentially a much greater fundraising effort,” Williams says.
Sales of the ornaments last year generated a little more than $2,000 for the group. Bookstore Director Bill Hockensmith says his goal is $3,000 this year.