UMaine Annual Commemorative Ornament Program Benefits Student Organizations

Contact: Richard Young (207) 581-4184

ORONO — Every year, the University Bookstore—the University of Maine’s official bookstore—commissions the design of a UMaine ornament. Each edition is carefully crafted of the finest materials and depicts a university landmark or symbol.

However, the real beauty of the ornament is how it benefits others.  Through its annual commemorative ornament program, the bookstore provides the proceeds from ornament sales to a UMaine student organization that works to help others.  This year’s selected beneficiary is the UMaine Engineers Without Borders student group.

While the organization is based on campus, its impact is far-reaching.

“Over two thousand miles southwest of us lies Dulce Vivir, a remote village established only four years ago on the outskirts of Dulce Nombre, Honduras,” explains Sean Higgins, a civil engineering major who’s the organization’s co-president. “Though residents’ homes were built strong, high ground water causes their latrines to overflow and, as a result, many of the residents get sick every year. We have designed a solution to their problem, and thanks to the contributions by the University Bookstore, we are one step closer to implementing this solution and improving the quality of life for the people o fthis well-deserving community.”

Richard Young, UMaine’s director of Auxiliary Services, noted that stories like these that get to the heart of the ornament program, which began in 2003.

“The students in these organizations dedicate their energy and talent to making a difference,” Young said. “We at the University Bookstore are honored to recognize their important work through the ornament program. We area student-focused organization, and this initiative is a special way that we can give back.”

The 2009 ornament, as well as the complete collection, is available at the University Bookstore, located on the lower level of Memorial Union on the University of Maine campus. Ornaments are also available through the University Bookstore website at www.bookstore.umaine.edu.

Previous beneficiary organizations have included Alternative Spring Break, Gamma Sigma Sigma and Alpha Phi Omega, Rotaract, Colleges Against Cancer and the Central American Service Association.

High-resolution images are available upon request. Please contact Tom Diaz, Auxiliary Services marketing coordinator, at (207) 581-4350.