Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 20 : Spring 2014 | Page 35

Aroostook Aspirations Initiative encourages and guides Industry Initiative are working hard to make these things
aspirations and achievement of young people who need happen, as are the businesses and schools in Northern
the added support to know that they can contribute to the Maine.
revitalization of Aroostook County.
It was once said that it takes an entire village to raise a
Let’s change our direction here for a moment and take a child. In keeping with that philosophy, it will take an entire
walk down memory lane. My little author who lives in the county to raise the aspirations, education, and economy of
Aroostook. The Aroostook Aspirations Initiative was created
upstairs apartment in my head is getting restless again.
as a vehicle to be a major component of this endeavor.
Do you remember how vibrant and busy the downtowns of Education to Industry was designed as another piece to this
Aroostook County used to be? Remember going downtown solution.
to have a hot fudge sundae with a friend? Or racing down
to the drug store on Main St. when you needed notebook Let’s make Northern Maine a place where we can maintain
paper on a Sunday night for last-minute homework? Or and improve our way of life well into the future. Let’s
going to a store on Main St. where you could get anything polish up The Crown. Let’s bring our businesses and our
from a lizard to a parakeet to a Beatle record (much to your Main Streets back to the vibrancy they once realized. We
parents’ chagrin on all counts!)? Or walking down to the can do it!
grocery store to pick up something for your mom?
After all, we are The Crown of Maine.
That was before the economy started taking a nose dive.
To find out how you can help, please visit The Aroostook
Let’s bring the economy back to where it was – maybe even Aspirations Initiative on our Web site at www.gauvinfund.
better. We need to have businesses and educational facilities org and on Facebook and Twitter. You can visit the
work together closely to make sure that our kids are getting Aroostook Partnership for progress on the Web at www.
a good education, the right education, an education that is appme.org. Please help us in our efforts to help Aroostook
available to all students. We need to help them understand County and its youth.
that they can stay in The County and make a good living;
they can stay in The County and own their own successful
Photo Copyright © 2014 Michael Gudreau
businesses; they can stay in The County and raise families.
michaelgudreauphotography.smugmug.com
The Aroostook Aspirations Initiative and the Education to
SPRING 2014 33