Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution and Paquin & Carroll Insurance Donate $57,500 to the Most Sustainable Buildings in the Northeast at The Ecology School in Saco

Photo Left to Right: Drew Dumsch (The Ecology School), Chad Boucher (Saco Biddeford Savings Institution), Bryan Matluk (The Ecology School), and Josh Fearon (Paquin & Carroll Insurance)

Press Release

Media contact: Caitlin Brooke
caitlin@theecologyschool.org
(207) 283-9951

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saco, Maine (August 27, 2020)—Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution and Paquin & Carroll Insurance have given a combined gift of $57,500 to The Ecology School’s groundbreaking project to construct two of the most sustainable buildings in the Northeast. The new buildings, located at River Bend Farm in Saco, will be centerpieces of The Ecology School’s new riverfront environmental education learning center. In addition to providing science and outdoor education to over 3,500 K-8th graders in the Saco and Biddeford school system, The Ecology School is a place for people of all ages to be immersed in outdoor conservation, farming, and sustainability experiences.

To commemorate the generosity of Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution and Paquin & Carroll Insurance, the newly construction entry way to the 7,000 square foot dining commons will be named in the businesses’ honor.

“Support from our neighbors at Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution and Paquin & Carroll Insurance, demonstrates a commitment to building sustainable communities right here in our hometowns. The dining commons will be the central meeting place for all our program participants and the entry way is a connector between the quiet forest setting of our dormitories to the open riverfront farm fields. An appropriate honor for a community partner like Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution and Paquin & Carroll Insurance!” said Drew Dumsch, The Ecology School’s President & CEO.

“Having attended The Ecology School myself, it’s impactful seeing the changes made so that everyone can appreciate and enjoy the scenery while learning about stainability here in our community,” said Chad Boucher, Financial Operations Manager at Saco & Biddeford Savings.

“We are honored to be part of a project that is working toward making sustainability and efficiency a model for participants to follow. It’s incredible to see the plans for education coupled with sustainable farming at the stunning River Bend Farm. The future for participants is bright as The Ecology School expands!” said Josh Fearon, President of Paquin & Carroll Insurance.

The Ecology School’s new buildings will adhere to the strict guidelines of The International Living Futures Institute’s Living Building Challenge, a green building certification program and sustainable design framework that visualizes the ideal for the built environment. “Living buildings” are designed to give more to the environment than they take, creating a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with them. From installing over 700 solar panels and utilizing locally-sourced lumber, to permaculture landscaping and a working agroecology farm, these features and many more on the campus at River Bend Farm will lead the way in modeling livable sustainability and conservation practices for Maine and beyond.

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About The Ecology School
The Ecology School is a nonprofit ecology education center that transforms how people think about nature and the environment. Through joyful, hands-on, experiential programming students of all ages learn to become stewards of the environment as they explore local forests, coastal ecosystems, and food systems. Since 1998, The Ecology School has hosted more than 187,000 students and teachers from across the country, educating about the environment and our collective impact on the planet. In 2019, The Ecology School broke ground on its new campus at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine. Upon completion, The Ecology School will become the most sustainable building in the Northeast. Learn more at TheEcologySchool.org and follow The Ecology School on Facebook @EcologySchool, Instagram @TheEcologySchool and Twitter @ecologyschoolME.