BETHEL — Maine’s senator, Susan Collins, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $725,000 for the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum (MMGM) and $273,000 for the Bethel Area Food pantry and (future) District Exchange.
The MMGM monies will be used to purchase equipment to study lithium and other minerals as well as to develop educational programs for K-12 students.
“The Maine Mineral & Gem Museum is home to a wide array of geologic marvels, from the Maine state gemstone, tourmaline, to the largest pieces of the Moon and Mars on Earth.” said Senator Collins in a recent press release. “This funding will help students across the region to access this educational asset. Additionally, this project will help researchers determine whether Maine’s abundant supply of lithium-rich pegmatites could help power our clean energy future.”
One of the goals this funding will support is to provide opportunities for all teachers and students from K-12 in Oxford County to visit the MMGM and inspire students to consider careers in research and science.
This funding will also support the purchase of state-of-the-art instrumentation to study the lithium resource potential of Maine pegmatites. Lithium is an essential component of batteries and is in high demand for hybrid and electric cars. New and reliable instrumentation will attract students and increase the MMGM’s stature and visibility among a broader audience through its research and developing educational programs.
The MMGM opened in 2019 and holds the largest permanent collection of Maine minerals, gems, fossils and more of the Moon than in all the natural history museums in the world combined.
The omnibus funding package passed the Senate by a vote of 68-29 and the House
Food Pantry
“The dedicated staff and volunteers at the Bethel District Exchange and Food Pantry work tirelessly to provide nutritious food to Maine people and families in need.,” Senator Collins’ press release continued. “This investment will help provide the Food Pantry with a new modern facility to continue to serve Mainers with healthy food while also reopening the clothing exchange.”
The Bethel Food Pantry serves 20 Western Maine towns and feeds approximately 90 families twice a month, giving clients approximately two weeks worth of food. The organization is also the regional supplier of Senior Boxes for those age 60 and older and provides food and clothing in each of the SAD 44 schools. They also partner with Good Shepherd Food Bank and area farms to deliver produce to Oxford County Food Pantries
The omnibus funding package passed the Senate by a vote of 68-29; passed the House of Representatives: 225-201 and finally was signed into law by President Biden on 12/29.
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