Boothbay Region High School receives $2,200

Thu, 02/11/2016 - 12:32

Stacy Flagg, First National Bank

Boothbay Region High School Principal Dan Welch receives a simulated check for $2,200 for the school's athletic program through the First Hoop initiative from First National Bank employees. From left are Sue Norton, EVP, First National Bank; Dan Welch; Brenda Blackman, VP, Branch Manager, First National Bank; and Nicci Doray, Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager, First National Bank. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register

As the Maine high school basketball season comes to a close, First National Bank is pleased to report the successful results of their signature athletic programming sponsorship initiative called First Hoop.

Designed to promote team spirit and fan participation, First Hoop was launched in 2005 by First National Bank. Since its inception, the First Hoop program has awarded $138,250 to participating high school athletic departments in the bank’s market area. For the 2015-2016 basketball season, nine high schools came forward to participate in the program, including Boothbay Region High School, George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill, Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro, Calais High School, Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, Oceanside High School in Rockland, Ellsworth High School, and Shead High School in Eastport.

Through First Hoop, First National Bank has supported each participating school’s general athletic programming fund by awarding a cash donation at every home court basketball game. The donation awarded at each game was dependent on the outcome of a series of events. Fifty dollars was the base donation, automatically awarded at the start of every home varsity game. Fifty dollars was added to the fund if the first hoop of the game was scored by the home team. Finally, fifty dollars was added to the fund if a randomly drawn spectator (also known as “The First Fan”) successfully made a free-throw hoop at half-time.

In its eleventh season, First Hoop donated a total sum of $19,700 to the nine high schools’ sports programming funds.

Tony McKim, president and CEO of First National, observed, “Over the past years we have received so many enthusiastic comments about this program from school administrators, employees and fans alike. I want to thank our employees who volunteer their time at these games. Through their effort, First Hoop has made a significant contribution to high school athletics.”

First National Bank is an independent community bank with 16 offices in Lincoln, Knox, Hancock, Washington and Penobscot counties. For more information about First National, please call 800-564-3195 or visit www.thefirst.com.