Dakin Pool campaign receives $25,000 grant
Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation recognize community effort
BANGOR — The Friends of Dakin Pool received a $25,000 grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation for Jump In! The Campaign to Support Dakin Pool. The campaign has a $160,000 goal to support Bangor’s first public swimming pool, and was launched in April. The grant was delivered to Friends of Dakin Pool Vice President Joe Baldacci who said, “We are thankful to the Kings and the King Foundation for their passionate commitment to the Bangor community and to young people in general.” The grant brings the total raised to $33,200.
According to Friends of Dakin Pool President Mike Robinson, “We are thrilled with Stephen and Tabitha’s endorsement of our efforts to support Dakin Pool for children and families in Bangor,” Robinson said. “We are working hard to reach out to the Bangor community for support in the coming weeks and months, and we hope that others who share the Kings’ dedication to our community will be inspired to support this very special effort.”
On June 30, Dakin Pool, located at 380 Pine Street in Bangor, marked its 67th anniversary.
The Jump In! campaign will fund three major areas – capital improvements, services, and operations. Capital improvements include helping the city to replace the pool slide; repair the pool house; and set aside funds for future pool projects. The total for capital improvements is $120,000.
The second area is defined as services, and includes funds to create incentives for lifeguards; pay the swim fees for kids; and to offer pool exercise programs. The total for services is $22,000.
The third area supports the Friends of Dakin Pool operations for annual expenses, and campaign expenses. This totals $18,000. The Friends of Dakin Pool is a non-profit organization run by eleven volunteer board members to raise funds to preserve and improve the Dakin Pool complex. For more information email friendsofdakinpool@gmail.com. Tax-deductible contributions may be made online at GoFundMe https://gofund.me/af44a8c1 or mailed to Friends of Dakin Pool, 6 State Street Suite 605, Bangor, ME 04401.