The Gorham Savings Bank Maine Marathon Gives Back to Local Children’s Charities

In front of a crowd of volunteers, runners, friends and sponsors, including several representatives from title sponsor Gorham Savings Bank, organizers of the 2016 Maine Marathon celebrated the nonprofit beneficiaries of their 25th annual race.

At the ceremony, Grahamtastic Connection and the Dream Factory of Maine were presented with large-scale checks as the race’s main beneficiaries. In total, the Gorham Savings Bank Maine Marathon contributed over $130,000 to over 30 Maine nonprofits. Other notable beneficiaries included Shawnee Peak Adaptive Ski Program, The Center for Grieving Children, Eastern Trail, Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness, and Falmouth Police Youth Services.

Grahamtastic, a Springvale-based nonprofit that provides seriously ill children with laptops, tablets, robots and internet access to keep their education on track when they’re not able to physically attend school, received $10,500, which will allow them to purchase three new robots. Founders of the organization, which currently serves Maine families, hope to scale the impactful program nationwide.

The Dream Factory of Maine, a Gorham and Wells-based organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening or chronic illnesses or emotional pain, received $54,000 to support its mission. The money will be directly applied to relieving children and their families of trauma, stress and depression by giving them something to look forward to. Doctors agree that providing a dream can improve the quality of life – and even extend the life – of a critically ill child.

Founded by the all-volunteer Maine Track Club, the Maine Marathon has contributed nearly $4 million dollars to area nonprofits over past 25 years.