Grants Announced on National Rural Health Day
BANGOR, Maine, November 21, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Maine State Director Rhiannon Hampson today announced that the agency is awarding $89,500 to the town of Hermon to purchase snowmobile grooming equipment. Recently the agency also awarded $28,000 to the Cold Mountain Snowmobile Club in Grand Isle for equipment upgrades. The funding comes through USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program and was announced on National Rural Health Day.
“At Rural Development, we value these projects and choose to invest federal dollars in them because we understand how vital it is to support Maine’s recreational economy,” said Director Hampson. “The trails help bring customers to businesses all over the state throughout the season. They are also spaces where locals can get outside with their families, gather with fellow enthusiasts, and enjoy other activities like skiing and snowshoeing. Maine's outdoor recreation economy is creating spaces that are not only good for business, but they are also good for our health.”
Maine has more than 14,000 miles of snowmobile trails in its Interconnected Trail System (ITS). Most are used for a variety of recreational activities year-round. Snowmobile clubs, municipalities, and other organizations are among those that maintain them, often relying on volunteer labor and local donations. Grooming the trails (compacting and leveling the snow with specialized equipment) makes them safer and more enjoyable to use. The recent trail projects funded by Rural Development are:
- The Cold Mountain Snowmobile Club in Grand Isle used a $28K grant to purchase a new trail groomer drag (contributing $8K to the total cost). The equipment was delivered in October, replacing older equipment that required frequent maintenance. At least five local small businesses benefit from snowmobile traffic on the club’s trails.
- The town of Hermon will use a grant of $89,500 to purchase a used snowmobile trail groomer for the Penobscot Snowmobile Club (PSC). It is one of the largest snowmobile clubs in the state and maintains portions of two intersecting ITS trails. At least eight small businesses benefit from the area’s groomed trails.
In Hermon, Assistant Town Manager Scott Perkins emphasized that the local club fulfills multiple roles in the community. “In addition to trail grooming and maintaining business connectors along two major trail systems, the PSC holds many community events providing economic development for the entire region for recreational enthusiasts,” he said.
November 21, 2024, is National Rural Health Day, a day to honor the efforts of rural healthcare providers, communities, and organizations that help to meet the unique health needs of rural America. Many of them play multiple roles. The thousands of people who work to ensure Maine’s outdoor spaces are safe and accessible for recreation deserve recognition in this cohort.
“As I’ve traveled across Maine visiting our rural communities, I’ve seen the challenges people face accessing the health care resources they need and deserve,” said Director Hampson. “We know how to spend a dollar wisely here in Maine, and often that looks like investing in a project that can serve multiple purposes and many community members at the same time. Whether it is through grants to rural hospitals like Northern Light CA Dean in Greenville, or helping to maintain trails and community activities in Grand Isle and Hermon, Rural Development is here with resources to support rural health.”
