HAMPDEN — The RSU 22 Education Foundation hosted its newly reimagined Community Expo & Kids Carnival on March 21 at Hampden Academy, welcoming more than 300 attendees and raising over $8,100 to support teacher mini-grants across the district.
While the Foundation has hosted business expos in the past, this year’s event was intentionally expanded to create a more inclusive and engaging experience for the entire community. By adding a wellness component and a Kids Carnival, the event brought together business, education, health and family fun in one place.
The result was a first-of-its-kind event that created energy, connection and meaningful engagement throughout the day.
The business expo featured a variety of local businesses, nonprofits and civic organizations. Vendors shared that there was a steady flow of people throughout the event, with meaningful conversations happening at booths all day long. One vendor said, “This is awesome and just what our community needs.”
The wellness area provided opportunities for hands-on learning and practical education. CPR training, Stop the Bleed and seatbelt safety sessions were all well attended. Families also enjoyed stopping at the entrance to connect with Hampden Public Safety, creating an interactive and welcoming start to the event.
The Kids Carnival quickly became a highlight of the day. Children moved from game to game, winning prizes and fully immersing themselves in the experience. The games were led by RSU 22 students, school groups, and teams, and the students running them appeared to have just as much fun as the children participating.
“Our goal was not only to raise money for teacher mini-grants,” said Angela Ellingwood, president of the RSU 22 Education Foundation. “We wanted to bring the community together and let people experience what the Education Foundation is all about. This event gave people the chance to connect, learn and enjoy being part of something local and meaningful.”
The event was made possible by a small but dedicated team of volunteers who worked behind the scenes to bring the vision to life.
The Foundation is incredibly grateful to its lead sponsors, H.O. Bouchard, Bangor Daily News and Pulse Marketing for helping make this event possible. The Foundation also thanks its additional sponsors and in-kind partners, whose support played an important role behind the scenes.
The Foundation also extends its thanks to the vendors who participated, especially those who came back and supported the event again after 2024. That continued support helped bring the energy, the conversations and the experience to life, and it showed in every corner of the event.
Funds raised from the event will directly support teacher mini-grants, helping bring new ideas, resources and opportunities into classrooms across RSU 22.