The Rumphius Foundation Awards Grants to Friends of Acadia & Fit Girls of Wilton Maine

BOSTON, Aug. 2, 2016 -- The Rumphius Foundation, a grant making organization dedicated to strengthening community, promoting education and protecting the environment, is proud to announce that it has awarded grants to Friends of Acadia and Fit Girls of Wilton Maine. The grants support two programs that will have immediate impact on our national parks and a group of young girls.

With the 100th anniversary of Maine's Acadia National Park, a place near and dear to Rumphius Foundation Founder Michael Schuller, the foundation sought a way to help reduce the park's waste and protect Acadia's diverse landscape. Working with Friends of Acadia and the National Park Service, the Rumphius Foundation is funding the first rehydration station in Acadia National Park. The rehydration station will provide a place for thousands of Acadia National Park visitors to refill their water bottles, reducing the number of plastic bottles left behind. This first rehydration station will be located at Sand Beach, one of the park's most popular destinations. The long-term goal is to add more hydration stations throughout Acadia and encourage visitors to reduce their waste by going plastic bottle-free. 
 
"Mike would love this initiative to reduce plastic bottles in the park, as he spent every summer of his 63 years enjoying the beauty of Acadia," said Rumphius Foundation Director Candace Schuller. "Mike could never take a hike through Acadia without stooping to pick up any litter he spied in his path. We are thrilled that we can be part of this important step toward reducing Acadia's waste, creating a new standard for sustainability and making the park more environmentally-friendly."
 
The second 2016 grant was awarded to Fit Girls of Wilton Maine, a running and reading nonprofit that offers a weeklong summer camp entitled "Run and Read into Summer." The program is focused on building the self-esteem of young women through literature and exercise. The Rumphius Foundation is subsidizing a weeklong day camp for 9-14 year-old girls, allowing the program to be offered to the families at no cost. Campers will read Newbery Medal winning author Cynthia Lord's new book, A Handful of Stars, and then be able to discuss it with her. During the weeklong program campers will also be introduced to the importance of a healthy active lifestyle and exercise, including running and yoga.Fit Girls' mission is to encourage physical health,personal growth, self-esteem and confidence in young women. 
 
"Fit Girls is very grateful for being selected as a recipient of this year's Rumphius Foundation grant," said Fit Girls Director Deb Aseltine. "Thanks to another kind donor books will be given to each girl at no cost and even the author herself will be making a visit to the camp during the week. The generosity of so many has helped keep the summer camp be at zero cost to the girls and their families."
 
The Rumphius Foundation makes grants annually and is currently seeking grant proposals for 2017. Grants are made for activities that conform to the mission of the foundation. Proposals for 2017 must be received by February 28, 2017. To submit grant proposals, and make donations please visit www.rumphiusfoundation.org.
 
About The Rumphius Foundation 

Established in 2013 by Michael C. Schuller, The Rumphius Foundation is a nonprofit organization designed to help communities and educators strengthen the future of our young and the environment. Named after the children's book Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, in which the central character seeks to make the world a little more beautiful, the foundation makes grants to nonprofit projects that promote community, education and sustainability. Through these projects, the foundation strives to remind the next generation to leave the world more beautiful than they found it. For more information on The Rumphius Foundation, please visit www.rumphiusfoundation.org.

CONTACT: Carrie Callahan
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