I'm re-publishing the following email from Kathleen Beauregard. If you are a supporter of Washburn Norlands Living History Center then this is your opportunity to help them get a chance at some money from the Bangor Savings Bank's Community Matters More campaign. Read on and follow the instructions below to vote.

Then forward this to everyone you know in Maine and ask them to vote for the Norlands as well!

Dear Friends,

You can help raise funds for the Washburn Norlands Living History Center by asking your friends and family to vote for Norlands before March 2. Please read on! Forward this to every Maine resident you can think of and include your personal plea. Children can vote.

Vote for Norlands and the living history center could receive a gift from the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation of Maine. A total of $100,000 will be given to 68 local non-profit organizations through Bangor Savings Bank's Community Matters More campaign. The Foundation is looking for Maine residents to vote on how to best distribute these funds. CAST YOUR VOTE BEFORE MARCH 2 and Norlands could be a winner.

Norlands is well-known to the public, school children and educators of Maine as a true living history center. Many a field trip has been enjoyed by generations at this well-known 19th century farm place, ancestral home of the Washburn Family whose children went away (as many of Maine's children do) to become captains of industry (Gold Medal and Pillsbury in the Midwest) public servants (governors and congressman) and friends and advisors to government and military leaders (General Grant and President Abraham Lincoln).

Recently Norlands has suffered serious financial setbacks, the most recent, the loss to fire of the Barn and the Farmer's Cottage attached to the Mansion House last April. These structures are being rebuilt so that Norlands can welcome more generations of children, their teachers and their parents to experience life on a real working farm in rural Maine, through the educational programs at the School House and concerts in the Meeting House, historical events (Ice Cutting, Maple Sugaring, Harvest Festivals and more). These days the way of life of such historic places can teach us much about concepts of environmental preservation and sustainability, and those lessons should not be lost.

Norlands needs thousands of votes before March 2nd of 2009. Start now and tell everyone you know that they can help too. If you are not a Maine resident, please send the information to your family and friends in Maine.

1. Go to http://www.bangor.com/YouMatterMore/Voting.aspx
2. Enter your name, email and zip code.
3. Scroll down to "Western Maine" section.
4. Go to the "other" box and type in Washburn Norlands Living History Center.
5. Scroll to the bottom and click on "vote".

Everyone in the family can vote!! If you know people who would like to vote, but don't have a computer, please tell them they can pick up a paper ballot at their local Bangor Savings Bank branch.

March 2 is the deadline. THANK YOU!

Kathleen Beauregard, Executive Director
Washburn Norlands Living History Center
Livermore, Maine
207-778-1195
http://www.norlands.org