Continuing its longstanding tradition of active participation in local communities, Oakhurst Dairy in 2010 supported causes in northern New England with a number of donations and contributions through its Living Natural Goodness program, an ongoing effort to improve the health of kids and the environment in New England communities by encouraging physical activity, healthy eating habits and initiatives that benefit the environment.
“We've been fortunate to sell our milk for almost 90 years, and we recognize the importance of all our customers and communities,” said Oakhurst President and COO Bill Bennett. “We’ve achieved our success because of them and their support over the years. Our whole team believes that giving back through Living Natural Goodness has a real impact at the local level.”
In addition to cash contributions through Living Natural Goodness, Oakhurst partnered with organizations to raise awareness of community-focused efforts throughout the year.
Helping Kids Have Fun
Capitalizing on the Maine Red Claws’ potential for exciting play and explosive offense, Oakhurst pledged to donate $500 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine each time the Red Claws scored 100 or more points in a home game during the club's 2009-2010 season. The Red Claws did not disappoint, and Oakhurst donated $5,000 through the program. Oakhurst will partner with the Red Claws again during the 2010-2011 season to raise money for Boys & Girls Clubs through the program.
Salvation Army Egg Nog Campaign
This holiday season marks the eleventh year Oakhurst will donate five cents from every container of Oakhurst Egg Nog and Light Egg Nog to the Salvation Army of Northern New England. To date, Oakhurst has donated a total of more than $185,000 to the Salvation Army from the sale of Oakhurst Egg Nog products, and expects to reach the $200,000 mark with this year’s contributions.
Ongoing Support for Tomorrow's Dairy Farmers
This fall at state fairs in New Hampshire and Maine, Oakhurst recognized the achievements of young New England dairy farmers by awarding $3,900 in cash prizes this year to participants in 4-H Youth Development Programs. 2010 marks Oakhurst's sixth year supporting 4-H Youth Development Programs in Maine, and its fourth year doing so in New Hampshire. All told, Oakhurst has contributed over $25,000 to 4-H programs, with additional contributions expected in 2011.
Encouraging Kids to Form Healthy Habits for a Lifetime
In New Hampshire, Oakhurst Dairy formed a unique, three-way partnership that brings together local businesses, a statewide not-for-profit initiative, and a leading nonprofit in order to make a healthy difference in New Hampshire communities. Oakhurst partnered with Boys and Girls Clubs and the Foundation for Healthy Communities – which organizes Walk New Hampshire – to motivate and encourage children and their families to make exercise and fitness a regular part of their daily lives. New Hampshire’s seven affiliated Boys and Girls Clubs more than accepted the challenge – logging a total of 2,464 miles, or the equivalent of walking New Hampshire from north to south 13 times. Oakhurst rewarded the clubs' success by donating $8,000.
And new this year, Oakhurst teamed with the state of Maine to raise awareness of the new Maine State Parks Passport Program, which encourages kids and families to visit the parks for exercise and recreation.
Support for a Community Institution
In the fall, Oakhurst announced an ambitious community effort to raise funds through the sale of its products in October for the Lewiston/Auburn (L/A) YWCA, a community landmark for over 130 years. Members of the community responded, and Oakhurst raised over $8,400 for the YWCA during the month. Bennett cites the YWCA’s pool as a key community resource that cannot easily be replaced, along with many other YWCA programs that impact the L/A region’s kids, including all-day preschool, youth fitness classes, before- and after-school care and summer camp activities.
Recognizing Local Talent
November was Oakhurst Dairy’s first “Salute to Sous Month,” held in Portland to highlight sous chefs in a dozen area restaurants with a novel program. Each of these rising stars was profiled and created a special recipe representative of his cooking style. At the conclusion of Salute to Sous, Oakhurst donated $1,000 on behalf of the sous chefs to Share Our Strength Maine's recently launched “Cooking Matters to Maine” nutrition education program.
“Given our community outreach activities in 2010 and the supportive feedback we’ve received, our outlook for 2011 is looking incredibly promising,” Bennett noted. “Continuing to be involved in the cities and towns across New England is something all of us at Oakhurst truly believe in – we walk the walk, and plan to keep doing so next year.”
About Oakhurst Dairy
Oakhurst is northern New England’s truly local brand of milk. As the region’s largest independent dairy company, Oakhurst is committed to the health and wellbeing of the community and the environment. For 89 years and three generations, the Bennett family has stood behind every glass of Oakhurst milk, contributing 10% of profits to local organizations through their Living Natural Goodness program to support healthy kids and a healthy environment – just another reason to choose Oakhurst, The Natural Goodness of Maine. For more information, visit www.oakhurstdairy.com.
Source: Oakhurst Dairy