NORWAY — The Western Foothills Land Trust has established an endowment fund it hopes to use to support general operations and other needs.

“It’s really exciting,” Lee Dassler of the Land Trust said.

According to a statement released by Dassler, the Land Trust was selected in May 2012 to receive the Ram Island 25/25 challenge grant administered by the Maine Community Foundation. Under that program, the Land Trust needed to raise $25,000 for its endowment in 18 months to receive a matching $25,000.

“With 72 hours remaining, the Trust met its challenge Wednesday, May 28,” Dassler said.

She said the Land Trust will establish a $50,000 endowment fund with Norway Savings Bank. In 2013, the bank offered a $5,000 challenge match for the endowment campaign, which helped to stimulate local contributions, she said.

Dassler said the fund will be restricted so only the interest can be used.

“It won’t be a huge amount of money,” she said.

The funds could be used to pay the electric bill, staffing or perhaps for maintaining trails or some other conservation project, Dassler said.

The trust hopes to continue to augment the fund through contributions.

“Contributions (to endowment funds) tend to be bequests but they can come in any form,” Dassler said.

Anyone interested in more information or in donating to the endowment fund should contact Dassler at 739-2124.

ldixon@sunjournal.com.

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