FARMINGTON — Maine Rural Partners is willing to take the plunge for rural Maine and is asking the public to save … or not … MRP’s executive director, new board chair and northern most board member.

According to Robin Beck, executive director, the new fundraiser is the idea of board chair Gordon Liu, who stands to be the board’s most vulnerable during this campaign.

“I am so stoked about this! At the same time, I’m petrified I am going to have to jump into some very cold water,” stated Beck.

MRP is Maine’s rural development council. According to Beck, “We are rural Maine’s advocate and resource. Our goal is to give rural communities the information and assistance they need to empower them and become a stronger community.”

MRP receives calls from communities, groups and individuals looking for resources to help on projects. In the past, MRP, along with Western Mountains Alliance, who merged with MRP in 2014, worked with farmers to improve their energy infrastructure, created healthy communities and established food buying clubs.

The new project, the Maine Rural Scorecard and Rural Congresses, will establish a tool and resource structure that communities, governments and other nongovernmental organizations can use to increase the assets in rural communities such as broadband, food access and healthcare. Donations received during this fundraiser will be used for the day-to-day operations of MRP.

Beck of Livermore Falls, Liu of Wiscasset and Jacob Theriault of Ft. Kent will be raising money to save themselves from taking a polar plunge.

“The fun is in the hands of our donors,” said Liu.

Donations can be made at MRP’s website. Donors may send a check by including a note as to which person it is for, their fate, and send to Maine Rural Partners, 165 Front St., Farmington, ME 04938.

“You’ll want to go to the webpage for most of the fun,” said Beck. “For each donation amount, there will be a fun prize.” Prizes, if donations are great enough, include choosing a costume the plunger wears or choosing the body of water where the dunk will take place. 

The staff or board member who raises the most money is saved from the cold water. The event date and place will be announced as soon as the campaign is finished.

FMI, donate: www.mainerural.org.