Dinner guests and potential donors help themselves to hors d’oeuvres while bidding in the silent auction on Monday, Jan. 22. The proceeds from the event will go to fund The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies’ tiny home project, which is looking to combat teenage housing crisis. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal
FARMINGTON — The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies hosted the first awards celebration Monday, Jan. 22, in the North Dining Hall at the University of Maine at Farmington. The center also held a silent and live auction at the event to raise matching funds for the tiny home pilot project, “Making Home Possible”, which combats the growing issue of unhoused teens in Franklin County.
The project, which CES Founder Bonita Tompkins says was the brainchild of her students, started to take shape in 2021 and is intended to provide tiny home housing with the necessary support to local youth experiencing housing insecurity along with giving business and entrepreneurial education to students enrolled in the center.
For the project, Thompkins partnered with Kennebec Cabin Company, the home of Maine Cabin Masters, to complete the first build in September 2023. The build, as well as Thompkins and CES, was featured on the most recent episode of Maine Cabin Masters, which aired on the Magnolia Network the night of the event.
“We cannot thank Chase Morrill and his team enough for catapulting this work and shining a light on the issue of homelessness that is troubling so many communities, schools, and youth across our nation,” Tompkins stated in a press release.
Morrill was unable to attend the event in person, but made a video that was featured at the presentation.
“Recently,” Morrill said in the video, “we had an opportunity to team up with the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies right here in Farmington, Maine. Together, we took on a project that goes beyond cabins and into the heart of the community, the importance of education, and getting more students interested and involved in the trades.
“The folks at CES reached out to us with a unique challenge: to build a tiny home on wheels for homeless youth,” he continued. “It wasn’t just about construction. It’s about creating a safe and supportive space for youth so that they can learn and be safe, while helping the community address a critical problem.”
Ben Davis, right, shares a few words about Bonita Thompkins, left, after his company, OpBox, was recognized at The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies’ first awards ceremony Monday, Jan. 22. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal
Thompkins also enlisted the help of Benjamin Davis, owner of The OpBox in Woolwich, Maine, which offers mobile retail units designed to be easy to transport and built using recycled PET plastics. Davis and his company donated the tiny home structure for the pilot project.
“Bonita kind of walked into our life last year,” Davis said at the event. “Chase called me one day as we were starting to work with the Kennebec Cabin Company, and said ‘the first thing I want to do is introduce you to Bonita Tompkins and don’t ask any questions. Just meet her and you’ll understand why.”
CES honored several members with awards, with Alicia Philips winning Store Changemaker of the Year, Sophie Haley-Vigue winning Entrepreneur of the Year, Tara Bryant winning Volunteer of the Year, and Flint Christie winning Supporter of the Year.
Bonita Thompkins, left, shares a few words about Alicia Philips, center, on Monday, Jan. 22. Philips was awarded the Store Changemaker of the Year at the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies’ first awards ceremony. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal
CES is a Maine non-profit corporation created by Tompkins and her entrepreneurial program students back in the spring of 2018, with the goal of creating an organization where students could work to advance themselves, remove personal barriers, raise aspirations, discover passions, and develop their businesses.
Since then, Thompkins and her students have opened a storefront at 156 Main Street in Farmington that creates a space for students to pursue creating, selling, and workforce skill development. Despite COVID-19 restrictions and shut downs, the storefront has survived and received strong community support.
The evening included an awards ceremony as well as a live and silent auction. Both auctions were to help raise funds to match a $30,000 anonymous donation with the night of the event being the last night to make a donation. On the night of the event, CES had managed to raise roughly $10,000. As of Wednesday, Jan. 24, Thompkins stated the current estimate was $26,331.13
“We may be a little short but overall the event was a success and we hope for good things to come,” Thompkins shared with The Franklin Journal in an email.
Along with Davis and Morrill, CES also thanked several other sponsors such as The Bjorn Foundation, CMP, Poland Springs, Dave’s World, Lowes, Coldwell Banker Sandy River Realty, Ware-Butler Building Supply, Maine Community Foundation and more.
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