Farmington’s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies is set to hold its first awards ceremony at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, to celebrate its many achievements and the community members who made them all possible.
The event will be held in the University of Maine Farmington North Dining Hall at 111 South St.
At the CES Retail Shop on Main Street in Farmington, from left are Maine Cabin Masters’ Ryan Eldridge, with Teen Program participants Isaiah Buckman, Clayton Murray and Noah Bachelder, and Maine Cabin Masters’ Chase Morrill. Submitted photo
In 2021, students recognized the prevalence of unhoused teens as a growing community concern and launched CES’ “Making Home Possible” tiny home pilot project. The goal is to provide tiny home housing with the necessary support to local youth experiencing housing insecurity, as well as business and entrepreneurial education through CES’s established and emerging social enterprises, according to a news release from the center.
“Maine Cabin Masters” founder Bonita Tompkins partnered with Kennebec Cabin Company to embark on the first build, which was completed in late September 2023. The episode featuring the build of this first project will air on the Magnolia Network at 9 p.m. Monday night.
Young entrepreneurs work with mentors to create products in the CES Retail Shop’s MakerSpace. They then sell these items in the shop and receive 90% of the profits. From left are Jade Taylor, Pamela Knapp, Ashley Norton, adult; and Layla DeCastro. Submitted photo
Also being recognized during the evening’s festivities is Benjamin Davis, owner of The Opbox in Woolwich, which offers sustainable building solutions using recycled PET plastics. His company donated the tiny home structure for the pilot project.
Mike and Katie Emmons, of Emmons Development of Maine, will be recognized for their dedication to the future of this project. In late 2023, he donated a five-acre plot in Farmington for CES to develop and grow its tiny home community.
“I deeply believe in the need for youth to learn basic business skills and wish I had been given that kind of training and education when I was growing up,” explains Mike Emmons. “I am so impressed with how Bonita is fulfilling this mission that I felt compelled to do what I could to support these kids and help CES reach their goals. The land is right in town and close to many resources so that whoever lives there won’t need transportation to meet their needs.”
To help fulfill the goal of building out the land and filling it with future tiny homes, an anonymous donor made a $30,000 challenge donation to CES that ends on the event date of Jan. 22. Those interested in ending teen homelessness in Franklin County can visit cesmaine.org.
Motivational coach Matthew Gagnon is the event’s emcee and auctioneer. In addition to the tiny home focus, CES will be celebrating its community partners with hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and awards. Community and youth Changemakers will be recognized, and young entrepreneurs will tell their stories and sell their wares. Curated items will be available at the silent auction throughout the evening, culminating in a live auction at 7 p.m.
Those interested in attending, sponsoring and/or donating can contact Tompkins at bonitatopmpkins@cesmaine.com or 207-779-1779.
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