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Officials from Bangor Savings Bank presented a $10,000 check to Hall Elementary School Principal Cynthia Remick to help cover the costs of replacing items that teachers and students lost in the school’s fire on September 17.

“Hall School is our neighbor,” said Jim MacLeod, the bank’s senior vice president.  “We have a program called Community Matters More.  We want you to know that you matter to us.”

MacLeod was joined by two colleagues, Trish Duchesneau, manager of the bank’s Brighton Avenue branch, and Richard McGoldrick of Commercial Properties and a Bangor Savings board member.  They presented the check to Hall School teachers and staff gathered in a ground floor room at Deering High School, where they are working temporarily to make plans for the school’s reopening.  Teachers gasped as the amount of the donation was announced, and several wiped away tears. 

“We were shocked and saddened to learn of the fire at Hall Elementary School that damaged classrooms and displaced teachers and students,” MacLeod said.  “On behalf of all of the employees of Bangor Savings Bank, I am honored to present this check and hope it will help the teachers and students at Hall School recover from this loss.” 

“We appreciate this incredibly generous donation,” said Portland Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk.  He noted that teachers in the area affected by water and smoke damage lost books and classroom supplies that they had amassed over a period of as long as 12 years.

Bangor Savings Bank’s Brighton Avenue branch is a longtime business partner of Hall School.  The district is preparing to resume classes at Hall on September 24 using all but a few rooms that sustained the most damage.