ORONO, Maine – Maine Athletics, along with Orono Brewing Company, is proud to announce the launch of the We Love Black Bear Nation Giving Challenge!

In celebration of Orono Brewing Company's 10th anniversary, owners and fans Abe Furth ('07), Heather Furth ('03), Mark Horton ('04), and Asa Marsh-Sachs, have jump-started the campaign with a generous donation of $10,000.

"UMaine is incredibly important to us," the staff at Orono Brewing Company said. "We're thrilled to kick off a $100,000 campaign to raise funds to support the athletics facilities master plan with a gift of $10,000 from Orono Brewing as part of our 10-year anniversary celebrations. We believe in UMaine's exciting plans for the future, and we invite you to join us."

Together, Maine Athletics and Orono Brewing Company have issued a challenge to Black Bear Nation to join together in raising $100,000 towards this effort by Homecoming Weekend in October of 2025. All gifts will also count toward the match required by the Harold Alfond Foundation UMS TRANSFORMS grant to fund the athletic facilities master plan. 

"We are currently in a time of incredible momentum for Black Bear Athletics," Seth Woodcock, Senior Associate AD for Development and Capital Planning said. "We have raised over $25 million towards our $38 million goal as part of the challenge presented to us by the Harold Alfond Foundation to match their transformational $170 million commitment to Maine Athletics. Gifts of all sizes are critical to the campaign, and we are excited  that Orono Brewing Company is calling on their friends in the community to join them in supporting our campaign in honor of their 10th anniversary."

For more information, and to support the We Love Black Bear Nation Giving Challenge, click here.

For more information on the athletics facilities master plan, visit GoBlackBears.com.

-UMaine-