WELLS, Maine, July 31, 2018 — Laudholm Trust has received an Employee Vibrant Community Grant from Corning Incorporated Foundation. The grant will enhance “Watershed Stewardship in Action: Deaf Students on the Estuary (WADE)” a program of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and its sister reserves in New England.

To encourage the pursuit of science careers within New England’s deaf community, the WADE program is training educators to teach coastal science with new tools and techniques especially for deaf students. Teachers and their students will have an opportunity to visit their local research reserve during the 2018-19 school year to learn about estuaries first-hand. More information about this program can be found at wellsreserve.org/tote.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm was nominated for the grant by Scott Hildebrand, an employee at the Corning Incorporated Life Sciences facility in Kennebunk. In his request, Hildebrand highlighted the reserve’s education and training programs. He also wrote, “The Wells Reserve has been a beloved local institution for more than 30 years.”

Employee Vibrant Community Grants are part of the Corning Incorporated Foundation’s 65th anniversary celebration. Sixty-five $1,000 grants were awarded in communities across the country where Corning has a presence. For details, visit corningfoundation.org.

The Corning Incorporated Foundation is a charitable contributions organization established by Corning Incorporated in 1952. Through leadership and collaboration, the Foundation strives to foster vibrant, enriching, and supportive Corning communities. The Foundation focuses on education, human services, culture, and volunteerism in Corning business locations.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is a place to discover the southern Maine coast. This National Estuarine Research Reserve is open every day for science, education, and public enjoyment. More than 25,000 people visit the reserve each year to explore 7 miles of trails and discover the value of coastal systems. The Wells Reserve is funded by the member-supported Maine nonprofit Laudholm Trust and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The reserve is located just minutes from the Maine Turnpike and U.S. Route 1 near the Wells-Kennebunk line. 

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