COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES
Written by Kimberly Nadeau Lindlof, president & CEO, Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and executive director, Central Maine Growth Council
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Maine State Chamber of Commerce
T H E T R U T H I S T H AT I D O N O T K N O W
the hometown of Bibby Levine Alfond,
exactly when it began. I assume that it
whose family owned Levine’s Clothing
was sometime before 1943 that Harold
Store, it has been blessed by the Harold
Alfond fell in love with and married Dor-
Alfond Foundation as well as the Bill and
othy “Bibby” Levine. I believe that he fell
Joan Alfond Foundation. (Bill is the third
in love with Waterville at the same time.
child of Harold and Bibby Alfond, and
Thank goodness for us, he did. Not long
Joan is his accomplished wife.)
after that, their four children came along.
Harold Alfond Foundation’s areas
In 1950 at age 36, Mr. Alfond started a
of focus are around health care, educa-
foundation, the first private foundation
tion, and youth and community develop-
in the state of Maine: www.haroldalfond
ment. “And community development” is
foundation.org. Waterville area organi-
a relatively new piece of its philanthropy.
zations were not the only beneficiaries
I imagine that the community develop-
of the Foundation’s generosity, but as
ment piece began when Harold’s good
PHOTOS: MID-MAINE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Waterville Legacy of Mr. Ha
