As the Maine high school basketball season has ended, First National Bank is pleased to report the successful results of their signature athletic programming sponsorship “First Hoop.” 

Designed to promote team spirit and fan participation, First Hoop was launched in 2005 by First National Bank. Since its inception, the First Hoop program has awarded $384,400 to participating high school athletic departments in the bank’s market area. For the 2024-2025 basketball season, fifteen high schools participated in the program, including Belfast Area High School, Boothbay Region High School, Brewer High School, Calais High School, Camden Hills Regional High School, Ellsworth High School, George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill, Hermon High School, Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro, Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, Oceanside High School in Rockland, Shead High School in Eastport, Sumner Memorial High School in Sullivan and Woodland Junior-Senior High School in Baileyville.  

Through First Hoop, First National Bank supported each participating school’s general fund by awarding a cash donation at every home court basketball game. The donation awarded at each game was dependent on the outcome of a series of events. Fifty dollars was the base donation, automatically awarded at the start of every home varsity game. Fifty dollars was added to the fund if the first hoop of the game was scored by the home team. Finally, fifty dollars was added to the fund if a randomly drawn spectator (also known as “The First Fan”) successfully made a free throw hoop at halftime. 

This season participating schools were also a part of the Bank’s Spirit Card program. This program features debit cards with the schools’ mascots and schools could earn $5 per card for each new account up to an additional $500.  Spirit Cards are available year-round and can be issued at your local FNB branch.  

In its 20th season, First Hoop donated a total sum of $40,350 to the 15 high schools’ sports programming funds. Tony McKim, President and CEO of First National Bank, observed, “As we celebrate 20 years of First Hoop, I am incredibly appreciative of the positive feedback about this program we continue to receive from school administrators, employees and fans. I want to thank our dedicated employees who volunteer their time at these games. Their hard work and commitment have allowed First Hoop to make a truly meaningful impact on high school athletics.” 

First National Bank, a subsidiary of The First Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: FNLC) is an independent community bank with 18 offices in Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Hancock, Washington and Penobscot Counties.  For more information about First National Bank, please call 1-800-564-3195 or visit www.thefirst.com.