As the Maine high school basketball season has come to a close, 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 $428,150 to participating high school athletic departments in the bank’s market area. For the 2025-2026 basketball season, sixteen 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 Wiscasset MiddleHigh School 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 half-time. 

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 21st season, First Hoop donated a total sum of $43,750 to the sixteen high schools’ sports programming funds. Tony McKim, President and CEO of First National Bank, observed, “As we wrap up the 21st season of First Hoop, I’m incredibly appreciative of the continued support and positive feedback we receive from school administrators, employees, and fans throughout our communities. I want to thank our dedicated employees who volunteer their time at these games season after season. Their commitment and passion are what make it possible for First Hoop to continue creating a meaningful impact on high school athletics.” 

This season, First National Bank employees demonstrated extraordinary support by attending 284 varsity home games and volunteering for a total of 499 shifts, helping ensure the success of the First Hoop program and fan engagement across all participating schools. 

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.