SOURCE: Press Enterprise
Salem TWP. — Representatives of the Caithness Moxie Freedom Generating Station joined state and local officials to announce a more than $50,000 donation to Salem Township for improvements and new recreational equipment at the Park at Salem Township, according to a press release.
“Our team is committed to supplying clean and efficient power and being a good neighbor in this region for many years to come,” said Ross D. Ain, executive vice president of Caithness Energy LLC. “We are proud to support community initiatives like the improvements at the Park at Salem Township that will provide a great place for local families to enjoy time outdoors.”
Park improvements include new picnic tables, garbage and recycling cans, a drinking fountain, a baseball backstop, team benches, bleachers, soccer goals, basketball court lines, signs and shade trees. Additionally, electricity was installed for outdoor movies and for the new pavilion, and a new park ride — a Stand-N-Spin Xccent — was installed.
“Salem Township is extremely thankful for all the support from the Caithness Moxie Freedom officials,” said Steve Fraind, chairman, Salem Township Board of Supervisors. “The generous donations to our fire department and toward our park will go a long way toward providing excellent amenities and services for our township residents.”
The Caithness Moxie Freedom team, composed of Caithness Energy, Moxie Energy and Gemma Power Systems, has supported and is undertaking several public improvement projects in Salem Township and the surrounding area. In 2015, Caithness Moxie Freedom donated $300,000 to support a major renovation of the Ber-Vaughn Swimming Pool.
In June, the project team presented a $10,000 donation to the Salem Township Volunteer Fire Co., following a $5,000 donation in 2016. The Caithness Moxie Freedom team will increase its donation to $20,000 when the generating station is operational in 2018.
Starting in 2019, the donation will be $20,500, with an additional $500 added yearly for a period of 19 years. The project team also donated $3,500 to support the fire company carnival fireworks.
Recently, Gemma Power Systems hosted a golf tournament benefiting the local chapter of the ALS Association. The charity tournament raised more than $72,000 in memory of Kevin Belles, a local contractor who had worked on the project.
Additionally, the project team partnered with PennDOT to complete full-depth reclamation reconstruction of Mingle Inn Road from Route 11 to the shared access road at the western end of the project site, making this portion of the road a 30-year road.
Upon completion of the project, PennDOT plans on installing a fresh topcoat of asphalt.