Transformational $150,000 donation inspires new Burger-Roy Learning Center for Waterville youth

Waterville, Maine (WABI) -A transformative investment in Waterville youth is officially being celebrated today at the Alfond Youth and Community Center (AYCC).

The center officially dedicated its newly renamed “Burger-Roy Learning Center,” a milestone made possible by a generous $150,000 donation from local philanthropists Brent Burger and Michael Roy. The major funding is set to enhance after-school and teen programming, offering enriched curriculums in STEM, art, and literacy.

D.J. Adams, the Executive Director of Boys & Girls Club Programs at the Alfond Center, said the contribution will open up new worlds of learning, creativity, and stability for the children.

“Our kids come from all different types of homes, economic struggles, you name it,” Adams said. “So, being able to provide these programs for them allows us to be, you know, role models, mentors, be caring adults for them, and be able to show them love and kindness and support all the time.”

The center has already put some of the funding directly to work. AYCC purchased an online literacy program that grants regional children access to more than 140,000 books, both while spending time at the center and at home.