WHEREAS,  the Poland Spring Company was founded in 1845 by the Ricker family when Hiram Ricker began selling the clean, refreshing natural spring water he had discovered surfacing deep in the woods of Poland, Maine; and

WHEREAS,  since 1845, Maine settlers and dignitaries have flocked to Poland Spring for its picturesque setting and its spring waters and, since the early 1900s, to visit the state-of-the-art bottling facility and springhouse; and

WHEREAS,  in the late 1800s, the Poland Spring Company began receiving recognition and earning accolades at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago and then earned the grand prize at the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904, propelling the Poland Spring area and the company to international fame; and

WHEREAS,  the company established offices in locations as diverse as Boston, Portland, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, London and Cairo, and the water was served on Pullman cars throughout the United States, on transatlantic ships and on zeppelins; and

WHEREAS,  in 1976, the Poland Spring Preservation Society was created to preserve the rich history of Poland Spring, including its grounds and artifacts from over a century of doing business; and

WHEREAS,  in 2001, the original bottling facility and springhouse were converted into the Poland Spring Museum, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and

WHEREAS,  Poland Spring 100% Natural Spring Water has become an iconic Maine product and a leading brand of spring water; and

WHEREAS,  today the Poland Spring Company provides almost 900 jobs in rural counties of Maine with an annual payroll exceeding $49 million, provides over 260 Maine vendors with sales exceeding $136 million and supports a combined 2,300 jobs across the State generating incomes totaling approximately $120 million; and

WHEREAS,  the Poland Spring Company is a valued community partner, supporting highly regarded Maine nonprofit organizations including The Ecology School, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine, the Saco Watershed Collaborative and many others; and

WHEREAS,  the Poland Spring Company has committed to selling 100% of its bottled still water products in 100% recycled plastic by 2022; and

WHEREAS,  the Poland Spring Company celebrates its 175th anniversary this year; now, therefore, be it