FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Megan Sanborn
207-626-8405
December 18, 2012

Secretary of State Charles E. Summers, Jr. to Unveil the World Acadian Congress Commemorative license plate in Madawaska

Image of Acadian Congress Licesne Plate

Madawaska? -? Secretary of State Charlie Summers will join regional and local officials to unveil the design of a new commemorative license plate issued by the State for the 2014 World Acadian Congress.

A press conference will be held at Norstate Federal Credit Union on Fox Street in Madawaska on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at  3:00 p.m. Secretary of State Charlie Summers will be on hand to officially launch the sale of the first commemorative plate produced by the State of Maine since the United States celebrated it’s Bicentennial in 1976. The plates are only available at participating credit unions beginning on Thursday, December 20, 2012. They are on-sale now at the official souvenir web site – www.cma-store.com.

Representatives of the Maine Credit Union League  will also be on hand to share details of their partnership with the State of Maine and World Acadian Congress to make the license plates available for sale throughout Maine.  The license plate will go on sale immediately following the press conference on December 19, 2012 at Norstate Federal Credit Union.

The World Acadian Congress/Congres Mondial Acadien (CMA) is a huge event held every five years in a region of the world inhabited by Acadians.  It draws more than 50,000 visitors from 44 different countries and has an economic impact that exceeds $50 million.  In 2014, the CMA will be hosted by the international region known as Acadia of the Lands and Forests, which incorporates the northernmost part of Maine, as well as northwestern New Brunswick, and southeastern Quebec.

A commemorative license plate is different than the speciality license plates issued by the state to support various causes. It does not have any numbers/letters on its face and cannot replace the legally issued plates. The legislation passed by state lawmakers, will allow for the CMA plate to be placed over the face of the existing legal plate on the front of the vehicle until they expire in December 2015.  The existing plate on the back of the vehicle must remain on and visible.

A list of participating credit unions will be available soon.

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