To the editor:
I remember when the city of Caribou marked its 150th Anniversary in 2009. I was amazed at the historical documents that had been preserved and were available for the various functions and activities. God bless those who take the time and see the value in recording the important historical events in the life of our city. That is why I was saddened to learn of the loss of Roberta Guerrette of Caribou who, for many years, recorded the history of the Board of Directors for the Aroostook County Veterans Medical Facility Research and Development, Inc. This organization, made up of veterans from many branches of the service, different wars, different organizations, VFW, American Legion, DAV, POWs, VVA, and many other veterans groups, they all worked for years advocating for locally available health care services.
Throughout those many years when the idea of establishing a Veterans Administration Clinic in Caribou was given a “zero” chance of happening, through all the ups and downs of the effort, Roberta and her husband Ray were a critical part of the work. Ray still carries on this work.
Now, as I look back on all of those years it is amazing what has been accomplished. Many of the men who served on the Veterans Board have long since passed. Their efforts were not really on their own behalf but for their comrades and those veterans still to come. As time will move on it may seem to many that the VA Clinic, the Maine Veterans Home and the residential care facility in Caribou have always been here. How will people know of all the work that was done; all the meetings, the trips to Togus, the trips to Washington, D.C., all the correspondence, politics, and so much more.
Years will go by and people forget. But thanks to Roberta Guerrette and those who followed her, the history has been recorded. In the Caribou VA Clinic are notebooks recounting more than a quarter century of the stories; the articles in the Aroostook Republican and Bangor Daily News, letters from congressmen and congresswomen, United States Senators and others; pictures of those unsung heroes who would not take no for an answer. Giving up was not in their vocabulary.
I could not let Roberta’s passing go without reminding people what she did and all on a voluntary basis. All those who served on the Veterans Board were volunteers. Thank you Roberta and Godspeed. I know that if the Lord has a need for a historian he will have found the perfect person.
Bill Flagg
Stockholm
