Staff Writer
Members and supporters of the Caribou Friends of Scouting group, gathered Sept. 30 to assist with and witness the ground-breaking ceremony for the Caribou Scout Hall to be constructed on 7 Aldrich Drive, in the Caribou Light Industrial Park.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held Sept. 30, for the soon-to-be-constructed Boy Scout Hall made possible through the commitment and perseverance of members of the Caribou Friends of Scouting group. The new lodge will allow for meetings for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, as well as district Scout meetings. Participating in the long-awaited ground-breaking event are, from left, in front: Vaughn Keaton, president of Caribou Friends of Scouting and longtime Scout member and troop leader; Carl Soderberg who generously donated the land to the organization; Caribou Mayor Kenneth Murchison and representing the Caribou Rotary Club, Mark Draper. Also witnessing the event were in back: Matt Ghirarda, district executive; John Powers, secretary of Friends of Scouting; Dave Hansel, board member; State Rep. Peter Edgecomb; Alan Hitchock, Stanley Brescia, Duane Walton, treasurer of Friends of Scouting and Dave Belyea, CFOS vice president.
Vaughn Keaton, president of the Caribou Friends of Scouting, welcomed guests and officers and board members of the CFOS.
According to Keaton, the history of the efforts behind this much-needed facility goes back some years.
Scout units have been around Caribou and Aroostook County for close to 90 years without their own “Hall.” Meeting places for Scouts in Caribou have been for the most part “basement space” of facilities and very few of these facilities have been accessible to Scouts with disabilities and therefore, discouraged those with disabilities from participating in Scouting activities. The new hall will be fully ADA compliant. Scouts have met in private homes, church basements, Masonic halls, VFW halls, municipal buildings, the Lions building, police stations and in facilities made available for them by various sponsoring organizations.
Scouts have not had a place to call their own; no place to display awards and other paraphernalia; no place to store camping gear, no place to set up materials and leave things set up for the next meeting. Gear equipment and materials must be removed and stored at a different location or taken back home. “At best, Scouts’ gear is stored in a closet or other space at the meeting place; at worst, the gear is stored at many private homes and garages and at times is eventually lost and or damaged,” said Keaton.
The Northstar District also has had no permanent space to meet, host events, conduct training or to store its materials. “Although CFOS and other scouting groups are very grateful to all of the organizations that have made their space available to us over the years, the dream of having their own home is now becoming a reality, thanks in large part, to the generosity of community members who have contributed their real estate, labor, building materials and cash donations,” Keaton added.
The Caribou friends of Scouting and local troops have also held numerous fund-raisers throughout the past few years, including golf tournaments, Caribou Sesquicentennial coin sales, pink flamingo events, raffles and other events that the local community has generously supported through sponsorship.
Keaton also stated, “The 3,300 square foot; single-story wood-framed Scout Hall will be handicapped accessible and will feature a 26 foot by 50 foot common room for meetings and activities; a small meeting room; three storage rooms for troop and pack gear; a kitchen and space for the Northstar District materials and restrooms. As time and resources allow, at a future date, a 20 foot by 50 foot bus garage will be constructed on the north side of the hall.”
As a result of the donations and supported events, the CFOS has been able to raise over 70 percent of the total cost of the building. The CFOS will continue to raise funds and apply for various grants throughout the fall and winter seasons and expect that the facility will be completed by late summer or early fall 2010.
Unable to attend the ground-breaking ceremony but sending a letter to the CFOS was State Sen. Troy Jackson of Allagash.
In his letter, Sen. Jackson stated, in part: “Dear Friends of Scouting, congratulations on the ground-breaking of the new Caribou Scout Hall Building. This is truly a special moment for the Scout program.
“I commend the leadership of the Caribou Friends of Scouting to improve a program that is already very strong. Everyday, the Boy Scouts of America makes a positive difference in the lives of many of our younger citizens, turning them into fine young men. Lessons learned while a Scout will last throughout a lifetime.”
The Caribou Friends of Scouting (CFOS) is a 501 (3) organization dedicated to constructing a Scout hall in Caribou for the use of local and area Scouts in the Northstar District (Aroostook County) area. Included with this area are 16 Cub Scout Packs and 15 Boy Scout Troops. The Hall will be used by these groups for individual and Northstar District group activities, as well as by Brownies and Girls Scouts, senior citizens and a large number of local non-profit groups.
The Caribou Friends of Scouting members offer special thanks to Carl Soderberg, of Soderberg Construction for his generous donation of the land that the new building will sit upon and recognized the following business who have supported this effort: Caribou Rotary Club; Aroostook County Federal Savings and Loan; Aroostook County Electric Supply; Northern Maine Development Commission; Caribou Kiwanis Club; VFW Post 9389; Dead River Company; Larry’s Construction and McCain Foods.
Also Huber Engineered Woods; Lane Construction; Firestone Building Products; BMI Electrician’s Union; The County Federal Credit Union; Gardiner Savings; Paradis’ Shop ‘n Save; Haney’s Building Specialties and Hammond Lumber Co.
Caribou Friends of Scouting Board members include: Vaughn Keaton, president; Dave Belyea, vice president; John Powers, secretary; Duane Walton, treasurer; and directors David Hansell, Lori McMillon, Scott Brown, Stacy Skinner and Eric Scott.
