Staff Writer
Members of the Cary Medical Center Auxiliary recently completed a project that began nearly three years ago. Mary Harrigan and Dot Wakem said that Kris Doody came to the auxiliary members asking them to come up with an idea that would result in improving the blank walls in the hospital.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott
“Caribou Through the Ages,” a newly published book, compiled by the Cary Medical Center Auxiliary offers a journey through time via old photographs and postcards. In back are: Craig Cormier who was responsible for the design and layout of the new book and Kris Doody, CEO Cary Medical Center. Seated are Mary Harrigan, left, and Dot Wakem both members of the Cary Medical Auxiliary and project co-chairs.
“Kris said Cary Medical was saving those walls for us,” said Mary Harrigan, Auxiliary member. Dot Wakem, another auxiliary member said, “I just kind of fell into this project, because my husband David and I have always collected old photos and postcards from anywhere we happened to be.”
The result of this project is two-fold, the first being that old photographs depicting the area, many the same as the ones done in larger sizes that have been on display throughout the city, were enlarged, matted and very tastefully framed and now line the corridors at Cary Medical Center.
The journey along the framed photographs, some redone in tones, begin as one enters the main lobby and continues through each hallway on both sides. The photographs are placed according to their theme and those strolling the halls can’t help but become immersed in the history, lives and story, each depicts.
Themes include, restaurants, harvest, early homes, businesses, each hung at a comfortable level for viewing. “It’s amazing how many visitors at the hospital or even the residents from the Maine Veterans’ Home, point out their own personal connection to many of these pictures,” stated Harrigan.
The 100 framed pictures create a very calming atmosphere within the hallways at Cary Medical Center but they also preserve the very history of the city of Caribou and its people
Sonja Sjoberg, of four Corners Faming, framed the photos and Robert Hook of Hook Designs scanned the pictures for the project.
Once these keepsake photographs were in place the second part of the project came into being when the question of – “Why don’t we put these pictures in a book?” – came about.
From there, the group continued their work which is now complete and available for purchase. The volume, “Caribou Through the Ages,” contains each of the pictures that now hang on the walls at the medical facility.
Compiled according to the themes the photos follow in the hospital, the book also relates to where the exact photos are placed in each section of Cary. Framed photos and those in the book each carry a brief description.
Craig Cormier, owner of C 3 Creative of Fort Fairfield, created the design and layout of “Caribou Through the Ages” for the Auxiliary. The cover of the book is a collage depicting some of the many photos found inside.
Resource Contributors who assisted with this undertaking include: Caribou Public Library, Caribou Historical Society, Rob Kieffer, Ronnie Smith, Elaine Scott, Sam Collins, Joe Sleeper, III, Allan Hewitt and David and Dot Wakem.
Those responsible for gallery installation were: David Wakem, Joe Duheme and Rex Wyman.
Both parts of this project, the framed photos as well as the creation of the book were funded equally by Cary Medical Center and the CMC Auxiliary.
Harrrigan and Wakem, project chairs, stated the newly published book is $24.99 and may be purchased at the Cary Gift Shop. It will also be available Nov 27 through Dec. 5 at the old Powers Theatre building where the Scents of Color Christmas Open House will be held. Local crafters Allyson Masse, Brenda Sirois, Denise Green and Deb Sutherland will be selling their handcrafted primitive items and flora displays and will have “Caribou Through the Ages” on hand as well during these nine special shopping days.
