Opening ceremonies kick off season

14 years ago

CARIBOU – The 44th season of Caribou Little League officially got under way May 5 with the annual opening ceremonies.

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Contributed photo/Lisa Milliard
Caribou Little League umpire-in-chief Arik Jepson, center, presents a plaque to Rob Kieffer,  left, representing the Caribou Rotary Club, during the May 5 opening ceremonies. The Rotary Club donated funds toward new scoreboards at the Little League fields. At right is Mason Huck of the Sleepers team, who caught the cermonial first pitch delivered by Kieffer.

Members of the league’s 11 teams were introduced, with the Caribou Fire Department Color Guard presenting the flags. Jacob Burby, Caleb Willette and Spenser St. Peter, members of the Savings Bank of Maine team, delivered the Little League pledge. The National Anthem was sung by Junior Miss Maine Potato Queen Victoria Keaton, while the honorary first pitch was delivered by Rotary Club member Rob Kieffer.

The club had made a large donation toward the new scoreboards at the fields.

Scholarships were presented to Caribou High School seniors Danielle Violette and Royce Landeen by Bob White, the former longtime president of the league.

Violette, a member of VFW during her Little League days, received the annual Peter Ouellette Scholarship.

Ouellette was a coach and manager in the Caribou Little League from 1967-1973, coached the all-star team to third place in the 1970 state tournament and served as umpire in chief from 1980-87. In 1984, he received the Millet Award as the most outstanding Little League umpire in the state. He passed away in 1995 after a long illness.

Violette will attend Husson University this fall.

Landeen played for the North Stars as a youth. The Little League Scholarship was established in 1998 and has been given annually ever since. Landeen will be attending Eastern Maine Community College in the fall.

Teams in this year’s league include defending champion Sleepers, North Stars, Key Bank, Knights of Columbus, Woodland Tigers, VFW, Shop ’n Save, Police, Savings Bank of Maine, S.W. Collins and Woodland Eagles.

Kirk Cyr serves as league president. Other officers are vice president Brian Masse, secretary Lisa Milliard and treasurer Ghent Holdsworth. Arik Jepson serves as umpire in chief and the field and equipment manager is Matt Doody.