CARIBOU — Early Sunday morning on March 10, members of District 1 Masonic Lodges gathered at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Caribou for the purpose of giving back a little to those who gave so much for their country and personal freedoms.
Contributed photo
Every month, area Masons gather at the Maine Veterans’ Home to cook breakfast for those who served their country. Volunteers during last month’s breakfast were, from left, front row: Mack Haines, Ike Morris, Sammy Jordan, Cliff Boaz and Roland Anderson. Second row: Dylan Conroy, Makenzie Conroy, Colby Conroy, Malachi Anderson, Peter Doebner, David King, Elaine Haines and Donnie Anderson. Back row: Doug Anderson, Louis Levitt, David Spooner, Ralph Conroy, Ivan Shaw, Neal Haines, Spike Savage and Robert Hancock.
Once a month, Freemasons and their family members gather to cook breakfast for those veterans living in the Veterans Home in Caribou.
“Cooking breakfast is a long-standing monthly tradition that we all look forward to. We gather at 6 a.m. on the second Sunday of every month to begin prepping and cooking,” said Ralph Conroy, the program coordinator for this District activity.
The menu on this day consisted of scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, muffins, milk, juice and coffee. Masonic volunteers said that the residents seemed to begin appearing as soon as the onions hit the frying pan for the home fries. By 8 a.m., residents filled all of the tables in the dining room with Masons serving food and drinks.
The activities of the morning seemed to occur effortlessly with each member of the volunteers knowing exactly what they were supposed to do. The food was served, dishes bussed and members on their way home by 9 a.m.
Conroy explained that “this is just one of the services that Freemasons do within the community but it is one that we look forward to each month,” he said. “These residents have become our friends and we look forward to seeing them as much as they us.”
On March 10, 19 Masons and three family members from the Caribou, Washburn, Presque Isle and Limestone lodges worked to honor those who served our country.
