CARIBOU, Maine — New Citizen of the Year Shelby Pelletier and other awardees earned recognition Thursday at the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner.
Chamber members, families and friends crowded into the Caribou Wellness & Recreation center for the event.
The annual banquet honors those who have contributed significantly to the economy and community spirit of the central Aroostook region, which includes Caribou, Presque Isle and surrounding towns.
Pelletier owns The Common Gallery in Presque Isle, founded The Aroostook Common and performs with two local bands.
Sarah Brooks, organizer of the Maine-Quebec Winter Caravan and vice president of the Can-Am International Sled Dog Races, won the President’s Award.
Best Western Caribou Inn earned Business of the Year for Economic Impact, and The County Federal Credit Union netted Business of the Year for Community Impact.
Stacey Skinner was named Board Member of the Year.
And longtime sports broadcaster Rene Cloukey was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. (See “Longtime sportscaster earns lifetime achievement nod“)
Jennifer Crandall, Pelletier’s friend, presented the Citizen of the Year Award.
Besides owning the gallery and the Aroostook Common, Pelletier plays in bands Marionettes and the Pelletier-Lovejoy Jazz Ensemble, and is constantly coming up with new ways to promote cultural arts and more in Aroostook County, Crandall said.
“Shelby isn’t busy for the sake of being busy. She’s building the kind of community she hopes her children, Vivian and Quentin, will one day choose to stay in — a place where the arts are accessible, where small businesses collaborate, where families have opportunities, where Friday nights are full.”
Pelletier said she was grateful and honored to receive the award. She recalled living in Massachusetts and attending school in Boston. Though surrounded by people, she felt more alone in the city that she ever did in northern Maine.
Aroostook has something special, offering community support, opportunities for collaboration and a genuine connection to the people around you, she said. She thanked her husband, Chris, and children for their love and support, along with her parents, friends and fellow artists.
“I genuinely love it here in Aroostook County,” she said. “I love the heart and soul that make northern Maine so special and unique. I love the people – people that not only look to their community and what it has to offer them, but work to build new things in this community every day.”
Margo Dyer, chamber immediate past president, introduced Brooks as the inspiration behind the Maine-Quebec Caravan, a 100-mile trip through woods roads to Quebec’s Winter Carnival that has endured for more than six decades.
“For Sarah, this event is more than just a ride through the woods. Her father was part of the original caravan, making this event deeply personal,” Dyer said. “If you’ve ever been on the caravan, you know Sarah is the heart of it.”
The event started in 1957. The chamber now coordinates it, and the ride is a testament to history and connection across borders, Dyer said.
One highlight came in 2004, when Brooks married a couple during the caravan. That couple returned to mark their 20th anniversary in 2024, with a renewal of their vows along the way, she said.
“I have certainly had the Maine-Quebec winter carnival in my blood,” Brooks said. “This is a special honor, especially when we as the caravan have the philosophy that we extend hands of friendship across the border to our neighbors.”
Steve Dobson presented the Business of the Year Award for Economic Impact to Scott and Laurie LaFleur, owners of the Best Western Caribou Inn, formerly the Caribou Inn and Convention Center.
The couple, who hail from Canada, at one time owned and renovated the Best Western SureStay in Presque Isle, and now have transformed the Caribou hotel into a destination for visitors and residents alike, Dobson said.
“The hotel employs about 40 people and serves as an important hub for Aroostook County, business travel and community gatherings in the region,” he said.
Laurie LaFleur humorously recalled her husband having a “brilliant idea” to move to a new country, with two young children and a third on the way, buy a large hotel and completely renovate it.
But something special happened, she said. The community welcomed the new family with open arms. And after all the chaos of renovations, they welcomed their fourth child last year, she said.
“And quickly, we realized something: that the Caribou Inn and Convention Center isn’t just a hotel. It’s really a gathering place for our community,” she said.
“We wanted visitors from away to walk in and immediately feel the spirit of Aroostook County, and we wanted locals to walk in and feel proud of it,” he said. “We’ve come a long way, but we’re excited about everything still to come.”
Kelsey Buck presented The County Federal Credit Union, represented by Executive Vice President Dan Bagley, with the Business of the Year Award for Community Impact.
Last year, County Federal employees volunteered nearly 2,500 hours with about 70 different organizations, such as chamber events, Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, food kitchens, the United Way, Special Olympics and community cleanups. A highlight is the credit union’s Fall Fest at BigRock in Mars Hill, Buck said.
“What I love most about Fall Fest is that it doesn’t just raise money. It raises people up,” she said. “Fall Fest represents everything the County Federal Credit Union stands for: compassion, generosity and commitment to making life better for the people of Aroostook County.”
“I couldn’t be prouder of the team or more appreciative of this award,” Bagley said. “It is amazing to get this recognition, and it couldn’t be done without our team.”
He shared sentiments from credit union President Ryan Ellsworth, who could not attend.
“Strong communities are built one connection at a time, through kindness, service and the willingness to show up for one another,” Ellsworth wrote, adding that employees’ genuine compassion and commitment to service are the heart of the institution.
The evening concluded with the raffling of several gift baskets.
