The Chamber received its first Caribou Snowman Parade registration form this week and that first one is always the hardest. It is still early and more are sure to follow but I doubt they will show as much enthusiasm as TD Bank did when they sent theirs in. They are very excited about this new event and cannot wait to participate. And yes, that is a challenge to the rest of our area organizations! The goal is to give Santa an outstanding entourage from the downtown mall to the Caribou Wellness Center.
The parade will occur Friday, December 6 at 6 o’clock with lineup at 5:15 in the downtown mall parking lot. This is an addition to the annual Santa’s Workshop and Tree Lighting events at the Caribou Wellness Center commencing directly after the parade and Santa’s arrival.
The parade is the brainchild of Fire Chief Scott Susi and it is a tremendous idea. Chief Susi not only directs one of the most successful departments in the city, but he has a true heart for community and for creating moments that people here can remember for a long time.
The registration form can be found on the Chamber’s web page under the Popular Forms link. Join us and let’s make this a memorable start to a new tradition. Or call me at 498-6156 for details.
Monday, Nov. 25 is going to an important date in the Chamber’s history as the City Council will vote on a new ordinance after a public hearing on separating the Chamber from its current standing as a department of the city.
If you believe like I do in the importance of the Chamber in not only the daily life of this community but also as the best promoter of our area and its businesses, then I urge you to attend this council meeting to speak your mind.
People have asked me how I feel about what is going on. That is difficult to state as I am sort of the man in the middle here. I was hired under the mandate to work toward self-sufficiency and that mandate has been the thought behind everything I have done here in my first year. When asked at the beginning of my tenure the timeframe that could be accomplished, I have always stated two years minimum and three years maximum.
Only one year has gone by. My feeling is that we could have used another year to ensure the work being done would lead to long-standing success. Nov. 25 will decide if the one year is going to be it or not. I can tell you that one more year under the current arrangement would have absolutely no effect on the mil rate.
But you know me by now. My optimism is not dulled very easily. The one thing I love about this job is that I wake up every day knowing my current profession can make a difference. That is about all you can ask for in a job, isn’t it? No matter what happens, the Chamber board and I will work to make Caribou’s Chamber of Commerce a lasting establishment that continues to make a difference in this community.
Richard Lapointe was featured in David Sleeper’s weekly e-mail blast this week. Lapointe is coming upon his 40th anniversary with Sleepers. That is amazing. His story was featured on the Chamber’s Facebook page this week. In the e-mail blast, it was also learned that Sleepers is soon coming up to the company’s 100th birthday. Wow!
Local businesses continue to invest in our community. Beaulieu’s Garage and Body Shop and Cindy’s Sub Shop recently added new hot top to their parking lots and The Old Iron Inn had their very large roof re-shingled. The improvements not only greatly dress up these businesses, but they also show the business owners’ commitment to this city. That kind of local commitment should never be overlooked or discouraged.
Finally, though this article will be published two days after Veterans Day, I would like to give a shout out and a thank you to all of our area veterans who have served us so faithfully. My dad served in Africa and Europe during World War II and I will never forget what his service and those of all of our veterans meant to us.
Executive Director William Tasker may be reached in the CACC office at 498-6156 or e-mail him at cacc@cariboumaine.net.
