Fire Department ceremony honors Caribou’s military heritage

by Staff Aroostook Republican
11 years ago
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Contributed photo/Nicole Duplessis
    Placing a commemorative wreath at the Caribou Veterans Monument near the fire station during Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony were, from left: Bob Burns, Henry B. Pratt American Legion Post 15; Tawny Plourde, Legion Auxiliary president; Pete Miesburger, Lister-Knowlton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9389 member; Ray Guerrette, Legion first vice commander; and Wayne Little, Legion member.

By Nicole Duplessis
Special to Aroostook Republican

    Veterans Day is a day to remember those who served our nation and still continue to serve our nation today. At the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month of 2013, a group of veterans gathered at the Caribou Fire Department to honor those veterans present as well as their fallen comrades.

    A prayer opened the ceremony followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Members of the American Legion and other veterans’ organizations and auxiliaries shared their thoughts, meaningful poems and recited prayers to the audience who gathered to support the special significance of Veterans Day. The audience was truly engaged in what the veterans shared.
    “We can’t forget our troops in Afghanistan as well as those scattered throughout the nation,” Peter F. Miesburger, a Caribou veteran who participated in the ceremony said. Miesburger shared that veterans present and those remembered have paid the ultimate price for freedom. Miesburger also stressed one major point throughout the ceremony, that “freedom is not free.”
    Freedom is most certainly not free, and the passion shared by the veterans demonstrated just that. With a closing prayer wrapping up the ceremony, the warmth of those present as well as the warm presence of those veterans present in spirit was tremendous.

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Contributed photo/Nicole Duplessis
    Among those participating in Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony at the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department were, from left, Wayne Little, Henry B. Pratt American Legion Post 15; Bob Huston, Legion commander; Jack Parisi, Lister-Knowlton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9389 and Legion; Lloyd Thibodeau, Legion: Pat Edgecomb, VFW Ladies Auxiliary president; Kevin St. Pierre and Pete Miesburger, VFW members; Ray Guerrette, Legion first vice commander; Tawny Plourde, Legion Ladies Auxiliary president; and Bob Burns, Legion member.