Veterans, community come together to host their fifth annual Citizen Soldier Appreciation BBQ

Left second right front row: Lila Brown VFW Aux member, Betty Bruno VFW &Legion Auxiliary, Pat Edgecomb VFW AUX president and Jennette Hanson VFW Aux. Back row: Mike Poirer VFW member, Roger Felix VFW Commander, Jen Daigle President Legion Riders, SFC Beaver, 1LT Boynton, 1SG Thompkins, Jen Robichauld Legion Riders and Dan Bruno VFW Jr Vice, Legion Riders and event organizer. (Courtesy of Loring Job Corps)

Members of the Caribou VFW, American Legion Riders of Madawaska and the auxiliary units of the Legion and VFW came together at the Caribou Armory to hold their fifth annual citizen Soldier appreciation day luncheon.

The event which was formed by Dan Bruno of Van Buren started as a simple coming to the unit and saying thanks to blossoming to become a major event for the many organizations to come together and thank our citizen Soldier of Aroostook County. With the assistance of the volunteer students of the Loring Job Corps Center the group held its BBQ and thank you ceremony at the Caribou Armory and honoring the 185th Engineers of the Maine Army National Guard on August 25th.

During the ceremony the Soldiers were thanked for their commitment to the country and their community By the Commanders of the VFW, Legion Riders and Auxiliary presidents. As a token of appreciation each member was given  a  coffee mug and spouse support decal for their support and dedication. Following the ceremony the unit and the veterans came together to take a photo to remember the day, as the celebrated their return of training in Canada.  

VFW Commander Felix and President Daigle indicated to the unit that moving  forward we will continue to gain more organizations to participate and continue to grow and make next year’s ceremony even bigger than this year.