Hospital to celebrate milestone throughout 2024
CARIBOU, Maine — “100 Years of Caring” will be the theme of Cary Medical Center’s 100th Anniversary 1924–2024. Dr Jefferson B Cary, the founder and namesake of Cary Medical Center could hardly have imagined the advances in medicine accomplished by the hospital since he left the greatest portion of his estate to build and endow the hospital in 1912. Cary Memorial Hospital opened in 1924 at a time when the growing Caribou community was in need of such a facility. After two expansions at its site on Lyndon Street, the hospital moved to the new Cary Medical Center in 1978.
The original hospital was built on the exact site of Dr. Cary’s Home property. His original house was used as a home for nurses who trained at the hospital. In speaking of the hospital’s location Orlando H Smith, executor of Dr. Jefferson Cary’s will had these words, “Can we think of any better way to honor the donor of this magnificent gift than by building the hospital among the trees and ground hallowed by beautiful thoughts, precious memories, and untiring devotion to the cause of humanity.”
Dr. Cary had seen the need for a hospital earlier in his career but it wasn’t until after his death that his vision was realized.
Dr. Cary and his colleagues served Caribou and surrounding communities before the invention of penicillin. In those days doctors made treacherous house calls on horse and buggy even during bitter winter seasons. Kris Doody, RN and CEO of Cary Medical Center said that while celebrating 100 years of caring the hospital will not forget those that came before.
“During our year of celebration we will remember our history and those who helped establish the foundation of Cary Medical Center,” said Doody. “They helped to create a culture unique to our hospital that continues to this very day.”
Doody stressed the contributions of thousands of individuals over the past century. “Over the past 100 years we have had great leadership from our board of directors. We also acknowledge our nursing staff and clinical departments to those in support services, our volunteers and hospital auxiliary, generations of people helped to make it possible for us to remain an independent community hospital,” she said. “We will also highlight medical staff who have served the hospital from pioneer days to the present now our largest medical staff in history. Together with our partners at Pines Health Services we are positioned well moving into the next 100 years”
Over the years Cary has continued to advance technology, initiated a 40-year relationship with Aroostook County veterans and has won numerous state and national awards for quality, patient safety and customer satisfaction. The family culture referenced by Doody has helped the hospital to be recognized as among the Best Places to Work in Maine for three years in a row.
Bill Flagg, director of community relations and development at Cary, said that he has spent the past many months reviewing the history of the hospital. “Thanks to the folks at the Caribou Public Library we have been able to gather historic information on Cary, right from the beginning to the current time. It has been an exciting journey and we will be capturing snapshots of Cary’s history on radio and in newspapers over the next 12 months. We also hope to engage our community in a variety of ways.”
The hospital will conduct an “Essay Contest” for area high schools focusing on what healthcare might look like 100 years from now. Tree planting ceremonies will also be held along with contests via the hospital’s website. Other activities include training 100 people in CPR, participating in Caribou Cares About Kids, Thursday Nights on Sweden, the Fort Fairfield Potato Blossom Festival and local trade shows. Flagg said that one focus of the anniversary will be to help more area residents become physically active and eat a healthy diet.
“When I first came to Cary in 1979 the hospital’s slogan was ‘Your Source of Wellness,’’ said Flagg. “We have continued to focus on health promotion and prevention throughout my career. One thing we have learned over the past hundred years is that many chronic diseases can be prevented by exercising regularly and proper nutrition. We are planning a number of programs to engage residents in physical activity and we will be offering a new series of our ‘Eat Mediterranean – A Healthy Choice’ program’ early in 2024.”
National Hospital Week in May 2024 will focus on the 100th anniversary along with Cary’s Annual Health Fair in September. Cary will also participate in Veterans Day and Memorial Day events.
The hospital is looking for photos or artifacts of Cary Memorial Hospital and welcomes residents to contact the community relations office with such material or to share thoughts on the hospital’s history. For more information call 207-498-1112 or email Info@carymedicalcenter.org.
