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| Contributed photo “Mason of the Year” at the Caribou Lodge Ralph Conroy Jr. has spent countless hours volunteering his time with the organization, especially helping to prepare breakfasts and special dinners for the lodge’s honored guests. |
By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Being an officer of the Caribou Masonic Lodge for nearly every year since he first joined in 1999, Ralph Conroy Jr.’s usually kept in the loop when it comes to the group’s ongoings — save one major announcement. Unbeknownst to Conroy, he was nominated and appointed “Mason of the Year” for the Caribou fraternal organization.
“When it came up last month at Lodge I was surprised,” Conroy said. “I was thinking ‘I wasn’t involved in this discussion at all!’ so I probably should have known at that point.”
During his Masonic tenure, Conroy’s held numerous leadership roles including Master of the Caribou Lodge and representing the first district as Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of Maine from May 2011 through May 2012 — a position he was appointed to by the same man who first got Conroy interested in becoming a Mason.
“A really good friend of mine, Lewis Greenier, got me involved [with the Masons], and he was actually Grand Master of the Masons of Maine this year,” Conroy said.
Being the Grand Steward representing district one meant a lot of work and a lot of travel, which was difficult for the dedicated father of a teen and a tween, but he felt it was an honor to be appointed to the position.
“Ralph works tirelessly in support of the community, not to mention our lodge,” said the current Master of the Caribou Masonic Lodge David Spooner. “It is only fitting that he get a little recognition for the hard work he puts in.”
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| Contributed photo Ralph Conroy, center, is often accompanied by his children Makenzie and Dylan when he and other volunteers cook breakfast at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Caribou once a month. |
Such hard work includes countless hours in the kitchen — both as the coordinator for the district’s Veterans’ Home Breakfast on the second Sunday of each month and as the chef for the lodge’s annual dinner honoring the wives and widows of lodge members.
Masons volunteer for many projects, the annual ladies dinner is his favorite and, as the dinner is traditionally held in May, Conroy both harvests and cooks up a regional favorite.
“Fiddleheads are a tradition in Aroostook County, there’s no mistaking that,” he said.
Last year, Conroy went out and picked a five-gallon pail full of fiddleheads — something he plans on doing again this year and pairing the young ferns with pork loin.
With enough culinary skill to expertly feed a lodge, Conroy also uses his kitchen know-how to cook breakfast at the Caribou Veterans’ Home once a month, when the kitchen is filled with the helping hands of other volunteers (including his almost 12-year-old daughter Makenzie and 15-year-old son Dylan).
“It’s really nice for my kids to meet some of the other guys who come and volunteer,” Conroy said.
Talking with the lodge’s more senior members is one on Conroy’s favorite aspects of being a Mason.
“It’s a lot of fun to go to the lodge and hear their stories,” he said, mentioning that he likes volunteering at the Veterans’ Home for similar reasons.
Conroy’s youngsters are also dedicated to volunteerism — aside from the 6 a.m. weekend rise-and shine, they also help Conroy and the Masonic members ring bells raising money for the Salvation Army every holiday season.
“We do it every year, and it seems to be always on the coldest weekend of the year,” he said with a smile.
Conroy is also well known throughout the region for his educational expertise as the director of the Caribou Regional Techonogy Center, and will be honored during the District’s Mason of the Year Awards Ceremony on May 18 at the Caribou Lodge.
“It’s going to be my honor and pleasure to recognize this man on behalf of our lodge,” Spooner said.
While Conroy’s commitment to upholding the Masonic commitment to volunteerism is no laughing matter, his future plans with the organization are.
“I’d like to become a Shriners Clown,” he said, adding that he plans to wait until after his children are grown to pursue that goal.
