Paul Harris Fellow Soderberg makes Caribou a better place
CARIBOU, Maine — Carl Soderberg, who owns Soderberg Construction and has provided tremendous aid to Aroostook County’s skiing programs, was recently presented the Paul Harris Fellow recognition, an honor given to many notable figures such as U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Jonas Salk, and U.S. astronaut James Lovell.
Harris formed the Rotary Club of Chicago in 1905, which grew into one of the world’s most significant service organizations.
Local Rotarians honored Soderberg’s contributions to the city and surrounding areas during a Dec. 21, 2016 award ceremony, held at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center.
“Your personal involvement makes Caribou a better place,” said Rotary President Austin Bleess. “Carl is not a man who seeks public recognition for the things he has done, but he has helped bring about positive change in our city for years. He established miles of trails for use for skiing in the winter and for walking or jogging in the summer. He has built ski hills, aided in the construction of tennis courts, locker rooms, athletic quarters, and more.”
The Rotary president mentioned Soderberg’s impact outside of Caribou as well, complimenting his work to create mountain biking trails throughout the county, ski trails in New Sweden, and the generous donation of a farmhouse to the Maine Winter Sports Center.
Before presenting Soderberg with a Paul Harris pin and certificate, Bleess informed the audience that the $1,000 contribution to Rotary International in Soderberg’s name can “provide educational opportunities, food for the poor, potable water in African or Indian villages, health care, shelter, and books for thousands of children.”
Rotarians gave a hearty standing ovation as Soderberg received his award.
Club members spoke on behalf of the local philanthropist, thanking him for his contributions and shared personal anecdotes.
“Carl understands the importance of creating a culture and environment,” said S.W. Collins owner Sam Collins. “The venue we have in Caribou has helped us develop a culture of excellence. We see this reflected in Caribou’s championship teams, and that doesn’t happen by accident.”
Collins said that Soderberg’s dedication to winter sports has had an impact because he gets involved, cheers kids on, and can often be seen waxing skis.
“Having kids that go to championships is one part of it,” Collins continued, “but it’s about building better people. His influence has affected a lot of kids in the community. I was skiing with Carl the other day and the team came along to thank him for the new trail groomer. He purchased these new groomers to make sure our trails are among the best in the county. He always maintains a state of calm, even if everybody is panicking, and his positive impact has put Caribou on the map.”
Peter Edgecomb, a Rotarian who formerly served in the Maine Senate, told Soderberg that the Paul Harris recognition would give him a clear advantage if he ran for office.
“Candidates who are nominated for boards and commissions in Augusta will present a resume, and the Paul Harris Fellow award speaks volumes for a person,” Edgecomb said. “More attention is paid to that than anything else, so don’t be surprised if you get a lot of calls from people wanting you to run for governor.”
Robert Sprague, a Rotarian and former educator, said there are “many reasons to be thankful” for Soderberg’s contributions.
“What other high school in the country has facilities like we have here, that are available for use during all seasons?” Sprague said. “You remember back in 2005 this club made you an honorary member for everything you’ve done? Now, in 2016, it is even more fitting that you are recognized with a Paul Harris award. You’ve touched the lives of many, and what you’ve done will benefit the people of this community and area for years to come. Your unselfish service has inspired others to give their own time and talents to help make this a better place.”
Soderberg thanked all of those who honored him with kind words, and gave a brief speech about his experiences in the community.
“It’s certainly an honor to be included with such exceptional people,” Soderberg said. “I’m glad Bob (Sprague) could remember back to when I was younger but, to keep things in perspective, the Chief let me know that he knew be when I was young, too. I’m just glad to see he wasn’t one of the speakers,” Soderberg joked.
“When we were growing up and would get into trouble,” Soderberg continued, “our parents took care of it. With that, my mother always had something to say about how I was fortunate to have good friends growing up here. I’m sure she would say the same today, that I’m fortunate to have such great people in this community to live and work with. I’d like to thank them because none of this could happen without them.”
Soderberg shared a couple quotes from Harris himself, emphasizing their modern day relevance nearly a century later.
“Paul Harris once said that ‘Many obstacles to the expansion of goodwill have presented themselves,’ I think that applies today as well as it did in the 1930s. I often think about how we always have those hurdles, and things can be difficult to get done, but there always seem to be people willing to step out there and do it. The Caribou Rotary Club has set the bar so high with how much good they’ve done.”
Soderberg left the Rotarians with a second quote from the worldwide service organization’s founder: “Rotarians are very much more favorably disposed toward action than they are toward words.”
