Pride is evident as a number of smartly uniformed cadets take their place on the “parade ground” in the gym at Hillcrest Elementary School.
It is a special night as parents and faces from the past join the 222 Shuswap Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
Among the faces from the past were former commanding officers, officers, treasurer and parent committee chairpersons.
Maureen Woolliams, 222 squadron’s representative with the British Columbia Provincial Committee (BCPC) of the Air Cadet League of Canada was on hand to present three awards.
“I am so proud of the fact that this was an example of the co-operation between the officers, the sponsoring committee and the Air Cadet League,” she said, praising cadets for their performance on parade and presenting the official certificate marking the squadron’s 25-year presence in Salmon Arm.
Woolliams also presented a $250 Serendipity Award from the Shuswap Community Foundation to help with expenses and Madeleine Eames was given a BCPC award of merit for service as the previous sponsoring committee chairperson.
Related: Educational accolades for Shuswap air cadet
“She had fantastic communication skills, everyone knew what they were doing,” Woolliams said.
Woolliams, whose son went through the air cadet program obtaining both glider and fixed-wing pilot licences, says the program builds citizenship.
In his second term as commanding officer, Don Ennis says his own children, now 26 and 28, joined when they were 12.
“Through their experiences, I saw the benefits of the program and to other kids and as they were aging out, I saw a need as there were fewer officers,” he says of the volunteer-driven organization. “I didn’t want to see the program deteriorate.”
Two years ago, there were 20 cadets, this year there are 51.
“It takes kids of 12 or 13 and teaches them self-discipline, how to follow orders and, over the years, develops leadership,” Ennis says. “By the time they’re 14 or 15 we’re tasking them in leadership roles and by the time they’re 16 to 18, they run the squadron.”
Related: Shuswap air cadet earns pilot wings
While Ennis admits it is a paramilitary organization, he says they’re in no way related to the Armed Forces. The goals of the cadet program are to develop an interest (not sign up in the military), good citizenship and physical fitness.
Air cadets get to go flying in gliders, are able to access summer training opportunities and go out in the bush for two or three days for survival training. Two cadets are heading to provincial biathlon competitions, while others are playing in the squadron band.
For more information on the air cadet program and 222 Squadron, go to www.222air.com.
@SalmonArm
barb.brouwer@saobserver.net
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