Original article by Wendy Fraser, Bridge River Lillooet News, 7 June 2017 (http://www.lillooetnews.net/news/local-news/cadets-hold-annual-ceremoni… )
Patriotic music played, 3067 6 Engineer Squadron of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets marched, an inspection was conducted, awards were presented and the audience cheered them on.
Lillooet’s Army Cadets held their Annual Ceremonial Review May 30 in the REC Centre gym.
Chief Officer Deborah Doss-Cody of the Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police was the reviewing officer at this year’s review and inspected the 12 cadets in the Lillooet Corps, which was established 15 years ago.
Last week’s presentation of awards included:
- Top Green Star: Spr. Daniel Robertson
- Top Red Star: Spr. Nicholas Metz
- Most Improved: Cpl. Stacey Biccum
- Best Dressed: Spr. Shanna Metz
- Attendance and AttitudeL Spr. Nickolas Metz
- Service Medal (six years of service): MWO Robert Hale
- Legion Medal: MCpl Nicolas DeRoy.
The Royal Canadian Legion Cadet Medal of Excellence recognises individual endeavours in the area of citizenship, which “meet or enhance the aims and objectives of the cadet organisations. The medal is presented by individual Legion branches which sponsor or support a local Corps in their communities. Former cadet Daylan Boersma presented the medal to this year’s recipient, Nicolas DeRoy.
The Mackenzie Sword Award is a locally developed award that is awarded annually to the cadet who holds the position of Parade Commander at the Annual Ceremonial Review. This year’s recipient was Master Warrant Officer Robert Hale. The award was presented to him by his proud and beaming mother, Commanding Officer Captain Tammy Hale.
A welcome new addition to this year’s ceremony was the Cadets Band. They played Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, the same song they played in the recent May Day Parada.
Captain Hale explained, “We’re starting with one song. Next year, we’ll do two songs.”
As Commanding Officer of the Corps, Captain Hale thanked the cadets’ parents for their support, adding that she was speaking from personal experience. “I know what it takes to get a cadet out the door on time on a Tuesday night.”
She also noted there were 65 cadets when the Corps was established 16 years ago.
“Today, we continue. When I say we have 12 cadets, people say, ‘That’s a pretty small corps, but we only have around 200 kids to draw from. I’d like to see a cadet corps in Vancouver that had 10 percent of the kids.”
She continued, “I think we do a pretty good job of representing our community. We’re engaged, we’re active, we’re learning and our marksmen placed well this year. Our band, which you’ll see later, is small but starting.”
She said an essential part of the Cadets program is to instil leadership qualities in the young cadets
“Lots of what we do in the program is about the cadets doing things themselves and organising things. My job is to get things going, their job is to make things happen. We spend as much time out in the field as possible – we’re out camping again this weekend. The senior cadets know how to set up their tents. Their job is to do it efficiently and to teach new cadets how to put up a tent.”
She then called on four volunteers from the audience to join two teams of cadets to see how quickly they could put up a tent in a beat-the-clock, beat-the-competitor demonstration.
Following the demonstration, guests joined the cadets to chat with them about the displays they created during the year and to enjoy light refreshments.
The aim of the Canadian Cadets Organisation is to:
- Develop in youth the attributes of good citizenship and leadership
- Promote physical fitness
- Stimulate the interest of youth in the sea, land and air activities of the Canadian Forces.