If you've seen the booths at the Co-op mall, you'll know the local squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets is raising funds with a raffle. If you didn't get your ticket, there is still time, as they have dates booked to set up again. Those are April 18, 22 and 25. You can also purchase them before the draw date of April 26 by calling 306) 386-7451. A cadet will even bring you the ticket.
The emphasis on the raffle - which offers a television, cell phone, a bed and a spa day - underscores one of the most important contributors to the success of any air cadet squadron. Involvement. Not just by the cadets, but by their parents and families as well as the community.
Shari York, a member of the civilian committee of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron No. 43, is in charge of getting the tickets for the current raffle sold. There's a sense of urgency for her. As the parent of one of 40 cadets, she knows the value of the program, and as a member of the civilian committee, she has begun to see what has to go into the behind the scenes work.
"Parents really have to pitch in," says York.
Uniforms, supervision, training courses, summer camps and most of the equipment required for the program are provided by the Department of National Defence at no cost to the cadet, but each squadron's civilian committee has to go to the community to meet other obligations. In the case of Squadron No. 43, the mortgage on their accommodations, formerly the Elks Hall in North Battleford, is one of those obligations. Money raised by the raffle will go toward helping pay off that $33,000 cost. And then there are operating expenses, taxes, accounting fees and on and on. Fortunately, Squadron 43 has a sponsoring organization, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 70, that also contributes toward expenses.
Under the directives of the Air Cadet League of Canada, parents and cadets are expected to participate in and contribute to fundraising, however official policy is that the civilian committee is to be mindful of how much cadets themselves are called upon to fundraise. Cadets are not expected to be the sole source of labour for most fundraising activities.
That puts the onus on their parents, guardians and volunteers.
Commanding officer of the Squadron No. 43, Capt Joyce Ptolemy, says the cadet program is free to kids, making it available to all, but it's a commitment for the parents.
Is it worth it? York and Ptolemy have no hesitation in saying yes.
One of York's five children is currently enrolled in air cadets and Ptolemy's two daughters, now grown, were also cadets.
"I found out 18 years ago about being a cadet parent," says Ptolemy who, as the present commanding officer, assumes the primary responsibility for training, supervision and care of the cadets.
The air cadets movement, for youth between the ages of 12 and 18, is aimed at developing the attributes of good citizenship and leadership, to promote physical fitness, and to stimulate the interest of youth in the air activities of the Canadian Forces.
Cadets often go on to become commercial or military pilots, says Ptolemy. The training they receive as cadets is the training commonly called "ground school" that all student pilots have to master.
Some cadets earn their pilot's licence, either for gliders or powered aircraft, or both, while still within the program, Ptolemy adds.
Squadron No. 43 is fortunate, she says, to have had two cadets earn their licences for gliding and powered flight within the last three years, Austin Legacy and Cole Janostin.
Continued from Page 12
There are 18 positions each for cadets to earn gliding and power licences in Saskatchewan, says Ptolemy. The cadets go through a rigorous selection and interview process that looks at their proficiency as cadets as well as at their school marks, and takes into account what the cadet hopes to get out of the program.
Not every cadet works toward a pilot's licence, however the successful completion of the various proficiency levels allow cadets to apply for summer courses to further develop an area of interest.
There are also sporting opportunities, such as curling, biathlon and Olympic-style marksmanship.
The weekend of March 14 to 16 saw Squadron No. 43 hosting the provincial curling competition attended by teams from six zones throughout the province. Zone 1 was represented by Macklin, Zone 3 by Foam Lake, Zone 4 by Lynx Squadron No. 702 of Saskatoon, Zone 5 by Gravelbourg and Zone 6 by Indian Head. Zone 2 winners had to withdraw prior to the competition.
The last time the Battlefords hosted the competition was in the early 1990s at the now demolished North Battleford Granite Curling Club. This time the event was held at the new Northland Power Curling Centre located in the recently built CUplex on Carlton Trail.
First place went to Indian Head, second place went to Lynx squadron and third went to Gravelbourg.
This past weekend, Cpl Zachary York, a member of Squadron No. 43 took part in provincial / national level marksmanship competitions.(The results were unavailable at press time.)
There are also drill team competitions. Squadron No. 43 brought a bronze medal home from the Lord Strathcona Drill Competition held at HMCS Unicorn in Saskatoon March 8.
Ptolemy says young people can join cadets at any time during the cadet training year of September to June, but if they are interested in attending summer camps they should not wait until the end of the year.
The cadets meet weekly at the training hall at 792 - 111th St. in North Battleford on Mondays, from 6:15 to 9 p.m., says Ptolemy. That is the minimum activity requirement, however cadets can choose to increase their level of involvement depending on their interests.
Weekly training includes citizenship, drill, sports, biathlon, marksmanship, target shooting and curling, with classroom instruction on flying, navigation, airframes, meteorology, aero engines and air radio.
There are also weekend activities that include aircrew survival, map and compass origination, sports, citizenship tours and, of course, flying and gliding.
