Members of the 169 Admiral Yano Navy League Cadet chapter shared some of their achievements of the past year while being honoured with several awards at their annual year-end review this month in Parksville.
The June 11 review, held in the old Parksville Elementary School gymnasium, was attended by Lieutenant Commander Erik Landstrom of the Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges in Nanoose Bay, chapter leader S/Lt. Shannon Pennington, Parksville councillor Mary Beil, Oceanside RCMP Staff Sgt. Marc Pelletier and other Canadian Forces and Canadian Legion dignitaries.
The cadets, ranging from 9-12 years, performed a series of skits showcasing a first-aid call and rescue, the history of communications methods ranging from smoke signals and carrier pigeons to modern digital devices and the internet, and a “Hockey Night in Canada” drill-team routine with hockey sticks taking the place of rifles.
The cadets were addressed by Landstrom, Pennington and Vancouver Island Division president Brett Anderson. Graduating cadets, many of whom will be moving on to participate in the Sea Cadet or Air Cadet programs, were given special recognition at the end of the ceremony, attended by dozens of family members, friends and well-wishers.
A number of awards were handed out to individuals, as well as the team Cock of the Walk trophy for best section, to petty officer Ben Klein-Beekman, leading cadet Victoria Johnson, able cadets Kenneth Clifford, Brodie McDonald and Cole Hamilton.
Individual award-winners were:
Best senior cadet: Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Haley Maury. Best second-year cadet: Petty Officer 2nd Class Noah Nelson. Best first-year cadet: Hamilton. Most improved cadet: Clifford. Best effort of improvement: Johnson. Best dress and deportment: Klein-Beekman. Best drill team cadet: Nelson. Best marksmanship: Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Eric Kittmer. Best attendance: McDonald. Outstanding attendance: Kittmer and Nelson.
Citizenship Award: Kittmer and Nelson.
Division President’s Award: McDonald.