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Army cadets keep busy during spring break

Seaforth Highlanders
cadets
Cadets at Fort George in Scotland, near Inverness, the home of the Seaforth Highlanders.

While many teenagers were enjoying a longer spring break and two weeks of sitting back playing video games, cadets from the 2963 Seaforth Highlanders Army Cadets Corps were keeping themselves busy by travelling throughout British Columbia to partake in outdoor expedition activities, and marksmanship training. One cadet from the corps even travelled to Scotland as part of an international exchange program.

Cadet master corporals Nicholas Brotherston, Thomas Lavric, Samuel Robinson, and Luiz Henrique Seda travelled to Ellison Provincial Park, near Vernon, to participate in training involving navigation, field training, canoeing, and mountain biking. They spent three days camping outside with over 70 other cadets from around the province, developing leadership and teamwork skills, while also enhancing individual concepts, such as self-confidence, self-reliance, self-esteem, and self-discipline.

Cadet sergeant Makenna Gregorchuk was also in Vernon, but for completely different training. Sgt. Gregorchuk was at the Spring Concentration Camp at the Vernon Cadet Training Centre, learning skills that will hopefully qualify her for the full-bore marksmanship course at Connaught Cadet Training Centre this summer.

Should Sgt. Gregorchuk become selected, she will continue a long line of cadets from 2963 that have travelled to Ontario to attend the training that can eventually qualify her for the national rifle team.

Cadet warrant officer Jordan Walton spent her entire spring break travelling throughout Scotland with 16 other Seaforth Army Cadets from Vancouver corps, visiting historical landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle, the Wallace monument, Urquhart Castle, and the home of the Seaforth Highlanders, Fort George.

The Canada-Scotland exchange has been a semi-annual event held since 1997 and has become a pinnacle event in a Seaforth cadet’s career. Senior cadets 16 years and older are eligible, but only if they demonstrate strong self-discipline and leadership skills, and fulfill criteria set out by the selection committee, such as community service and a strong attendance for mandatory as well as optional training activities within the corps.

All activities, such as the Silver Star Expedition and spring rifle training, are paid for by the cadet program, but the Scotland exchange is paid for by fundraising efforts within the corps. For this reason, numbers are limited to a few outstanding cadets per exchange. Even that can prove to be an expensive endeavour as fundraising efforts on the Sunshine Coast are limited, and not all fundraisers can be used just for the exchange, as other costs are involved in keeping the cadet program active and fun.

As part of their fundraising the 2963 Seaforth Cadets are holding a family burger night at Blue Ocean Grill on April 2 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. For $25 tickets can be purchased for a burger, side and drink. All proceeds go toward the cadet program and extra activities that may not be covered by the Canada Cadet Program.

Tickets are available from any cadet family, Ann-Lynn Flowers, the Sechelt Visitor Centre, and Blue Ocean Grill. You can also call or text 604-741-8246.

As well, visit the official Facebook page for 2963 at www.facebook.com/2963seaforthhighlanders for contact information and ongoing activity updates.