The 2024-2025 training year was the 46th year for the corps and with it came several significant traditional events as well as some firsts for the corps.
Last summer, several cadets attended summer training centres across the country. Two cadets attended the pipes and drums course to strengthen their piping skills –– the pipes are a strong symbol of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. Throughout the year, the corps was privileged to have these youth use their musical skills to help train the cadets as well as add meaningful melodies to formal dinners and community events, such as the parade of lights in December.
In September, the corps participated in a mountain biking event at the Coast Gravity Park, organized by the 858 Air Cadets. During this group activity, participants received instruction in new techniques from the park’s staff.
As the year began to take shape, the cadets were hard at work learning about the outdoors as well as about drill for the Remembrance Day ceremony. Leading up to Nov. 11, the corps participated in the Legion’s Poppy Drive, an important tradition. At the ceremony, four cadets displayed their skills in rifle drill while fulfilling their duties as the cenotaph guards.
Throughout the year, a group of the cadets participated in the marksmanship program –– with help from the experienced senior cadets, staff and officers –– and competed at a regional competition in Abbotsford.
In the new year, cadets learned how to thrive in a cold environment and put that knowledge to use during their winter expedition that featured a snowshoe hike on Dakota Ridge. Meanwhile, cadets were also learning to canoe as a group, including how to rescue each other from flipped canoes (fortunately practiced in a pool).
As the warm weather approached, the cadets put their newfound skills to use, canoeing on Trout Lake and successfully catching some of the invasive sunfish. Later, they would venture farther up the Coast for a canoe expedition on Garden Bay’s Mixal Lake.
With spring around the corner, the corps welcomed other Army Cadets from their Seaforth family. In one weekend, more than 120 cadets came to the Sunshine Coast and participated in many activities including marksmanship, orienteering and team building.
As is tradition, at the end of the training year, the cadets were given a chance to display their drill skills and have their accomplishments recognized during the corps’ Annual Ceremonial Review and reception.
Now, with summer here, the corps has sent its accepted cadets to summer training to sharpen their skills.
The corps would like to extend a very large thank you to all of the community members, parents, staff and businesses that aided in making this 46th year of the corps tremendously successful and looks forward to welcoming all new recruits in September!
For more information, email Captain Shiloh Gregorchuk, [email protected].
