Kindersley Air Cadets welcome newcomers at open house
By Joan Janzen
The Kindersley Air Cadets held their open house Thursday evening, September 3 at the Kindersley Museum. It was a time for newcomers to get to know all about the program and an opportunity for both new and returning Cadets to register and get acquainted.
Commanding Officer Captain Ian Kehrer talked about the program, providing an overview of what is offered, and introduced the military staff and committee members. He was pleased to have seven newcomers in attendance, who were a welcome addition.
The program is open to young people from 12 to 18 years of age. Although there is no cost to join, "we do ask you to volunteer when we conduct fundraisers," Captain Kehrer explained.
The newcomers all responded when Captain Kehrer asked for a show of hands if they were interested in flying, band, camping and sports. The Air Cadet program builds future leaders through aviation, discipline and adventure. They learn about flight training, leadership skills, teamwork, discipline and aviation, with scholarships available.
"We have a wide array of activities at Cadets," Captain Kehrer said. It was also noted that the first year can be the most difficult as they learn all the protocol. During the program, he said, each Cadet will meet the challenge of getting on stage and speaking for five minutes without a prepared speech.
A list of scheduled activities was handed out, which included Fall Survival at Atton's Lake for a weekend in September and gliding at Moose Jaw in October. A tour of the Canadian Armed Forces base takes place in Saskatoon in November. Community Service Day is scheduled for January 2027 and First Aid in February at North Battleford. Orienteering Day will be in April, and Spring Survival takes place at Atton's Lake in May. The Cadets also meet every Thursday evening at the museum.
Sgt. Rast introduced all the returning Cadets and conducted an icebreaker for both returning and new Cadets to become acquainted. Meanwhile, computers were set up for online registration.
It looks like it will be another exciting year of activities for the Kindersley Air Cadets.