It was an unconventional end to the cadet year, but the officers of the 187 Foothills were determined to close it out with a ceremony.
Ordinarily, the 187 Foothills Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, which parades at the High River Regional Airport, wraps up its year with the Annual Ceremonial Review (ACR). The ACR is a formal ceremony and parade where awards and commendations are given, and the official change of command occurs (from one warrant officer first class cadet to another). This year, physical distancing regulations due to COVID-19 has all Canadian cadets standing down until Sept. 1, so meeting up for ACR in June was out of the question.
That didn’t sit right with officers of the squadron, who met virtually to plan out an online version of their annual wrap-up event, which took place June 16.
“After us not being able to meet and interact, we thought it was important to, because our cadets had put time in, right up until March, that they should be rewarded for that time by having a virtual ACR,” said commanding officer Paula Groenwold.
The idea was to keep the cadets engaged and connected, even when they couldn’t physically meet and march together, she said.
It was something the air cadets, aged 12 to 18, expressed interest in.
“Even on the phone, or when I was out buying groceries and we’d stand 10 feet apart and yell at each other, I got the feeling that’s what they really wanted,” said Groenwold. “I had talked to parents as well and they felt it would be good for them, good for their mental health.
“You can see it, kids – and not only the ones who are in cadets – they just need the interaction.”
The virtual ACR included announcing award winners and promotions, and maintained some of its typical decorum with all cadets tuning in dressed in full uniform. The traditional march-past was replaced by old footage of the squadron on parade, and the guest reviewing officer Dean Compton provided words of wisdom via videoconference.
“To have him be live, it was really nice to be able to do that,” said Groenwold.
Though the change of command could have been done virtually, she said the officers decided to wait until it can be done in-person – hopefully in the fall.
“We are still waiting for direction on that,” said Groenwold. “We are very hopeful that we can do an actual ACR, which will hopefully take place in September.”
It’s a decision out of the hands of the squadron, as it must comply with orders from Cadets Canada. The decision to stand down until at least September was made in April, to keep all youth and their families safe, she said.
To keep cadets engaged, the national organization is hosting virtual training over the summer, when most members would typically be participating in training camps.
Groenwold said she’s hoping for good news in September.
“We look forward to the time that we can parade together again and hopefully that will be sooner rather than later,” she said. “I’m just hoping that the cadets stay safe and take advantage of the virtual training that’s being offered.”
Krista Conrad, OkotoksToday.ca
COVID-19 UPDATE: Follow our COVID-19 special section for the latest local and national news on the coronavirus pandemic, as well as resources, FAQs and more.
