聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Never have the tears flowed so freely at a Kamsack air cadets鈥� awards banquet as they flowed last week when the squadron said goodbye, not only to its training year, but to three of its four training officers and inaugurated an award created in memory of a deceased supporter.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Kamsack air cadets鈥� 59th annual ceremonial review was held at the Kamsack Comprehensive Institute on May 18 with Capt. Velvet Pomedli of Brandon, Man. as the reviewing officer. The awards banquet followed the 小蓝视频 at the Kamsack Legion Hall.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t is a job well done,鈥� Pomedli said during the review.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 was impressed,鈥� Kamsack Mayor Rod Gardner said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t was a splendid ceremonial review,鈥� said Merv Ozirny of Melville, a former commanding officer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ou were awesome,鈥� said Kim Chernoff, chair of the civilian committee. 鈥淵ou did a great job.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As emcee during the ceremonial review and at the awards banquet, 2ndLt. Jon Neima, the squadron鈥檚 training officer, began the after-dinner program by introducing the members of the civilian committee, squadron staff and head table.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hanks for 小蓝视频 a cadet,鈥� Gardner said. 鈥淵ou represent us as a town very, very well and we say thanks for 小蓝视频 the ambassadors you are. We are proud of you and you should be proud of what you do.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The training and experience cadets receive in the program are wonderful opportunities,鈥� he said. 鈥淕ive each other a pat on the back and say 鈥業鈥檓 glad I鈥檓 a cadet in Kamsack.鈥欌��
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Judy Green, secretary of the Kamsack branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, which is the cadet squadron鈥檚 sponsor, said that cadets stand straighter and are a bit more confident than others.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ou鈥檝e learned to serve others and help the Legion,鈥� Green said. 鈥淵our presence has been noticeable, your training will serve you well and we鈥檙e proud to be your sponsor. Good luck.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kamsack air cadet squadron Number 633 is 鈥渁 strong part of me,鈥� said Merv Ozirny of Melville, who had served as the squadron鈥檚 commanding officer for three years.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bringing greetings from the Air Cadet League of Canada which is celebrating its 75th year, Ozirny said that the Kamsack squadron has a proud tradition in spite of its ups and downs. He acknowledged the officers and instructors for their 鈥渓ong, hard hours,鈥� often working behind the scenes in order 鈥渢o make you the best you can be.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ozirny called for applause for the officers, and the audience responded with a standing ovation.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淜amsack has been well served by these people,鈥� he said, asking for people to assist with the recruitment of new officers, without whom there would be no squadron.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏eing the commanding officer of this squadron was one of the most rewarding parts of my career,鈥� he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Representing the Air Cadet League, Milton Glaicar, the area director, reminded cadets that with their experience they can more easily be considered for various positions in life.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e need officers as well as cadets,鈥� Glaicar said, adding that one of his pet projects is cadet curling.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e had a great competition in Preeceville this year, and next year we鈥檒l be curling in Indian Head in March.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After thanking the parents, Kim Chernoff, chair of the civilian committee turned her attention to Jon and Lisa Neima who are to be leaving the community within a few days.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to miss you guys,鈥� Chernoff said. 鈥淚 appreciate so much what you鈥檝e done over the years. You鈥檝e helped us raise our kids and we鈥檙e very thankful. Whoever gets you next will be lucky.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e can never say thank-you enough.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Becki Patterson, civilian committee treasurer, introduced the new Frank Airriess Memorial Award saying that when Airriess died several weeks ago, an integral part of the squadron was lost. The award was presented to Karen Bodnaryk, who is to select succeeding recipients each year.
鈥淔irst of all, I would like to start by thanking my officers,鈥� Bodnaryk said. 鈥淲ithout you we could never offer the program we have. All of you have small children and I know it isn鈥檛 always easy to get in all the weekend training, but we did it.鈥�
Bodnaryk offered 鈥渁 sincere appreciation to our employers,鈥� saying that the officers all have full time jobs.
鈥淒uring the year, as much as we try to plan activities around 2ndLt. Neima鈥檚 shifts, there are a few activities we have no control over and, with the fact we can only go on overnight activities with both a male and female officers, he has had to ask to have time off to accommodate us,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll the officers have had to ask for time off to go on citizenship trips. For this I thank Nykolaishen Farm Equipment and the RCMP Kamsack detachment for allowing us to attend these activities.鈥�
Thanking the civilian committee, Bodnaryk said that 鈥渁 program like the one we have can鈥檛 exist without the support of a really good civilian committee. You all work together and the cadets are the benefactors of that.聽 I am glad for the fact we are a partnership in this squadron and we do work well together.
鈥淭o the members of the Air Cadet League of Canada, Saskatchewan Branch, thank you for all your help. You are never more than a phone call away.
鈥淢ilton, you have never let us down,鈥� she said of Glaicar.
Bodnaryk thanked the Town of Kamsack for supporting the squadron and thinking of it when a possible fundraiser is conceived.
鈥淎ll we have to do is send a note telling you the time, date and where and you always聽聽 manage to send someone to our activities; for this we thank you.
鈥淭o the Legion, thank you for all your support, for the use of this building, for your sponsorship and this year thanks for sponsoring us to go to the provincial curling. We really can鈥檛 thank you enough!鈥�
Addressing the cadets Bodnaryk said that she was very proud of the way they had performed at the parade.
鈥淵ou are all winners this evening. You are all members of the most prestigious youth group in our country. You are lucky because this squadron started 59 years ago and we are still here, while other squadrons are folding and leaving the communities they have been in for many years.
鈥淭his squadron gives you the tools to go out into the real world. Your officers hope that you take those tools and use them wisely.
鈥淪o, whenever you are wearing your uniform, put your shoulders back, stand tall and wear your uniform with pride. Remember everyone is watching you.
鈥淚 remember about 13 years ago a little redhead with these big puppy dog eyes walked up to me in church and said 鈥榳e could sure use you at the cadets.聽 All you have to do is come in on Wednesday and file the mail.鈥� Okay Lynn (Baillie) you owe me some overtime.
鈥淭his December, I will be taking my uniform off for the last time and I am sad about it.聽 But I do have to look back and remember all the good times: sleeping on a gym floor with 500 cadets; boarding a bus at 5:30 a.m. in Kamsack and getting off that bus when we hit the island at 5:30 the next morning. Can I also tell you there was not one empty seat on that bus?
鈥淚 have travelled from B.C. to Nova Scotia and to Europe with the cadets and have enjoyed it all. I have learned as much as they have. I would do it all over again.
鈥淎nd I love when I get off the bus and a cadet comes up to me and says 鈥楾hank you Ma鈥檃m, I had a blast.鈥�
鈥淭hank you all for all your support, especially these last seven weeks,鈥� Bodnaryk said. 鈥淕od bless.鈥�
In her address, Pomedli thanked the parents for 鈥渆ntrusting your children to our care,鈥� said that the staff did a great job and congratulated the cadets.
鈥淚 hope to see you next year for the squadron鈥檚 60th anniversary,鈥� she said.
Working with the squadron for five years, Jon Neima said that he watched the cadets grow and mature.
鈥淟eaving is bittersweet,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hope you鈥檝e learned what we鈥檝e taught.鈥�
Remember to always give 100 per cent and enjoy the fruits of your labour, he said. 鈥淧ush through adversity, be a leader, put yourself out there, always treat others respectfully and as equals, see beyond stereotypes, live life to the fullest and be happy with what you do.鈥�
Speaking to the parents, Neima said that they were all fantastic.
鈥淵ou are the backbone of the unit,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would have been difficult without you.鈥�
This squadron is an amazing unit, he said. 鈥淜eep up the great work.鈥�
Addressing Karen Bodnaryk, Neima said he has 鈥渟o much to say.
鈥淭hanks for opening your door to the unit and to your life,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou are a great mentor and an amazing friend. I hope to be as strong as you.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not who you are but what you do that echoes through eternity.鈥�
Neima asked everyone to stand to acknowledge everything that Bodnaryk has done in this community, and the audience did, once again, stand and applaud, many cadets doing so with tears of appreciation.
Taryn Broda, Keanna Romaniuk and Kaitlyn Friday made an emotional farewell to the three officers. They said that the Neimas had been their cadet parents who meant much to the squadron.
鈥淜aren has been the glue that has kept us all together,鈥� Friday said of Bodnaryk. 鈥淲e have no clue what we鈥檒l do when she鈥檚 no longer here. She does it all to assure we have the best experience, yet we often take her for granted. Nobody has taught us how to be a leader as much as you.鈥�
鈥淐adets is an amazing program, but it is better with you,鈥� Romaniuk said.
The banquet ended with hugs between officers and cadets and mumbling about 鈥渢hose darned allergies,鈥� which had required the use of a box of tissues. 聽聽
