Local Cadets Join the Fun in Blind River Santa Parade

Local and area Sea, Army and Air Cadets participated in the Blind River Santa Clause Parade on Friday night with a special celebration for Canada’s 150th Anniversary.

Taking part in marching in the parade with flags flying was 2407 Army and 696 Air both from Blind River.  The marching bands of the 46 Sea Royal Sovereign Sea Cadet Drum and Bugle and the 155 Borden Gray GC Air Cadet Pipe and Drum Band traveled from Sault Ste Marie.

 

Master Corporal Todd Cambell enjoyed his second Santa Clause parade in his home community and is a member of 2407 Army Cadet Corps. He said “it was a bit windy and was fun to see the people”.” He would encourage teenagers “to give cadets a try and they will be proud that they did”. He participated in a three week Markmanship summer training course which was fun and made new friends while at Blackdown Cadet Summer Training Center located near Barrie.

For Flight Sergeant Angelica Lanthier this was her first time playing her Bass Drum in this parade as part of the 155 Pipe and Drum Band. “The parade it was fun to play and the people seemed to enjoy us playing”, she said after the parade. Flight Sergeant Tyler Duncan played Jingle Bells on his Bag Pipes to the crowds delight.

Petty Officer Second Class Mouseau,  of Royal Soveriegn Sea Cadets, said “ I enjoyed the parade as this is a nice city and it was fun playing the quintet drums”. The 12 to 18 year old cadets received a lot of applauds from the people that lined the whole parade route as they enjoyed the festive music..

The crowd lined the whole parade route and showed their support by cheering and clapping for the cadets aged 12 to 18 years of age.

The cadets from the Sault had a safe trip to Blind River and back on their AJ Bus driven by John Wieczor who is seeing the next generation of cadets in the Royal Sovereign continue the tradition of community involvement.  His two daughters and two sons went through the ranks of Royal Sovereign while also playing in the band. Recently the Royal Sovereign band invited their alumni to come back and join in for Sunday night band practices at the Sault Ste Marie Armoury.  Some of these alumni played in the Blind River parade for the first time in many years.  The cadets and alumni were looking forward to playing again in the Sault Ste Marie Santa Clause parade as well. They will also be playing at the Echo Bay Festival of lights on Saturday the ninth of December.

For more information on the Canadian Cadet Program, Sea, Army and Air cadets, where and when the cadet units train in your area as well as the interesting activities that they participate in, please visit www.cadets.ca.