21st Annual Ceremonial Review - 858skookumchuk.ca - 858 SKOOKUMCHUK SQUADRON ROYAL CANADIAN AIR CADETS

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21st Annual Ceremonial Review - 858skookumchuk.ca - 858 SKOOKUMCHUK SQUADRON ROYAL CANADIAN AIR CADETS
858 SKOOKUMCHUK SQUADRON
    ROYAL CANADIAN AIR CADETS
          Welcomes you!

   21st Annual
Ceremonial Review
          June 7, 2020
           Virtual ACR

      858skookumchuk.ca
21st Annual Ceremonial Review - 858skookumchuk.ca - 858 SKOOKUMCHUK SQUADRON ROYAL CANADIAN AIR CADETS
Special Thanks to our
       Generous Community Supporters
858 Skookumchuk Squadron would like to recognize the following groups
and individuals for their generous and unfailing support to youth on the
Sunshine Coast:
                          Airspan Helicopters - Sechelt
                    British Columbia Gaming Commission
                         BCIT YVR Campus - Richmond
                       Blackcomb Helicopters - Sechelt
                             Dale Brackett - Gibsons
                    Canadian Museum of Flight - Langley
                     Canadian Tire ‘Jump Start’ Program
                       Cascade Aerospace - Abbotsford
                                Claytons - Sechelt
                        Conair Group Inc. - Abbotsford
                      Custom Flooring Centres - Sechelt
                        Dr. Stacey Rosenberg - Gibsons
                        Elphinstone Aero Club - Sechelt
                           Eye Deal Optical - Gibsons
                               Fly! Air Taxi- Sechelt
                         Georgian Trading Co. - Sechelt
                          Nicole LaChance - Davis Bay
                          Gibsons Lions Club - Gibsons
                              Harbour Air - Sechelt
                              Noah’s Water - Sechelt
                        Ken Shearsmith – Royal LePage
            Recreational Aircraft Association Chapter 580 - Sechelt
                Royal Canadian Legion Branch 109 - Gibsons
          Russell Crum – Russell F Crum Law Corporation - Gibsons
                          Sam Jay and Beverly Hudson
                                School District #46
                               SC Naval Association
            SCRD - BC Ferry Junior Team Travel Voucher Program
                           Darnelda Siegers - Sechelt
                         SPANI Developments - Sechelt
                          Sunshine Coast Air - Sechelt
                 Diana Starbuck - RE/MAX Oceanview Realty
                         Starbucks - Gibsons & Sechelt
                     Sunshine Coast Lions Club - Sechelt
                             Tim Horton’s - Gibsons
                             Joan Thibault - Gibsons
                     Trailbay Source for Sports - Sechelt
                        Vital Signs & Graphics - Sechelt
                        Wilson Creek U-Brew - Gibsons
        All who made donations during our Coast-wide tagging days.
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21st Annual Ceremonial Review - 858skookumchuk.ca - 858 SKOOKUMCHUK SQUADRON ROYAL CANADIAN AIR CADETS
Message from the Commanding Officer
    Congratulations to all of the 858 Skookumchuk cadets for a strange and
wonderful year. This COVID 19 situation sure changed things up, but let’s not
forget what happened before that. We have done so much this year...

    •   Monday nights were Ground School run by VI Mark Evans and OCdt
        Trish Scott with the help of WO2 Regan Scott teaching.
    •   Thursday nights were Range night at Gibsons Legion with VI Jordana
        Bystedt as coach and myself as Range Safety Officer/Frosty buyer.
    •   September 14-15 we held our first Senior Leadership Workshop.
        OCdt Scott ran the weekend and Pamela Kaatz taught a lesson on
        lesson planing. It was a good time for the senior cadets to polish
        their planning skills and begin taking on leadership roles.
    •   September 21st was All About Flight at the Sechelt Airport, where
        we had great airplane static displays, the cadets showed the public
        what our program has to offer and raffle ticket sales raised funds for
        858 Skookumchuk activities.
    •   On October 5-6, three reps attended the Air Cadet League of
        Canada - BC Provincial Committee‘s AGM and training conference.
    •   October 19-20 was our New Cadet Weekend the Sechelt airport.
        858’s newest cadets left with new friends, new skills and an
        understanding about the cadet program.
    •   October 27 was our Air Training Day, including familiarization
        flying, range orientation with Lt(N) Jeff Baxter and air skills taught by
        senior cadets. VI Eric Scott and VI Steve Drinkwater were our pilots.
        We are very grateful to them for donating the use of their planes
        and their time to the Squadron.
    •   November 16-17 was our fall field training exercise (FTX) at Camp
        Burley. Our water catching training was a huge success (it rained
        ‘a bit’ during the second night - we got to see how many cadets
        would fit under one tarp!). Senior cadets climbed a mountain while
        practicing map and compass. Skits and songs around the fire were
        enlightening - and entertaining. Wildlife awareness was taught in
        the open field by OCdt Scott (I think we saw a bear?), and the canoe
        adventure and skill training was very successful.
    •   On November 25, OCdt Scott, Victoria Gazeley and Carrie Evenson
        chaperoned our Squadron on a field trip to Cascade Aerospace
        and Conair Aerial Firefighting in Abbotsford, then to the Spaghetti

                                                                               2
Factory for lunch, followed by an adventure at Castle Fun Park.
    •   In November, we were able to support 109 Gibsons Legion with
        their Poppy Tagging and joined them in their Remembrance Day
        parade. We also were able to have cadets stand at the Robert’s
        Creek Legion, as well as at the ANAVET parade on Gambier Island.
    •   December 6-7, our Marksmanship team competed in Sydney on
        Vancouver Island at the Al Banky Memorial Air Rifle Competition.
        Our team represented our Squadron well and had a great time.
    •   Mid-December brought a carolling night outside the Independent
        store in Sechelt to contribute to the Salvation Army Kettle Drive.
    •   January 1, a small group of cadets came out to assist with the Lions
        Club’s Polar Bear Swim. The water was kinda warm!?!
    •   January 7 myself, Lt (N) Jeff Baxter, SSC Chair Victoria Gazeley, Const.
        Kevin Shepherd (RCMP) and FSgt Jonah Byron met at the Sechelt
        Airport to conduct a mock review board for two cadets who were
        applying for Cadet scholarships: WO2 Regan Scott and FSgt Keaton
        McIlwraith. We also offered another session in December for senior
        cadets interested in working on their interview skills. Many thanks to
        OCdt Scott for organizing.
    •   February 20 was our annual Effective Speaking Competition at
        St. Hilda’s Church in Sechelt. Six cadets participated, with others
        coming out to support their fellow cadets. FltCpl Sam Rooney was
        determined to be the winner by our panel of three judges from the
        community. He then went off the following week to represent 858
        Skookumchuk Squadron at the regional competition in Delta.
    •   February 13-15, the Squadron ventured to Victoria, BC for a
        weekend of exploration. Nicolas Simons, MLA hosted a fabulous tour
        of the Legislative Buildings; we also toured the Royal BC Museum
        and the BC Aviation Museum, had a swim at the wave pool, walked
        around Victoria, had lunch at the food trucks, dinner at the Old
        Spaghetti Factory, went for a hike, slept in an Armoury, and went on
        four ferry rides! The whole weekend was a huge success.
    •   February 18 I presented our first workshop on the topic of
        working with youth to a group of parent volunteers. I would like
        to do this again. Keep an eye open - we’d love to see more parents
        come out to learn new skills and share experiences.
    •   March 4 brought a trip to the Sechelt Fire Department training
        centre. The evening was a lot of fun and very educational. Thank
        you to the firefighters who volunteered their time, shared with us
        some of what they do, and passed on some of their knowledge.

     Once the Pandemic hit in mid-March, our training year ground to a
halt as we worked on moving everything to ‘virtual’, including a Boot Polish
Challenge and a Mess Dinner Challenge. FltSgt Andrew Parsley sent us
a photo of him eating at his dinner table in a bow tie on the night we were
supposed to be having our mess dinner. Kudos, FltSgt Parsley!

                                                                               3
In May, we asked the cadets to get dressed up in their uniforms
and salute for a photo, which we then designed into a collage poster to
distribute within our community and beyond that thanks essential workers
throughout Canada. Sgt Aiden Cleland-Hura is organizing the distribution. We
have also had two virtual parade nights and now our ACR is virtual as well.

     Just a few thank you’s for the support that we received last year. Without
this support this program would not be able to run. Thank you’s goes out to:

    •   all of our screened parents for helping out with Tagging weekend;
    •   Robert Kaatz for Screening our parent volunteers;
    •   Brent Sanford for taking on the role of facilitating the Duke of
        Edinburgh Program for our Squadron;
    •   VI Evans and OCdt Scott for volunteering their Monday evenings to
        offer our cadets a top notch ground school training program;
    •   Scott and Carrie Evenson for managing uniforms, arranging
        tagging weekends and countless hours supporting our Squadron;
    •   VI Jordana Bystedt for volunteering her time as our Squadron’s
        Range Coach, including accompanying the team to Sydney;
    •   Pamela Kaatz for presenting lessons for our senior cadets;
    •   VI Dale Leekie for teaching lessons on parade nights. Good luck to
        you and your wife on your new adventure! We will miss you;
    •   Victoria Gazeley and the Squadron Sponsoring Committee
        volunteers/directors: Sara Parsley, Carrie Evenson, Scott Evenson,
        Debbie Weeks, Sheri Hildebrandt and Jillian Dueck for working
        hard to put our cadets first by helping to offer a wonderful program;
    •   Christine Fearn for preparing canteen on parade nights;
    •   Our Regional Cadet Support Unit and Maj Derrick Gee for the
        ongoing support you provide to our cadets;
    •   Capt Fitzgerald for stepping in at helping out at “All About Flight”;
    •   Lt (N) Baxter for his role as Administration Officer and so much
        more;
    •   OCdt Scott for stepping up to become a commissioned Officer in
        the Canadian Military and embarking on the Training Officer role, as
        well as assisting the sponsoring committee with all your wisdom.
    •   VI Eric Scott and VI Steve Drinkwater for flying our cadets;
    •   The Sechelt Regional Airport (Greg and Dana Caple) for your
        ongoing support and the use of your facilities;
    •   School District 46 for the use of Davis Bay Elementary School;
    •   Gibsons Legion Branch 109 for providing the use of their facility for
        various events and the support that you offer our cadets;
    •   Our wonderful Sunshine Coast community who put money in our
        tagging cans, which provide the opportunity to offer this program to
        a growing number of youth on the Coast; and
    •   Our senior cadets who built lesson plans and summoned the
        courage to stand in front of your peers and teach our program.

For the person reading this who helped out the Squadron and who is saying,
‘What about me??’ I am sorry, please forgive me but it doesn’t mean that you
are not important!!!
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A special note of congratulations to WO1 Regan Scott for the distinct
honour of being selected to attend the National Summer Camp to obtain his
power pilot’s licence. Being selected for this training is no small feat. Well
done, WO1 Scott! Unfortunately, due to the current situation, all summer
camps and programs have been cancelled until September.

    We want to congratulate all of the cadets who have been promoted,
and/or won awards and medals. You have all passed your levels and will be
moving to the next in the new training year in September!

    I am so happy to spend time with you all this past year and am looking
forward to seeing you in September. I have no doubt you all will take on the
challenge of coming out of this better and stronger.

    Have an awesome summer!

    Capt Douglas, CD
    Commanding Officer
    858 Skookumchuk Squadron
    ___________

     Capt David Douglas joined Skookumchuk 858 Royal Canadian Air Cadet
Squadron shortly after his oldest son joined in 2013. Capt Douglas’ first foray
into the cadet world was joining the Navy League Cadets at HMCS Discovery
in Vancouver when he was 9, where he was active in the marching band and
learned to sail in Coal Harbour. At 18, he enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air
Force, serving from 1985-1993. He was an MSE-OP, specializing in operating
heavy equipment at CFB Edmonton. He remustered to become a PE Recreation
Instructor, posted at CFB Cornwallis as a Recruit Instructor. During this time,
he was very involved in with Special Olympics, on the Board as the Volunteer
Convenor, as well as provincial level floor hockey referee. He also coached
swimming, soccer, track & field, and floor hockey. In addition, he spent time
teaching First Aid for St. John’s Ambulance and was a Registered Fitness Instructor
in Alberta, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Upon returning to BC, Capt Douglas
began work as a longshoreman on Vancouver’s waterfront, which he continues
to this day. He also worked as a Wilderness Instructor for Young Offenders at the
Porteau Cove location of the Maple Ridge Wilderness Program.

     Capt Douglas lives in Tuwanek with his wife, Sara and their two sons, Jamie
and Matthew. The family are very active, hiking and canoeing regularly, as well as
playing in the Suncoast Community Band.

                                                                                  5
Message from the Training Officer
                        OCDT PATRICIA SCOTT
     I was a very late joiner to the RCAC. I started off as a parent volunteer
with my husband in Abbotsford around 2010 and when our family moved
to the Sunshine Coast I eventually jumped in whole hearted in the 858
Skookumchuk SSC in 2015. In 2019 I began the journey to become an
officer in aims to work more directly with the cadets delivering training and
development opportunities and supervision. On October 16, 2019 I was
sworn in in front of our Squadron, I am thankful I got to share that moment
with the 858 cadets who inspire me day in and day out.

     The cadet movement in Canada is an exceptional opportunity for young
persons age 12-18 to learn and develop leadership, responsibility and skills.
Year after year I am so amazed to see the accomplishments of our senior
cadets as they age out and enter adulthood on solid ground with confidence.
Being able to be a part of the weekly routine of such a varied group of youth
and watch each cadet thrive and grow in a safe and organized program
over a few years is quite rewarding. I sure hope each cadet and their family
reflects on our Squadron and all our members for years to come with fond
memories, I know I certainly will.

    The friends I have made through the SSC and DND and experiences I
have had working with the cadets are hard to express in a short paragraph, I
welcome you to ask me why I am proud to be a part of the 858 Skookumchuk
RCAC anytime and share a bit about our Squadron and our cadet program.

    Sincerely,

    OC Scott

                                                                                 6
Message from the SSC Chair
     My interest in planes started early - as a child attending the Abbotsford
Airshow every single summer... awed by the wingwalking, aerobatics,
‘celebrity’ aircraft and military fighters pushing the edge of sonic booms.
My first flight was at age 9 or 10, and since then I’ve traveled in float planes,
umpteen different types of commercial aircraft, and helicopters with film
crews shooting adventure races over ocean, river and forest. It never fails to
seem a bit miraculous. As for my son, his first flight came early on, on a float
plane to Vancouver Island - he was hooked, too.
    In spring 2018, we visited Davis Bay Elementary on a Wednesday evening
to observe our first 858 Skookumchuk Squadron Parade and signed up
pretty much right there. Since that day, it’s been a powerful time of stretching
comfort zones, learning valuable and unique new skills, and working with
some really wonderful people... for my son AND myself.
    In my second year with the Squadron Sponsoring Committee, I’ve been
beyond fortunate to work with an experienced and talented team of staff,
parents and supporters, all committed to bringing the best of themselves to
the program for the sake of the cadets. I thank them for making our second
year with 858 Skookumchuk Squadron so welcoming and rewarding.

      It was unfortunate that our training year was cut short due to the
pandemic shutdown, and that the cadets missed out on a number of
activities we know they (and we) were looking forward to. With luck, we’ll be
all clear in the fall to begin a brand new and exciting training season. We’re
very much looking forward to expanded growth and opportunities for youth
on the Sunshine Coast in 2020/2021.

    Victoria Gazeley
    Squadron Sponsoring Committee Chair
    ___________

     Victoria grew up on the Sunshine Coast. After two decades in the city, she and
her son returned to the Coast in 2008. In 2011, tired of commuting to an office,
she packaged her skills to launch a web/graphic design studio from the loft of her
vintage, hand-hewn log cabin in the woods, and has since served entrepreneur
and small business clients from around the world. She has been involved with 858
Skookumchuk Squadron since September 2018.
                                                                                    7
Representing the BC Committee of
      the Air Cadet League of Canada
                               BRYAN LEPKE

      Bryan has lived in the tri-cities area of the Lower Mainland most of his
life. In 1986, at age 18 he joined the family commercial millwork company
where he still works today.

    In December of 1996 his son Ryder was born. In 2010 friends of Ryder’s
joined Air Cadets and started his interest in the program, and in 2011 he
joined 754 Phoenix Air Cadets in Port Moody.

    Bryan found the program so interesting and positive that he really
wanted to help out and at one of the parent meetings approached one of the
SSC members to ask if there was any way he could help. It didn’t take long for
the SSC (Squadron Sponsoring Committee) to figure out they had an eager
beaver in their midst and early in 2012 Bryan was approached by the SSC
chair and asked if he would be willing to take over that position to which he
readily agreed… after all it’s only 2 hours a week… and at the next 754 AGM
Bryan was elected chair. He was lucky to have an excellent committee in
place that already knew how things ran and so the transition went relatively
smoothly.

     The time that Bryan spent as SSC chair, although sometimes challenging,
was extremely rewarding and so in 2014 when his time as chair was up
he knew he didn’t want to leave the program and eagerly accepted the
opportunity to join the BCPC as League Representative. In his own words,
“The amazing work that so many people do, as volunteers, to provide
necessary tools and unequalled opportunities for our youth to succeed in
their future compels me to do the best that I can to help.”

                                                                                 8
858 Skookumchuk Squadron Cadets
           2019/2020
      FSgt Callum Baxter          FCpl Kylar Marola-Hugh
     FCpl Liam Bedlington         Cpl Shenay McIlwraith
       FSgt Jonah Byron           FSgt Keaton McIlwraith
FSgt Aiden Douglas Cleland-Hura      Sgt Amelia Mellis
     FCpl Brayden Davison           Fsgt Andre Montes
    WO2 Matthew Douglas           FCpl Dominik Nikodem
       Sgt Kayla Evenson           FSgt Andrew Parsley
      FSgt Tyler Evenson            Cpl Jaden Reinson
   FCpl Christopher Fawcus         FCpl Caleb Robinson
       FSgt Simon Fearn              FCpl Sam Rooney
    FCpl Matthew Germain           FCpl Jäger Rosenberg
  FCpl Quinland Grant-Byrnes      FCpl Alexandria Sanford
     FCpl Landon Gravelle            WO1 Regan Scott
    Cpl Shane Gudbranson              Cpl Bryan Shen
  FCpl Kai Edward Hildebrant       Cpl Kaiden Shepherd
       Cpl Kendra Hood              FSgt Luke Shimizu
     Sgt Erin Isabella Kaatz       FCpl Brandon Trewin
       Cpl Griffin Kendel            FCpl Talon White
       FCpl Sean Landry              Cpl Rowan Zack
       FCpl John Mailey              FCpl Shahvir Zack
                                     Cpl Henry Zhang

                                                            9
858 Skookumchuk
Squadron Officers, Staff
& Volunteer Instructors
  Commanding Officer - Capt David Douglas
   Administration Officer - Lt (N) Jeff Baxter
     Training Officer - OCdt Patricia Scott
 Instructor - VI Jordana Bystedt (Range/Drill)
 Instructor - VI Mark Evans (Ground School)
          Instructor - VI Dale Leekie
     Instructor - VI Eric Scott (Fam Flying)
Instructor - VI Steve Drinkwater (Fam Flying)

  Sponsoring Committee
          Chair - Victoria Gazeley
         Secretary - Carrie Evenson
          Treasurer - Sara Parsley
      Screening Officer - Robert Kaatz
          Director - Scott Evenson
          Director - Debbie Weeks
         Director - Sheri Hildebrant
           Director - Jillian Dueck

                                                 10
Inspection Program
                           OFFICIAL PARTY
       Air Cadet League of Canada Representative - Mr. Bryan Lepke
Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific), Canadian Armed Forces Representative
                           Maj Derrick Gee, CD
     858 Skookumchuk Commanding Officer - Capt David Douglas, CD
     858 Skookumchuk Sponsoring Committee Chair - Victoria Gazeley

                     MASTER OF CEREMONIES
                             WO1 Regan Scott

                       SINGING OF O’CANADA
                          WO2 Matthew Douglas

                       RECITATION OF POEM
                             FCpl Sam Rooney

                   STATIC DISPLAY SLIDESHOW
                             FSgt Jonah Byron

                                                                        11
Inspection Program
                         SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

1:45    Virtual ‘Arrival’ of Guests
        Photo Slideshow of Cadet Activities

14:00   Introduction by the Master of Ceremonies (WO1 Regan Scott)
        O Canada (WO2 Matthew Douglas) (PLEASE STAND)
        Recitation of ‘High Flight’ (FCpl Sam Rooney)
        Commanding Officer’s Address (Capt David Douglas)
        Presentation of Awards (Capt David Douglas & Lt [N] Jeff Baxter)
        Air Cadet League Representative’s Address (Mr. Bryan Lepke)
        Regional Cadet Support Unit Representative’s Address (Maj Gee)
        Senior Cadet Address (FSgt Simon Fearn)
        Closing Address (Victoria Gazeley, Sponsoring Committee Chair)

15:00   Virtual Static Displays - will be displayed via screenshare after
        dismissal.

                                                                            12
Awards & Presentations
      Level Achievement Awards
               Level One
               Level Two
              Level Three
               Level Four
               Level Five

             Range Awards

       Effective Speaking Awards

          Long Service Award

Russell F. Crum Parade Commander Award

        Lord Strathcona Medal

       Legion Medal of Excellence

             Presentations

                                         13
Partnership Role Between the DND,
           CIC, ACL and SSC
    The Air Cadet League of Canada (ACL) and the Department of National
Defense (DND) both support the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, a premier and
beneficial youth organization. The Air Cadet Program is a comprehensive
program, which is run in a very organized, disciplined, and safe manner.
Saying that, it is important to ensure that all volunteers are appropriately
selected, well – intended, initially supervised, offer skills that add value
and complement the program, and are good role models for Air Cadets.
Knowing the skills and talents of each and every volunteer and their intention
towards the program is fairly important to the Squadron Officers, staff and
Sponsoring Committee, as a good team effort produces the best results for
the greater benefit of the Air Cadet Movements, or more generally, the cadet
movement as a whole.

    The Air Cadet League’s responsibilities for Civilian Instructors (CI) and
Volunteers complement those of the DND and are more of a supporting
nature. The Commanding Officer of the squadron and his supporting
staff have command and control of the Cadets and are responsible for
overall supervision of the training program that is conducted. To fulfill its
responsibilities to the Cadets, DND is required to conform to rulings by
the Supreme Court of Canada that defined the level of care required by an
organization in protecting youth under its direction. In fact, the level of care
has been defined in a way that would be similar to a parent protecting their
child. Saying that, it is also reasonable that our registration and screening
protocols for Civilian Instructors and Volunteers meet the same standard of
that of the Canadian Forces, both Regular and Reserve, as well as contracted
Civilian Instructors.

   The Air Cadet program operates within a partnership agreement
between the Department of National Defense (DND) and The Air Cadet
League of Canada (ACL), a civilian volunteer organization. The British
Columbia Provincial Committee (BCPC) of the ACL is administered by a five
person Executive committee under the direction of a ten member Board of
Directors. The Directors are elected by the members of BCPC at the Annual

                                                                              14
General Meeting. BCPC’s office is located at Boundary Bay Airport, Delta,
BC, and its day-to-day operations are administered by a part time Chief
Administrative Officer and a full time Financial Office Assistant.

    There are currently 58 Squadrons in BC, geographically grouped into
three zones supported by Group Chairs. Each zone is then subdivided into
Wings which are also supported by Wing Chairs.

   The main areas of responsibility for the British Columbia Provincial
Committee include:

   •   The formation of new squadrons
   •   Providing training and support for Squadron Sponsoring Committees
   •   Assisting with the recruitment of officers and cadets into the program
   •   Publicising and promoting cadet activities and programs.
   •   Maintaining our fleet of 6 tow planes and twelve gliders.
   •   For the past several years, our glider flying program has received
       generous financial assistance from the British
   •   Columbia Gaming Commission by way of its “Direct Access Grant
       Program”.
   •   Administering the Effective Speaking Program in BC, (also funded
       through the Direct Access Grant program).
   •   Processing applications for National Scholarship Courses
   •   Sponsoring Work Experience programs with industry partners to
       provide opportunities for Cadets to earn
   •   Graduation Transition Credits
   •   Administering the Air Cadet Foundation of British Columbia, a
       charitable society established to maintain and grow
   •   the Air Cadet Program in British Columbia.

                                                                            15
A Short History of
                     858 Skookumchuk
    The 858 Skookumchuk Squadron began as a vision of our first
Chair of the Squadron Sponsoring Committee, Ms. Joan Thibault. Joan’s
accomplishment was best described by our first Commanding Officer Russell
Crum: “Joan is one of those rare individuals who not only sees what she wants to
achieve, where others do not, but has the energy, willpower, motivational skills
and downright stubbornness necessary to see the vision created.”

     The 858 Skookumchuk Squadron was formed as a “satellite squadron”
known as the “Gibsons Flight” of 103 Thunderbird Squadron in North
Vancouver in September of 1997. After functioning as a satellite for one
year, and recruiting enough cadets, officers and civilian instructors to form a
functioning Air Cadet Squadron, the Department of National Defence and the
Air Cadet League of Canada granted a Charter to the unit in October of 1998,
with the name of Skookumchuk, and the number 858.

     The Skookumchuk name comes from an area on the Sunshine Coast
called Skookumchuck Rapids. Skookumchuck means “Mighty Waters” in the
dialect of the Sechelt Nation – the local indigenous people of the Sunshine
Coast. The squadron crest was designed from an anonymous submission
from one of our cadets titled “Raven over Skookumchuck at Dawn” and
depicts a stylized west coast native representation of a raven over frothing
water with the sun rising behind.

     “As Founder and first chairperson of the Parent Sponsoring Committee of
the 858 Skookumchuk Squadron, RCAC it is hard to believe we are celebrating
our 21st Anniversary. I have seen many changes through the years. From
inception, youth eager to learn about anything “Air” was fascinating. We were a
strong Squadron 21 years ago. We are a strong Squadron today. This has been
accomplished by a dedicated Sponsoring Committee, parents and volunteers
including the Gibsons Legion, and our flying community. All have given unselfishly
of their time and talents for those youth who recognized opportunity and seized
it! May the next years be as successful! Congratulations 858.”

    - Joan Thibault, First Chairperson, 858 Skookumchuk Squadron
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