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GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1987
WILLIAM
THOMAS
Six smiles
er 11 IA
Donna.Whittaker keeps. the Squadron in straight lines.
Discipline is partof the training.
The Squadron falls in line
More than 400 young people have gone through Cadet. Program
Since the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Pro-
gram was re -introduced to Goderich in
1978, more than 400 young men and women
have taken advantage of the leadership
training program and the opportunities it
presents.
Sponsored by the Goderich Rotary Club
with' financial support from Branch 109 of
the Royal. Canadian Legion, 532 Maitland
Squadron has spread its wings over the
years, helping young people develop
leadership capabilities and self-confidence
while exposing them to the team concept of
group activities.
While the program was spawned out of
necessity during World War II, when it
was ,designed to introduce young men to
the fundamentals of aviation and related
activities required for the war effort, to-
day the emphasis has shifted tor obvious
reasons. However, it's image is still im-
planted with the stamp Of war and the con-
nection is unfair, Squadron Commanding
Officer, Chief Pat King says.
"This program is for young boys and
girls between the ages of 13 and 19 and
many people feel the program is related to
war or they won't let their children attend
because -they are opposed to the use of
atomic weapons," Chief King explained.
"There is no connection.- We are not
teacliing about war or atomic weapons."
Through the program and the expertise
of its volunteer leaders like Constable Rick
Livesey of Goderich, young cadets learn
the proper and safe use of firearms at the
high school range. "It's far better for them
to be taught the proper use of firearms and
all the safety aspects," Chief King noted.
But Air Cadets is more than instruction
on firearm use and safety. Cadets are ex-
posed to indoor classroom sessions on the
thoery of flight, map use,.history of avia-
tion, aero engines, weather and fundamen-
tals of navigation. The program also in-
cludes outdoor activities such as first aid
instruction, com . ass. and ma use,
orienteering, search and rescue, gliding at
Huron Park and 'weekend outings and
camping trips to Point Farms and
Ipperwash.
Through the air cadet , movement,
Livesey explained . that six or eight
graduates have gone on to pursue military
careers, but the thrust of the program is
not to simply supply the Canadian military
with personnel. The program does offer
senior cadets summer employment oppor-
tunities at bases across the country among
other benefits.
11' Aside from basic, weekly squadron
training which is held at Robertson Public
School in Goderich each Tuesday, the pro-
gram offers: summer camp programs for
7,500 air cadets at Canadian Forces Bases
across the country; air experience either
in a power aircraft or glider as well as in-
struction in map reading, navigation and
other related aviation skills; leadership
training at a six-week Leadership Training
Course; pilot training, including scholar-
ships to cadets who meet the physical and
academic requirements; trips .abroad;
search and rescue courses; technical
training; athletic leadership training and
summer employment.
1 Ken Kerr and Norman Hulley, two
Goderich area 13 -year-olds, are among the
newest members of the local Air Cadets,
having joined the squadron in September.
They give a variety of reasons for becom-
ing involved in the program.
Kerr said he recently dropped out of the
Scouting program and "wanted something
more interesting to do".
"Then I found Air Cadets," he said.
Kerr is looking forward to camping ac-
tivities with the group and is interested in
the military aspect of the club, particular-
ly firearms, but is "not sure," he would
want a career in the armed forces.
Hulley said he joined the club partly to
"learn about the air force," and because
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Mike Rogers of the Rotary Club presents an award to Whittaker.
There's more to Air Cadets than military -type atnaoshpere. Youngsters aged 13-19 learn program since it was reintroduced several years ago. (photos by Dave Sykes )
discipline, team -work and a variety of skills. Over 400 young people have passed through the
Coming off the big sweeping circular ex-
it at Vineland and merging into the thick `.
flow of traffic headed for Toronto, you
notice one overriding and undeniable fact:
that if you drive the full limit of speed on
the Queen Elizabeth Way you will most
certainly be rear-ended from behind by
every vehicle on the road that day.
Unless its an American, Americans in 'a
nostalgic tribute to Jimmy Carter's
energy policy still drive 55 mph. In the left-
hand lane
At any given time of the day, especially
when you're in a hurry you can go out on
the QEW and get boxed in behind
Americans driving slow in the first lane:
It's like they all graduated from the "Stop
And Smell The Roses Driving Academy."
A psychologist would call it "transferred
stress in transit," from them to you.
And they're usually big people, in big
cars gripping big steering wheels at the
bottom with both hands and with silly big
grins they turn to the little woman next to
them and ask: "What does 55 come to in
Celcius, Peg?"
And Peg looks back behind them at a col-
umn "of vehicles unequal in its single -file
assembly since the Allies stormed into Ar-
nhem and she pats him on the arm and
says: "You're doing just fine Dwayne, just
fine."
Maybe its their love of a parade and this
narrow, two-lane highway offers them the
opportunity to lead one. Maybe Americans
in their fascination for royalty feel that out
of respect for Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II they should drive on the left
side of this road.
And so Americans drive slowly in the
fast lane and Canadians have to summon
up all the skills of a sulky driver and
.manoeuvre. the . car in close behind slow
Canadians in the slow lane to cut in front of
slow Americans in the fast lane and people
wonder why when you finally do reach
Toronto you have to remove your shirt and
wring it out before your first appointment.
Just getting there is like the real life
"Wheel of Fortune."
And we all know what's going on in the
driver's seat of an American car below the
visibility line - a pair of lime green slacks
is hiding in shame. Why do American men
in casual dress choose to hold their lower
body up to ridicule in lime green or
Chinese red pants? From the belt loops
south they look like an accident at the
Pratt & Lambert paint factory.
If Detroit ever starts marketing glass
cars, these pants will have to be categoriz-
ed as a safety hazard punishable by a $500
fine and completion of the trip in your
underwear.
A half hour of stickhandling around peo-
ple from' "The Garden State" and
"American's Dairy" I'm in no mood to be
kind, but as 3 pass the exits to Hamilton I
cannot help but sigh and hazard a sym-
pathetic look toward Steel Town. Just like
Toronto, they now have a professional
hockey arena and just like Toronto they
don't have a professional hockey team to
play in it.
There's always a school bus on the QEW,
always jammed with hyperactive kids who
are particularly loony today because of
course they're not in school. They wave or
give me the peace sign and I return in
kind. I never used to. I used to ignore them
until one day several years ago while driv-
ing on the Conestoga Expressway near
Kitchener one such waver and peace -sign
giver, angered by my unresponsive
behavior, mooned me from the back of the
'bus. It was a "pressed ham" up against
the window to be precise. I know my
moons. I grew up in Welland with Barry
Thomas the man largely credited with in-
venting both the "pressed ham" and "the
waffle" which involves the unique use of a
screen door. Now when kids motion to me
from the back of a bus I motion back en-
thusiastically. I don't want any trouble.
Bumper stickers are a safety hazard. If
you creep up close enough to read them
you're tailgating. You can't use a swear
word on them which is the one good pur-
pose they could serve - cursing at the guy
who's tailgating you. Most, are ethnically
self-serving or sexually boastful. Few are
funny except I liked the one I saw this day:
"The Meek Are Contesting The Will!"
Not enough to publish silliness on
bumpers and cutsey little private jokes on
license plates (I8ABUG) we now have
those yellow triangles hanging in rear win-
dows that started with "Baby On Board"
and have now regressed to "Fascits On
Board." If they're going to -display these
insipid ensigns then by law they should
have to display their identification with a
little, yellow triangle that reads: "Bored
On Board."
But a worse hazard on the highways to-
day is far and away the car telephone.
Have you seen these guys trying to look
important, trying to make like they're put-
ting the final touches on a hostile takeover
of General Motors? When we all know that
the only reason they're calling from the
earphone is they'd be too embarrassed to
make that call in front of their wives or
secretaries. "Look Doc, the oitment didn't
work... the rash is spreading upwards...
It's either that or Tax Revenue just
padlocked their office doors and they're
trying to haul in some receivables before
the word gets out.
These guys are a menace to highway
safety. I'd rather face a drunk on the
highway than a guy going 100 kilometers
towards me having a fight with his wife on
the earphone.
In crisis a man's mind is capable of
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