By Jocelyn Crouse
OBSERVER CONTRIBUTOR
Salmon Arm Air Cadet FCpl. Madelyn Stoney’s artistic efforts are being showcased this year at the National War Museum in Ottawa in celebration of 75 years of the Royal Canadian Air Cadet program.
Last June, Stoney created a poster depicting the 75th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Cadet program that was chosen to represent B.C. at the national competition held in Ottawa in November.
Along with the winners from all the other provinces, Stoney made the trip to Ottawa and attended the Air Cadet League Leadership Symposium.
She says creating the poster was kind of last minute.
“I just did one for our squadron here,” says Stoney, adding she didn’t think it would go any further than that. “The sponsoring committee chair sent it in for the provincial contest.”
The 15-year-old Grade 10 student says it’s exciting that her poster is being displayed at the National War Museum. She adds that it was a pretty cool trip and she had a bit of extra time to do some sightseeing, even though the days were packed with leadership activities.
“We got to see the Parliament buildings, the National War Museum; we even did a night tour of Ottawa and drove across the bridge (to Gatineau, Que.) and back.”
Stoney also visited the Supreme Court, the American Embassy, the French Embassy, the Museum of History, and a little side trip to shop at the Rideau Centre.
The cadet program is one of the largest and oldest Government of Canada youth programs. There are currently 50,000 to 55,000 youth from 12 to 18 across Canada involved in cadets.
The local air cadet squadron meets on Wednesdays from 6:15 to 9 p.m. at the Downtown Activity Center, from September to mid-June. All youth from 12 to 18 are welcome to join. For more information, call 250-833-0222 or email info@222air.com.