Spring Thaw 2024 – Part 2

Reveille (Wake up) was at 7am for cadets but adult staff had to be up & ready by 6:45am.  I was up and about at 6:15am.  Time appreciation.  The dress for the weekend was field training uniforms (FTUs), also known as combats in the military.  Senior cadets went from barracks to barracks informing junior cadets that it was time to wake up, get dressed, and be ready for breakfast.

Breakfast was at 8am and catered by a local Subway.  The officers served breakfast to many hungry cadets.  The menu consisted of muffins, fruit, breakfast sandwiches, and granola bars.  Beverage selections were water, juice, hot chocolate, and tea.  Officers had the additional option of coffee.  Breakfast lasted an hour.

The round robin of activities began after cadets were divided into groups and officers had set up their activity stations.  Each group was composed of cadets from all corps.  I was assigned a section of the Mess Hall to run my list of games.  My activity station was called Minute-To-Win-It.  Cadets had a minute to complete a task/game.  The organizers had prepared a box of supplies and written instructions. 

Cadets engaged in four games.  The first one involved paper cups filled with water.  You had a minute to look under the cups and find the ones that had black dots underneath.  The challenge was not to spill water.  The second game involved standing at one end of a table and throwing ping pong balls into a metal bowl at the other end.  Cadets were allowed to bounce the balls.  The third game also included paper cups but this time they were assembled in a pyramid, and you had to knock down as many as you could using rubber bands.  The fourth game had cadets carefully moving metallic nuts from one wooden peg to another but only using chop sticks.  Winter mitts were later added to increase difficulty.

Even though the name of my station implied competition, it wasn’t strictly enforced.  The point was to have fun.  Plus, I wasn’t given prizes to hand out.

In the other section of the Mess Hall, cadets played a collection of three games.  They involved book balancing, coin table hockey, and reeling in rubber chickens attached to fishing lines.

The remaining activity stations were spread out across the camp, in other buildings and outside on the parade square.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t observe these activities because I was running one.

Lunch was provided by a different caterer.  The main course was hamburgers, but there were still leftover Subway sandwiches if anybody wanted them.  Officers still acted as servers.

The round robin of activities continued all afternoon.

One of the main highlights of Saturday was the evening trip to WalMart after dinner.  Going to WalMart for many Nunavut cadets is a big deal because the store has a lot more products on sale.  There’s more choice.  There are stores in Nunavut communities but they’re much smaller and don’t offer as many products.  I suppose the closest you could get to a WalMart in Nunavut would be the NorthMart stores in Iqaluit & Rankin Inlet. 

Cadets excitedly boarded school buses and were driven to WalMart in Whitehorse.  They were given one hour to shop.  Some cadets bought a lot of stuff to bring home.  It’s most likely their families gave them shopping lists.  I only bought a few items.

The second day of Spring Thaw, Sunday, was pretty much a repeat of the first day.  I managed the Minute-To-Win-It station and the cadets had a good time.  Lego pieces were added to the mix of activities.  Cadets had a minute to place as many Lego pieces as possible into plastic cups using chop sticks.  The food was still good with plenty of choices.  Lunch offered hotdogs, spaghetti, stew, and vegetables.  Dinner had chicken, garlic bread, and Caesar salad.  The organizers picked good caterers.

The last day of Spring Thaw 2024, Monday, began in the very early morning.  Cadets & officers from the four Nunavut corps needed to be ready to leave the camp at 8:30am so there wasn’t much time.  The remaining corps from Yukon & Northwest Territories would stay until the afternoon.

The breakfast menu offered muffins, fruit salads, granola, yogurt, and juice boxes.  Once breakfast was done, cadets were instructed to pack their suitcases, remove all garbage from the barracks, sweep the barracks, and return their bedding for cleaning.  Officers were instructed to do the same.  Military personnel & cadets follow the principles of No Trace Camping.  Make it look like you were never there.  Cadets also assisted officers in cleaning the Mess Hall.

All cadets were formed up outside for a final debriefing by the major-in-charge.  She thanked everyone for attending and making Spring Thaw 2024 a success.  She hoped a similar event would be held next year.  We all felt the same.

The coach buses arrived on time to take us to the airport.  We loaded our luggage and boarded our assigned bus.  The buses dropped us off at the Whitehorse Airport about 20 minutes later.  My cadets & I checked in and then proceeded to our gate.  We boarded the same Summit Air charter plane that brought us to Whitehorse on Friday.  We left Whitehorse at around 10:30am.

Cambridge Bay Airport Terminal.

The plane landed in Cambridge Bay to refuel.  This was our first time in Cambridge Bay.  We disembarked and waited inside the terminal.  I passed the time taking pictures of portraits and art pieces inside the terminal.  My cadets bought snacks at a canteen.  Interestingly, another Summit Air charter plane landed carrying cadets from Cambridge Bay & Naujaat.  The Cambridge Bay cadets were home, but the Naujaat cadets had to wait inside the terminal like us because their plane needed to be refueled.  They boarded both charters at the same time.  I made sure my cadets boarded the correct plane.

Graveyard Point (left corner of the mountain).

We landed in Arctic Bay at 5:30pm.  The plane approached the runway from the north. I was able to take pictures of Graveyard Point, Victor Bay, and Arctic Bay before the plane touched down on the runway.  Frank gave me a ride into town.  It felt great to be home.

   End of Spring Thaw 2024 Miniseries.

Spring Thaw 2024 – Part 1

Friday, March 22 began with excitement for the cadets of 3045 Army Cadet Corps.  There were heading to Whitehorse, Yukon, to participate in a weekend activity called Spring Thaw 2024.  Cadets & staff from other cadet corps in the territories would also be attending.  Additionally, I was granted leave from my civilian employer to attend. 

Whitehorse Cadet Training Centre (CTC), also known as Boyle Barracks, named after the late Colonel John Boyle, was chosen as the site of Spring Thaw. 

Everyone in the Northwest Region was glad Spring Thaw was granted the necessary budget & resources to be organized.  I think the last time territorial cadet corps came together was before the COVID-19 pandemic.  The objectives of Spring Thaw 2024 were: bring cadets & staff across the North together for a weekend activity; have everyone participate in variety of indoor & outdoor activities & sports; and promote the goals of the cadet program.

Cadet corps in the Canadian territories can’t come together often to do activities & trips because of isolation, vast distances apart, the high cost of air travel, and lack of roads.  Yukon & the Northwest Territories have highways that connect to the national road network, but Nunavut does not.  Air travel is the main way to get around, and the airlines charge an “arm & a leg” because they hold monopolies.  A huge chunk of money is set aside by the Department of National Defence to transport northern cadets to activities & events all over Canada and beyond.  This must continue so that northern youth have the same opportunities and experiences as southern youth.

The organizers booked a charter plane to pick us up and fly us to Whitehorse.  My cadets & I arrived at the airport at 11:15am.  The Summit charter plane arrived at noon.  The passengers onboard were instructed to disembark and wait inside the terminal while the plane was refueled.  The passengers were cadets & staff from Naujaat.  Introductions and discussions filled the terminal.  A Summit employee manually checked in the Arctic Bay cadets & officer (me).  Finally, we were given permission to board the plane.  Everyone found their seats and the charter took off into the Arctic sky, bound for Whitehorse.

I was surprised the flight was direct.  I thought we would stop somewhere along the way to pick up more cadets, but that wasn’t the case.  The flight was long, but we made it without delay.  The pilots parked the plane on the tarmac near the airport’s fire department building.  We disembarked onto the tarmac and were escorted towards a parking lot on the other side of the security fence.  Our luggage was delivered several minutes later. 

A large black Chrono Aviation plane landed and parked in the same spot the Summit plane used to be.  Many cadets & officers disembarked and made there way to where we were standing.  They had come from the larger communities like Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, and Yellowknife, because their airports can accommodate jet planes.  A lot of greetings & introductions were made before everyone was instructed to make their way to the main airport terminal to catch the buses.  Everyone carried/pulled their luggage. 

The buses were coach buses.  I thought it would be school buses.  The organizers spared not expense.  We boarded our assigned buses and were driven to Whitehorse CTC.

We removed our luggage from the bus after it arrived at the camp.  I think the last time I was here was in 2019.  One of the administration officers introduced themselves and instructed my cadets to line up inside the Headquarters (HQ) Building for registration.  The major-in-charge greeted each cadet, checked their name on a list, asked them a few questions, and then assigned them accommodations.  She then assigned me a bedroom in the HQ.  All out-of-town adult staff were assigned bedrooms in HQ.  My cadets collected their belongings and proceeded to their assigned barracks.  Male & female cadets sleep in separate barracks.  All participating cadets went through registration and barracks assignment. 

Cadets set up the mess hall with tables and chairs for dinner.  The major-in-charge held a welcome briefing in the mess hall before the food arrived.  Adult staff & senior cadets would receive their schedules and assignments for the weekend after dinner.  Dinner was catered by Domino’s Pizza.  There were a lot of toppings to choose along with a variety of drinks, including pop and Gatorade.  I think everyone enjoyed dinner because there were a lot of empty pizza boxes when it was over.

Cadets enjoyed free time until it was time for lights out.  While that was happening, officers & civilian staff had a meeting with the major.  A round robin of various sports & activities had been organized and cadets would be divided into groups after breakfast the following morning.  We were each assigned a station and would run it for the duration of the weekend.  Senior cadets would assist us.  (More on this in the next post).  The major told us where we would find our supplies.  Despite being a little nervous, I was confident I would run my station without issue.    

                                                                To Be Continued . . . 

Community Nutritious Meal

Inuujaq School held a community nutritious meal/breakfast on the morning of March 21.  The school was promoting healthy living & eating.  Unfortunately, the cost of living is high in Nunavut and healthy food prices are marked up at grocery stores.  It’s also like that down south, but it’s much more noticeable up here due to the remoteness of Nunavut communities.  Although, I find that argument hard to believe considering companies that make junk food can sell their products at a lower price.  Well, relatively low; a can of pop/soda in Arctic Bay costs around $2.75.  The price increases to $6 or more when the sealift supply runs out in the spring.

The food was ordered through the Taqqut Co-op store.  The menu consisted of various fruits, vegetables, cheese, juice boxes, tea, and coffee.  Staff came to school at 7:30am to prepare the food and set up the gym.  We also had the assistance of a visiting superintendent.  The fruits & vegetable were washed & dried before being cut.  The food was divided and brought to the gym on trays.  I made sure the gym was ready.  Foldout chairs lined the walls, and long tables & a sound system were set at the front. 

The food trays were placed on the tables.  Staff began dividing the food when paper plates & gloves arrived.  It’s better to prepare plates ahead of time because the audience doesn’t have to wait.  Juice boxes, tea, and coffee were setup on a separate table.  Everything was mostly ready when the first school bell rang, but several staff members stayed in the gym to finish preparing plates.

The assembly began at 9:30am with a brief welcome speech from the acting principal.  An Elder then blessed the food.  Staff distributed plates & juice boxes to students, parents, guardians, and Elders.  The prepared food was delicious.  The noise level in the gym dropped several decibels because everyone was eating.  I waited until everyone was served before taking a plate.

The community meal was done at 10:15am.  School Administration thanked staff for preparing everything, and students & everyone who attended.  Everyone was encouraged to make healthy food choices and to cut down the number of sweets they consume.  Teachers were instructed to lead their students back to class.  High school students stayed behind to help with the cleanup of the gym.  Leftover food was offered to parents & guardians to take home.

 

AWG 2024 Celebration

The 2024 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) were held March 10 – 16, 2024 in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in Alaska, USA.  The area is also known as the Mat-Su Borough or Mat-Su Valley.  Seventeen athletes & two coaches from Arctic Bay attended the Games as part of Team Nunavut.  They competed in a variety of sports & events, and some won medals.  I wish I was there to watch and cheer them on.

Eight teams competed in this year’s games: Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alberta North, Nunavut, Nunavik-Quebec, Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), and Sapmi.  Russia’s Yamal region was suspended from participating due to Russia’s war with Ukraine.  The suspension extends to the 2026 Games.  Participating teams are organized by regions rather than countries like in the Olympics.

Everybody in Arctic Bay followed the Games, eager to learn the latest news and progress of our athletes.  Students & staff watched live coverage of several events in their classrooms.  Winners were announced during morning announcements.  I’m certain many students were inspired to become AWG athletes.

When the AWG finished on March 16, the topics of how to welcome back & celebrate the athletes’ achievements came to mind.  The Hamlet of Arctic Bay informed the community they were organizing a ceremony at the community hall on March 19.  They also added that the athletes would return on March 18 & 19.  This news gave the students & staff of Inuujaq School an idea.

Classes made “Welcome Back!” and “Congratulations!” posters.  On the afternoon of March 18, everyone assembled outside the school near the main road, holding their posters, and waiting for the arrival of the athletes.  A few students & teachers held Inuit drums.  The convoy of vehicles came into view.  The lead vehicle was a firetruck.  The firetruck’s siren began to sound as the convoy neared us.  The vehicles behind it followed suit by honking their horns.  The crowd clapped, cheered, and waved at the passing vehicles.  Inuit drums were played.  The athletes & drivers waved back.  Everyone returned to their classes after the convoy passed.

The same procession was repeated on the afternoon of March 19.  The firetruck led the convoy blaring its siren and the vehicles behind it honked their horns.  Everyone clapped, cheered, and waved again. 

I arrived at the community hall 5:30pm and found a seat.  The hall was decorated with posters and Nunavut flags.  A large poster with the names of the athletes & coach was pasted to the backstage wall.  I came dressed in my military dress uniform because I wanted to get a few photos with the athletes who were & are army cadets.  I also asked a few current cadets to also wear their dress uniforms.

The ceremony began at 5:45pm with a welcome speech from the Recreation Coordinator.  Hamlet Council sat on stage.  The team was introduced and walked into the hall to loud applause and cheers.  This was followed by more speeches from Hamlet council members, the mayor, and members of the public.  The athletes & coaches were called up individually to receive a congratulatory certificate from the mayor.  The coaches were given extra thanks for leading the team.

The presentations were followed by two performances.  The first performance was a square dance done by kids.  The second performance was a song duet with a vocalist & guitarist.  The two sang a few classic songs they recorded many years ago when they were in a band.

The ceremony concluded with the team posing for a group photograph.  Many people took pictures with their phones & cameras.  When everyone was dismissed to the reception tables, I walked up to the cadet athletes and asked if they’d be willing to take a group photo for the corps.  They said yes.  I personally congratulated them for winning medals at the AWG after the photos were taken.                          

The after-ceremony reception consisted of various snacks and beverages.  I stayed for a little bit before heading home.

Once again, congratulations to Team Nunavut & the Arctic Bay contingent for representing the region at the 2024 Arctic Winter Games!  The next Arctic Winter Games will be in Whitehorse in 2026.  Hopefully I’ll find a way to attend.