Halloween 2025

The last day of October was on a Friday, a perfect school day to celebrate the end of the month and engage in Halloween activities.  (Halloween happens on October 31).  People dress up in costume and hand out candy to kids and adults.  Having the weekend right after gives students & teachers time to get rid of their sugar highs after indulging in sweets. 

The festivities at Inuujaq School began a week early with classes decorating their doors.  We love decorating our doors.  The doors would be judged on the morning of October 31, and the chosen winners announced at the afternoon Halloween assembly (more on this coming up).  The hallways are also decorated to create atmosphere.  High school students designed and set up a haunted house in a large classroom downstairs for Grades 4 – 12.  The classroom was chosen because it has two entrance/exit doors; good for traffic flow.  The school’s Events Committee handled the assembly program, day schedule, and purchasing bags of candy for classes.

The morning of October 31 was like a regular school day but with a Halloween twist.  I arrived early to photograph classroom doors & hallway decorations.  The haunted house operated all morning while three judges walked around and selected the best decorated doors.  Teachers did Halloween themed activities in their classrooms.  My high school drummers & I reviewed our concert program.  We were the assembly’s opening act and wanted to make sure everything went well.  I assured the drummers our performance will be fine considering we’ve been preparing since September. 

Underworld Emperor.

Lunch was extended to 90 minutes to give students & staff time to eat and change into their costumes.  I brought my costume from home and changed at school.  I also brought my previous costumes and set them in my classroom for anyone to borrow.  My costume this year was Underworld Emperor, bought from Spirit Halloween.  The one-size-fits-all facemask was large, so I pulled back the excess and used a binder clip to hold it in place.  This tightened the mask and made it easier for me to see.  I headed down to the gym to set up the drums.  My drummers joined me some time later.

Underworld Emperor.

Students, staff, parents, & guardians arrived after lunch, excited & dressed in costume.  Everyone made their way to the gym for the assembly.  My drummers & I waited in the gym lobby as everyone filed in.  The place was packed. 

The assembly began with a brief welcome address from the principal.  Then she called on me & the drummers to perform our concert.  We walked in a line and took our positions behind our drums.  I stood in the centre.  I picked up my sticks, looked in both directions, and then clicked 4 times.  Our concert began.  We played three 1-minute drum cadences as a group.  I then played a duet with a student, followed by a drum solo.  Our performance lasted 6 minutes and the audience enjoyed it.       

My drummers & I moved our drums to the back of the gym, and the audience created a large open space in the middle for the costume contest.  Classes, school staff, and parents/guardians walked around the centre of the gym showcasing their costumes.  The judges who picked the best decorated doors selected the best dressed from each class/group.  The winners received Co-op gift cards.  The winners of the door decorating contest were announced and the winning classes received funding for celebratory pizza parties.

Students & teachers returned to class after the assembly.  My drummers helped me pack and put away the drums.  I congratulated my drummers for putting on a great first performance.  Halloween activities continued in classrooms and bags of candy were distributed & consumed. School was dismissed early to let people get ready for community trick-or-treating.  Those who borrowed my costumes returned them.  I removed my mask to breathe fresh air and wipe away sweat.  I changed out of my costume.  The principal gave me a ride home because I needed help transporting the large Rubbermaid bin that contained my costumes.

I brought out the candy I bought online and divided the first batch into three large bowls.  I changed back into my costume, moved a chair close to the door, and turned off most of the lights in my place.  When the time came, I unlocked the front door, sat, and waited.  Trick-or-treating began at 5pm.

There are a lot of trick-or-treaters every year.  They come in waves.  I do my best not to keep them waiting.  I also hand out candy to parents if they want it.  The weather outside is dark & cold, so many children are chauffeured around town on atvs, skidoos, and in vehicles.  Trick-or-treating lasted until about 6:45pm.  I went through many boxes of candy, but I did have leftovers.  I changed out of my costume and proceeded to the community hall for the Ugliest Halloween Costume contest.

I never miss this contest because it’s fun to see the creative & crazy combinations.  Previous participants have told me they just find stuff around the house, but thought is needed to put everything together to make it work.  Or maybe it’s not supposed to work?  People have asked me if I’ll ever participate, and I’m always split.  Half of me thinks I can pull it off while the other says no.  Only time will tell.

I found a seat at the back of the community hall.  People & participants slowly trickled in and found seats.  Participants sat in front of the stage and were given numbers to wear on their backs.  The numbers make it easier for the judges to choose the winners.  Participants were divided into two groups: 12 & Under, and 13 & Over.

The competition began with the 12 & Under group walking around the middle of the hall with music playing in the background.  Some of the participants were toddlers, so their parents walked & carried them.  They returned to their seats when the music stopped.  The process was the same for the 13 & Over group . . . except nobody carried them.  The costumes were creative & crazy.  It’ll take me more than 1000 words to describe each costume, so I’ll let my photos do the talking.  If you’re ever in Arctic Bay for Halloween, this event is one you don’t want to miss!

The judges took a few minutes to discuss & decide the top three winners from each group.  Each winner was called up on stage to receive their cash prize and reveal their identity to the audience. 

A candy toss was held after the contest.  Recreational staff threw candy from the stage.  I didn’t participate because I have leftover candy at home.  I went home after the candy toss.

Fall Biathlon 2025

The cadets of 3045 Army Cadet Corps competed in the annual Fall Biathlon competition on October 25.  The corps event sees cadets run & shoot metal plinker targets in the shortest time possible.  I know biathlon (usually) means skiing, but the bay isn’t frozen in October, and it’s too dangerous to cross country ski up & down streets.  Participation is voluntary & cadets compete for prizes & bragging rights.  The visiting captain from the Regional Cadet Support Unit (RCSU) Northwest (NW) assisted me in running the event.

We arrived at the school gym at 9am and got to work turning the large room into an air rifle range.  Tables, chairs, backboards, flags, air rifles, lead pellets, metal plinker targets, shooting mats, flags, and spotting scopes were brought out from storage and placed all over the gym.  I retrieved scoring sheets, stop watches, clipboards, and pens from the cadet office.  Everything was set by 9:30am. 

The captain & I held a briefing with the cadets, going over the day schedule & safety rules.  The cadets were then given time to stretch, select their air rifles, and practice shooting the plinker targets.  Canadian cadets use the Daisy Avanti 853c air rifle.  Three practice relays were held.

Cadets were divided into three groups according to their training years to ensure fairness.  The groups were Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3+.  A Year 1 relay consisted of running twice & shooting three times.  The other two groups had to run three times & shoot three times.  A max of three cadets would complete their relays at the same time because there were only three shooting lanes.  Technically, we could accommodate more, but that increases the risk of cadets having to wait to shoot, meaning pausing & continuing their times.  Also, it’s easier on the judges to have all competitors begin at 00:00.  If they begin after that, you must do (tedious) math to figure out their total time.  Time penalties were given for missed targets, but they varied based on the assigned group.

The first three cadets began their relays several minutes after the practice relays ended.  The remaining cadets assisted the captain & I on the range.  Cadets shot 15 pellets in total.  The running course was 1km around the school.  When a cadet finished their relay, I asked for another to volunteer. 

Lunch began at noon and lasted an hour.  Meals were prepared and delivered by the local hotel.  RCSU NW provided funding.  The menu consisted of sandwiches, cookies, and canned drinks.

The competition continued after lunch.  Only a few cadets needed to complete their relays.  All relays were completed after an hour.  We then spent the next 30 minutes cleaning up the gym and putting everything away.  I collected all the score cards, placed them in a large envelope, and put it in the cadet office.  I would review them the following day and have the final results ready for the next training night. 

The cadets were given an hour to play sports while the captain & I focused on corps administration.  We periodically checked to make sure the cadets were getting along.  At the end, the cadets were formed up for a debriefing.  I congratulated the cadets for competing and thanked the captain for his assistance.  The cadets were dismissed for the remainder of the day.

 

Parents Night Parade – Oct 2025

3045 Army Cadet Corps held its first Parents Night Parade of the 2025-2026 Training Year on October 23.  Parents, guardians, & community members were invited to recognize & congratulate the cadets’ achievements since the beginning of the training year.  Awards, badges, and promotions were given.  Announcements for upcoming events were also made.  This parade was extra special because a captain from the Regional Cadet Support Unit (RCSU) Northwest (NW) was in attendance.  RCSU NW staff periodically visit the corps to see how things are going and help corps administration.  The corps is Canada’s most northern cadet corps.

The cadets & I spent a few weeks preparing for the parade by reviewing drill and working on our dress uniforms & parade boots.  We were ready to go on the day of the parade.  We converted the school gym into a parade square with flags, chairs, tables, sound system, and snacks.  The cadet parade commander took roll call (attendance) and sized the cadets in ranks.  We waited for the audience to find their seats.  The parade began at 6:30pm.

The flag party marched out and placed the Canadian & cadet flags on both sides of the awards table, marched out, and then joined the cadet platoon.  The parade commander marched the platoon into the centre of the gym.  I escorted the captain to the front and he received the general salute.  This was followed by the playing of the national anthem.  The parade commander escorted the captain through the ranks for inspection.  While this was happening, I welcomed everyone to the parade and gave a short biography of the visiting captain.  The cadets did a March Past.  I then invited the captain to address the cadets & audience.  He gave a short congratulatory & motivational speech.

Level 3 Marksmen.

The captain helped me with awards.  I began with physical fitness, calling up three cadets who earned badges.  One earned bronze, another earned silver, and the third received gold.  I then moved to marksmanship.  The corps’ marksmanship program is very active and eight cadets earned levels.  One cadet achieved Level 1, two cadets earned Level 2, four cadets earned Level 3, and one cadet achieved Level 4.  Level 4 is the highest, also known as Distinguished Marksman.

The next two cadets to be called up were the ones who won year-end awards at last training year’s Annual Ceremonial Review (ACR) Parade in May (2025).  Their name plates arrived and I wanted them to paste them on the plaques & trophy.  One cadet won Most Improved Cadet and the other won Best Boots & Deportment, and Top Cadet. 

The last part of the awards section were cadet promotions.  This time we had four junior rank promotions and two senior rank promotions.  Four Lance Corporals were promoted to Corporal, and two Master Corporals were promoted to Sergeant.  The two new sergeants received red sashes to wear on their dress uniforms.  Senior cadets are allowed to wear red sashes because the corps is affiliated with the Royal Regiment of Canada, based in Toronto, Ontario.

The captain briefly took over the parade to present the King Charles III Coronation Medal to me “in recognition of your valuable contribution to your country.”  I was honoured to receive the medal.  It’s also my first one as a military officer.  I am one of 4,000 Canadian Armed Forces members who received this medal.  Thank you RCSU NW for nominating me!  I thanked the captain and everyone in attendance for their support.

The parade concluded with an Advance In Review Order, General Salute, and the playing of God Save The King.  The captain & I marched out of the gym, and the parade commander dismissed the cadets.  The parade had ended. 

A corps group photo was taken and then we all went to reception.  Reception lasted around 30 minutes.  The cadets & I cleaned the gym and put everything away.  The captain & I held a quick debriefing and then dismissed the cadets for the remainder of the evening.

 

Thanksgiving 2025

Warning: This post contains images that some readers may find graphic.

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October because the harvesting season ends early.  In the past, Thanksgiving was held in November, like in the United States, but the date regularly changed.  It wasn’t until the 1957 Proclamation made by the Parliament of Canada, that Thanksgiving was “officially set [to] the second Monday of October to keep it from overlapping with Remembrance Day [(November 11)]”.  I learned something knew while researching this post.

Observing Thanksgiving in October is a good choice because you get a 3-day weekend.  The people of Arctic Bay observe the holiday with family gatherings and country food.  Frozen turkeys are sold at the local stores if you want them.

Inuujaq School observed Thanksgiving by ordering caribou meat from Rankin Inlet and hiring Elders to prepare & serve the meat to students & staff on October 10.  The local District Education Authority (DEA) provided the funding.

The caribou meat was wrapped in large clear plastic bags and packaged in large cardboard boxes.  They arrived several days before October 10, and we stored them in freezers.  The Elders were in the Home Ec Room all morning cutting & preparing the meat.  A few high school students helped.  The meat would be served in a stew, raw, and as a roast.  The school smelled of freshly cooked caribou all day.

Classes were called down to the Home Ec Room in the afternoon to receive their meals.  They consumed the country food in their classrooms.  I went near the end of the day and indulged in raw caribou meat.  Delicious.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring soy sauce.               

The local District Education Authority (DEA), in collaboration with Inuujaq School and the Northern Store, ordered Thanksgiving Food Hampers for students, staff, Elders, and families.  A single hamper contained a generous amount of food.  The large order arrived in many cardboard boxes a week after Thanksgiving but that’s okay.  Food is good any time of the year.

An army of high school students helped the gym teacher & Northern Store employees unload the boxes from the delivery truck and places them on tables.  I think about two-thirds of the hampers came packed & sorted.  The remaining third needed to be sorted and placed in large Northern Store shopping bags.  The hampers were set on rows of tables.  Parents, guardians, Elders, and community members arrived and distribution began at 3:00pm.  Classes were also called down.  Students were permitted to go home early so the food wouldn’t spoil.  Larger families were given two hampers.  There were still some remaining.  These were given to whoever wanted them and a few were set aside for the school. 

The community was grateful for the hampers.  The cost of food is quite high in Nunavut leading to many food insecure homes.  Any initiative to relieve this stress is welcome.