Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Royal Canadian Sea Cadets Corps (RCSCC) Napanee welcomed special guests LCol Moise Morrissette and CWO Marc Paquette to their new home at the Selby Community Hall on Thursday evening.
Both men were representing the Regional Cadet Support Unit, which oversees Cadet Units from across the province. The purpose of their visit was to commemorate the Napanee branch for their commitment to the program, carrying on despite the loss of their home base at the Lennox Agricultural Memorial Community Centre, which was lost in a fire on Oct. 23.
“It’s a honour to be here, especially after witnessing all that has happened to your corp in the past couple of months and how quickly the community of Napanee rallied together in response to the devastating fire that happened at the building you were previously occupying,” said Morrissette, who is Commanding Officer of the Regional Cadet Support Unit. “I have been impressed by the resiliency you have shown and I’ve spoken with a few of you today and though you miss the other place, I think you’ll just adapt to your new environment and make it work, and that’s great. That speaks on what we’re really trying to teach you to build that resiliency and become better citizens.”
Paquette made special note of how the Napanee community came together to help the local Cadets who lost valuable equipment in the fire.
“You’re the future of this country. That is why,” Paquette said of the community showing their support. “You are worth every penny. Now we are in a little building, but I’m sure going forward the building will be moving to a bigger building and hopefully this corp will get bigger and bigger.”
Carol McKinley, president of the Lennox Agricultural Society, was also on hand and given recognition for her efforts to assist the group over the years during their stay at the York Street arena.
Also among the special guests were Greater Napanee Fire chief Bill Hammond and deputy chief James Feeney. They were presented with a special Cadet coin as a token of their appreciation for their quick reactions shown during the Oct. 23 fire.
“It is in recognition of the exceptional support provided for 224 Napanee after a fire at the Lennox Agricultural Memorial Community Centre,” said Andy Ashworth, Lt. (N), Commanding Officer of RCSCC Napanee. “Due to your efforts gentlemen, and your team, numerous items of historical memorabilia were recovered and space was provided for the continuity for training. This gesture re-affirmed the connection between our corp and your department. Your efforts have provided tremendous service to our corp and reflect great credit upon your dedication to community spirit.”
Following the fire, Napanee’s Sea Cadets missed just one week of training before they were able to find a suitable temporary home in Selby. They were also able to take part in the Nov. 11 ceremonies at the L&A County Courthouse, thanks in large part to donations from the community that allowed them to replace some of the uniforms that were lost in the fire.