The Municipal Activity and Recreation Facility Complex, better known as the MARC in Dayspring, saw a mini invasion over the weekend of Sept. 7 to 9. Army and sea cadets aged 15 to 18 years old from all over the South Shore moved in and set up their equipment to take part in a weekend full of cadet-related leadership exercises. The exercises, appropriately named “leadershipalooza,” involved more than 40 cadets and their instructors. The co-ordinator of this first annual event, Acting Sub-Lt. Lyndsay Sawler from the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp 351 Llewellyn in Chester, was tasked with organizing the weekend and bringing together a large group of cadets to focus on expanding and enhancing their leadership skills. The cadet program works with young people in a military-type environment, but emphasis is placed on their community involvement and personal development which leadership is a vital component.
The cadets are exposed to activities that involve team building, networking, collaboration, and, of course, leadership and the important aspect of thinking outside the box when completing tasks. Leadership training takes place throughout the cadet year. Many of the cadets that took part in this exercise had also attended summer training camps and this weekend also gave them a chance to rekindle friendships made over the summer.
The senior level cadets that attended felt that the weekend was a great opportunity to not only meet new people from the other cadet groups, but also learn people’s capabilities when faced with tasks that might take them out of their comfort zone. They also enjoyed watching the younger cadets excel at the opportunities to lead, which is the strength of any cadet program.
Community groups stepped up to support this event with the MARC facility being donated for the weekend, and both Atlantic Superstore and Fresh Cuts Market in Bridgewater donating nutritious food to fuel these fresh, energetic minds.
One saying summed up the importance of this weekend: “Leadership is not about being the best. Leadership is about making everyone else better.”
