Navy League volunteer helps guide cadets to success

One local ex-military volunteer was looking for something for his son to do in 2009 and found the Navy League of Canada cadet program.

Lt. (NL) Tom Taylor is commanding officer of 142 Aurora that meets at the Connaught Youth Centre and currently has 30 cadets in the program geared for nine to 12 year olds.

"One of our friends' daughters was in 142 Aurora and said our son should come out and so we took him out and he was game for anything in those days - still is - and he enjoyed it," Taylor said of son Camron, who was nine when he started with the cadets and is still with the cadet program today, specifically in the air cadets.

Back then, there were only three volunteer leaders and when they found out Taylor was ex-military, they asked him to help.

Taylor started as an instructor and then became the assistant training officer, the training officer, the executive officer and now he's the commanding officer.

"My wife volunteers as well, so it's a bit of a family thing," said Taylor about wife Kristine.

Taylor's volunteer hours see him at the Connaught Youth Centre a minimum of once a week throughout the school year.

Some of Taylor's volunteer duties include making sure the cadets are properly organized for any events or duties they have and make sure the corps is running to Navy League standards.

142 Aurora is one of 12 corps in B.C.

"I can't help myself but get out with the kids and be in classrooms and give them a hard time and teach - that's what I prefer to do but somebody's supposed to run it and it's my turn," Taylor said. "My wife is just about to take over this year and then I'll be her executive officer."

Taylor said there's a lot of junior officers and they're not ready to run the corps just yet.

Growing up, Taylor was an army cadet in the 2947 12th Service Battalion in Vancouver.

Taylor likes what the Navy League of Canada cadet program offers children.

"I guess I like seeing kids get skills that they wouldn't normally get in soccer or baseball or cubs," Taylor said. "The discipline, leadership, citizenship - everybody teaches the kids please and thank you but we have etiquette classes and things like that and they have fun. It's not all school work and dull stuff."

Activities include sailing, first aid, and Navy Cadets offers on-board weekends three times a year where the children are invited to attend an overnight camp that includes team-building games, map and compass instruction, air rifle marksmanship and survival skills.

Another component includes provincial competitions where teams go to Vancouver.

Investing volunteer time into the children from all walks of life continues to inspire Taylor.

"When parents drop off their kids, they become our kids," he said. "So their success is important to us. Their safety is important to us."

Taylor said any kind of progress a child makes because of the cadet program is something to be celebrated, even if it's something as simple as after three years the child looks a person in the eye instead of hanging their heads and being non-confident.

"That to me is just as important as taking a kid like Vincent (Toderovich, 12, who was recently honoured as B.C.'s Cadet of the Year and awarded the Medal of Excellence recognizing his leadership, marksmanship, drill team and first aid skills) who has a lot of support in his world and getting him to where he is - it's the same win as taking a kid who doesn't and you know that and after three years they can now look you in the eye and have a conversation with you - it's just the connection to the kids you get that makes it worthwhile."

Besides the regular weekly meetings, the program sees the children get out and about in the community as volunteers including a 20 km highway clean up, Legion poppy sales, carving pumpkins with seniors at Gateway Lodge and raising money to donate to a local women's shelter.

About four years ago, Taylor and his son Camron were invited to attend a Navy League summer camp in Vancouver when Camron won the same Medal of Excellence Toderovich won this year.

Taylor volunteered during the camp and then was promptly told he'd be the executive officer the following year.

"Now I'm the commanding officer of the whole camp that includes 120 to 140 kids from all over the province," Taylor said. "So I run that as well."

This year's summer camp goes from Aug. 4 to 7 and the children get to stay at the HMCS Discovery, which is a navel base in Stanley Park. Children have the option to sail, learn survival skills during their outdoor adventure training, while others will get to practice marksmanship.

"It's cool because it's on a real military base," Taylor said, who's got 14 Prince George cadets attending camp this year.

The Navy League of Canada cadet program is a non-profit organization and is volunteer led with parent and community support. The program is inclusive and accessible for all who are interested. The annual membership is $75 per family and there are no other expenses.

For those not able to pay the membership fee, those fees are waived.

142 Aurora meets at the Connaught Youth Centre, 1491 17th Ave. For more information call 250-563-0142.