Fort Providence (Mar 21/03) - When 35 members of the Canadian Armed Forces got off the bus at Fort Providence rather unexpectedly on March 1, they turned to local Rangers to help them find their way.

The soldiers, from Wainwright, Alta., were supposed to be flying to Cambridge Bay for cold weather training.

However, a mechanical problem with their plane put a dent in those plans. Fort Providence became their backup location.

Six members of the Fort Providence Rangers, being familiar with the local wilderness, escorted the soldiers to Deep Bay, 48 kilometres from the community on the northwest side of Great Slave Lake.

"Basically we were supporting them, guiding them and making sure they didn't get into a situation that could have been uncomfortable," said Serge Levavasseur, a master corporal with the Fort Providence Rangers. "We took care of them."

Five of the Rangers -- Levavasseur, Cpl. James Matto, Cpl. Mitch Deschamp, Sam Elleze and Darcy Bonnetrouge -- stayed with the soldiers while Laetitia Levavasseur, his daughter, made several trips to transport supplies such as gas and rations.

The Rangers participated in many aspects of the exercises including building shelters, firing automatic weapons and making a trip to Hay River at night using an astro compass, navigating by the stars.

There were even a few tricks that the Rangers were able to show their military counterparts, such as a "Yukon stove" -- starting a fire inside a notched log.

On March 14, after completing the training, the soldiers assembled in Fort Providence for a banquet featuring traditional foods such as moose, caribou and fish.

They also played a game of floor hockey, inviting local residents to take part.

Levavasseur and several other Fort Providence Rangers had been in Yellowknife as part of the honour guard for Defence Minister John McCallum when the soldiers arrived.

The Yellowknife ceremony included the unveiling of a new Rangers stamp.

Levavasseur got a call to return to Fort Providence to help the visiting members of the Armed Forces with their winter training.

"It was pretty interesting. I wish they'd do that every year," Levavasseur said.