Guess who's coming to dinner?
Naujaat cadets get stuck in Arctic Bay, Rankin Inlet
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
NAUJAAT
Two communities gave a warm welcome to a wayward band of Naujaat cadets this past month.
3055 RCACC Naujaat cadets Cpl. Felix Alakannuarq and Sgt. Susie Siusangnark are ready to canoe during Gold Star training in Manitoba this past month. - photo courtesy of Lloyd Francis |
The cadets left in two groups, with 18 off to a Gold Star Expedition at Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba, while seven others left for Shilo, Man., to compete in the annual Army Cadet Challenge.
Everything went fine until it was time to go home.
Then bad weather and a dead battery led to the 25 cadets and their three escorts spending a day in Arctic Bay and another in Rankin Inlet before getting home to Naujaat.
Commanding officer Lieut. Frank May found out about his unscheduled guests 10 minutes before they landed in Arctic Bay, while 2nd Lieut. Dorothy Tootoo was notified the Naujaat cadets may have to spend another day in Rankin before they left Arctic Bay.
It was the first time in Arctic Bay for all 28 in the Naujaat group, with 20 from the expedition having eaten mostly rations for days and not showering in the same time.
Cadet Sgt. Jan Kopak, 15, said everyone in the group stayed upbeat when their three-day trip turned into five.
She said the people of Arctic Bay were very friendly and very welcoming.
"They gave us the best they had so we all had something to eat and a place to sleep," said Kopak.
"It was hard on those of us on the expedition because we hadn't showered for the whole weekend and we had been hiking in mud and stuff.
"In was getting pretty tiring by our last day in Rankin, and we were all ready to go home."
Cpl. Macleod Arnatsiaq, 13, said he enjoyed his time in both communities.
He said he made lots of new friends in Arctic Bay and everyone was really nice.
"They were all good, helpful people in both communities and they liked us, too," said Arnatsiaq.
"They made us feel welcome and safe in both communities.
"At the end I just wanted to get home, but my uncle was in Rankin, so it was cool spending a day there."
Cpl. Vanessa Kridluar, 16, said she also found the people in Arctic Bay and Rankin very welcoming. She said everyone in both communities was really nice to the Naujaat cadets.
"It feels good when people are helping like that," said Kridluar.
"It was fun hanging out with new friends in both communities. It was fun, but I was a little tired when I got home and the first thing I wanted to do was sleep."
