Community Support
A big thank you to the Royal Canadian Legion (Belleville Branch) Shirley Stewart and ANAF Vets (Belleville Branch) Troy Dulmage, for their donations to our Corps. They will be put to very good use, to help our cadets in the future. Thank you both for joining us for our Annual Review and your donations.
It is with gratitude and joy that we thank the City of Belleville Arts and Culture Grant committee, for the generous grant of $5000.
Funds provided by the Grant will be used to refurbish and purchase instruments for the Belleville Sea Cadet Corps. All our instruments are old, needing constant repair. Our music director, Brian Couglan, developed his musical talent as a Quinte Cadet, going on to spend his career as a musician with the Canadian Armed Forces. He recognizes several of the instruments from when he was a cadet in the 70’s. Refurbishing and supplementing our instruments will be expensive. The Grant will pay for the refurbishing of 4 horns, 3 trombones and purchase 2 used tubas. Cadets are able to achieve positive results more quickly on a quality instrument encouraging them to increase their skills.
Our Sea Cadets are extremely anxious to return to the band and in-person training as soon as Covid-19 Restrictions allow. The goal of the Navy League is to upgrade our band inventory as a welcome back.
On September 12, 2020 the Belleville Branch of the Navy League was able to officially open the new deck at our corps building. Along with a few dignitaries and members of our branch, we were able to have a small celebration.
Our branch president Carol Taylor, along with our corps Commanding Officer Lt.(N) Dwight Koshman, were joined by Ontario Navy League President Rear-Admiral(retired) Jennifer Bennett, CMM, CD, Mayor Panciuk, MPP Todd Smith, look on while Lyle Vanclief cut the ribbon.
It is with much joy and gratitude that we say thank you to the John and Bernice Parrott Foundation. Their amazing gift and generosity will go a long way to help us provide a safe and positive space for our cadets. In this time of uncertainty to be able to move forward on such an important project is an amazing step forward. With this donation and the funds raised from our bottle drive we will be able to complete the dock-emergency exit and shoreline restoration.
Thanks to the John M and Bernice Parrott foundation and the community for their generous donations. After a summer of much work and repair, our building and our dock and emergency exit are complete and ready once again for when the cadets and officers are back.