164 AIR CADET SQUADRON BIATHALON TEAM. The Shelburne Air Cadets enjoyed a busy year of competition including sending a team to the Ontario Winter Games. Youth involved in the air cadet program in Shelburne can expect a program full of challenge and fun.

Royal Canadian Air Cadets, in existence since 1941, have been providing youth between the ages of 12 and 19 with a military-structured program and advice on how to assist in community endeavours.

In Shelburne, members of the squadron are led by Commanding Officer Major Betty Sinclair, who has been working with the organization for five years.

"It is the squadron's 30th anniversary this year." said Major Sinclair. "That is quite an accomplishment."

She said the squadron has been successful in fulfilling its mandate because of tremendous community support.

"We are lucky because the towns - Shelburne, Orangeville and Dundalk - all give us tremendous support."

Cadets are encouraged to develop an interest in aviation and in the air elements of the Canadian Forces, participate as good citizens and leaders in the community and participate in maintaining a good level of fitness.

A busy schedule of training, competitions, camps and other outings, including exchanges with other cadet organizations, keep the members of 164 active almost all year round.

"There is plenty to do," the CO said. "But the cadets really enjoy it."

One of the programs available through the squadron is the biathlon team.

"It's only one of the programs we offer, to promote the fitness aspect, but it's a popular choice," Major Sinclair said.

The team this year enjoyed a busy competition season including sending 16 members to the Blue Ridge Sportsman Club in Collingwood in January to compete in the Central Ontario Biathlon.

The team included: Kyla Brown, Rose Esch, Alison Garwood, Lynn Fretz, William Bentley, Thomas Bentley, Dustin Early, Mitchel Fretz, Kyle Longridge, Dalton Russell, Jamie Tanner, Clayton Shier, Andrew Husband, Adam Hutchinson, Patrick Townsend and Eric Sinclair.

Thomas Bentley and Garwood both received gold medals in the junior novice divisions and Early took home a silver as a senior novice.

Both the male and female teams were awarded bronze, the participants included Sinclair, Thomas Bentley, Townsend, Brown, Garwood and Fretz. Sinclair also received a bronze medal in the senior male category.

From there, the senior male and female biathletes - Brown, Fretz, Townsend and Sinclair - represented the team at the regionals in Sault Ste. Marie in February.

Competition continued in February with Garwood, Bentley and Esch racing at the Ontario Cup.

The competitors qualified for the Ontario Winter Games from the Ontario Cup and Brown who qualified at regionals, for one of the final competitions of the season.

The provincial games, held March 9-11 at Horseshoe Valley, saw the season drawing to a close because the snow was quickly disappearing, but before the season finished, Fretz and Bentley were invited to the Nationals, held in Sault Ste. Marie.

Major Sinclair said all the participants really enjoyed the season and achieved a lot of personal bests.

Cadets are now focusing on the next program challenge, which includes a training exercise with other area cadet units in Grand Valley where the participants will be tested on their skills.

Propwash is another upcoming activity that is always a highlight of the year, Major Sinclair said, because it is a weekend full of flying opportunities.

The CO says a large number of cadets (she estimates about 20 per cent) continue on with a career in aviation after having experienced the air cadet program.

"This (the cadet program) is Canada's best kept secret." she says.

The program in Shelburne is popular and enjoys tremendous community support including Branch 220 of the Royal Canadian Legion, in Shelburne.

Anyone interested in joining 164 Air Cadet Squadron are asked to call the office at 925-6621.