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A member of the corps pipe band performs during the year-end event. The organization was also given the province's top honour for Alberta army cadets for the second year in a row during the event.

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Airdrie Army Cadets named top corps

For the second year running, the 3016 Airdrie Army Cadets was voted the top corps in Alberta.

The group, headed by Commanding Officer Tanya Mark, beat out 41 other army cadet groups to snag the prestigious award.

When Mark revealed the good news during the Annual Ceremonial Review, the corps’ year-end event held at Genesis Place June 9, cadets, parents and spectators broke out into applause.

“Last year was the first time in 26 years this cadet corps has ever won such a prestigious award,” said Mark.

“When everyone found out… there was a standing ovation.”

Mark attributes the repeated win to the 65-member corps’ participation in regional and provincial events.

The group has a number of shooting teams, a drill team, biathletes and a pipe and drum band, allowing members to participate in a variety of competitions.

“All those things go into winning the top cadet corps,” said Mark.

“The cadets are able to participate in all the events. We try to do them all.”

The prestigious award was just one of several accomplishments the group achieved this year.

Their drill team came in third in Southern Alberta, and two teams finished second and third in the province in a .22 shooting competition which took place last November and December.

The corps also sent Kris Mitchell-Bentley, 17, to provincials for the air rifle competition.

According to Mark, it was the first the corps had ever sent anyone to provincials.

Alexis Karns, 16, a biathlete, also finished eighth in the province.

The varied activities and events are meant to appeal to a wide variety of youth ages 12 to 18.

“We want to put it all out there to keep the kids occupied,” said Mark. “They also learn good sportsmanship.”

Cadets are also encouraged to stay physically fit and volunteer in the community, she added.

Several local politicians, including MLA Rob Anderson and MP Blake Richards, attended the year-end parade.

“It was great,” said Mark.

“It was an honour to have it in Airdrie and have people not part of the cadet family see what we do.”

This cadet season is over, but the Airdrie Army Cadet corps meets at Ralph McCall School from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The organization is accepting new memberships.

For more information, visit www.airdriecadets.com