Hyack Christmas Parade of Lights

On December 2^nd (2010) New Westminster held its 24^th annual Hyack Christmas Parade of Lights.  The citizens of New Westminster trudged through road closures, endured the cold, and filled the streets of the Royal City, all for a shot to see the big guy: Santa Claus.

The crowds were first bombarded with sirens, police cars and the traditional big red fire truck.  Right after the show of lights, ears were given a healthy dose of the Sea cadet band of Fraser! With their drums beating to the tune of Christmas songs we all know and love (Frosty the Snowman, Jingle bells, Jingle bell rock, and of course Rudolf the red nosed reindeer) The mass of cadets seemed to never end started with Fraser (the largest group), the army cadets, air cadets, navy league cadets all thrown into the mix.

Runny noses, frozen fingers and toes, were the price to be paid for a sighting of good old Saint Nick.  Fraser did a phenomenal job and the band was excellent (not one drummer dropped their sticks!)

Santa has made his list and now its time to check it for the second time, to look back on the year to see who has been naughty or nice.  When He thinks back to all of his parades, He will remember all of those sea cadets from RCSCC FRASER.  Perhaps, when Santa comes to town he will pay every single sea cadet who was in his parade an extra special visit this year!

Happy Holidays!

PO1 Aroura Gagnon
~Photos from the New Westminster Record~

Super Snowman!

As the flakes began to fall and temperatures dropped, we all thought winter was here to stay.
The thought was, if we are going to cancel cadets due to inclement weather, we may as well find some way to enjoy the snow!!  The first thought of a kid from Alberta...BUILD A SNOWMAN!

Where there  is snow, there is a snowman. 

Thanks to Leading Seaman McCulloch for her winning submission of a fantastic snowman! 

Bravo Zulu!  You can collect your prize on January 6th!

Honourable mention goes out to SLt Lyford
who managed to make a snowman without any snow!! 
This very cute eggnog and whipped cream snowman was made while she was in Texas visiting family for Thanksgiving.

The 2010 Food Drive Was a Success!

On Saturday, a group of FRASER Sea Cadets, Officers and Parents met at the New Westminster Armouries after the Hyack Parade of Lights.  With maps in hand they set out across New Westminster, in support of the Food bank, to collect non-perishable food items.  Empty boxes were piled with the hopes of being filled with donations and Christmas cheer.

"I couldn't be more proud of the generous community of New Westminster and the enthusiasm displayed by our cadets." Said Lt(N) Bryan Watson, the Executive Officer and driving force behind the RCSCC FRASER Food Drive.

When everyone had returned, and the donation boxes were neatly stacked by the door for pick up, everyone stood back and couldn’t help but smile. 

With your help, we filled 87 Food Bank boxes,
totaling approximately amount of 2200 pounds of food!!

PO1 Zoe Wong “…felt that the food drive went very well, it is the perfect way to give back to the community and help those in need during the giving season.  Through the food drive, I've learned that only in 3 hours, we've managed to satisfy the need of hunger of the less fortunate with a little bit of effort from everybody.  It’s a start of a new, proud Raider tradition. …”

RCSCC FRASER would like to thank all those homes in New Westminster who generously donated.  It is greatly appreciated and will help families in our community during the holidays and on through the winter.  Also, a big thank you to the parent volunteers who helped transport our Cadets safely and assisting them in collecting the donations and as always, a huge pat on the back to all the Cadets for their hard work! 

When asked why the Food Drive was important to her, PO1 Aroura Gagnon replied, "To beat last year’s record of food collected and of course, help others less fortunate over the holiday season.  We all put our whole hearts into picking up the food, a process that required walking up and down countless stairs, to knock on doors.  Some of us even went above and beyond for a donation by singing Christmas carols!"
 

“This is one of my favorite activities at RCSCC FRASER.”  Said Lt(N) Megan St. Hilaire, Commanding Officer.  “To watch the Cadets faces as they pile the full donation boxes.  The excitement that we are able to help so many people, by spending a few hours walking around New Westminster is truly inspiring.”

Guard dogs braved, slippery steps climbed, large towering houses all faced in the name of the people of our community who use the food bank.  Happy Holidays to you all!

Operation Gulf Tango X-Ray

On November 18th, RCSCC FRASER cadets got what they deserved: a field trip to Moody Park Arena.  This was a night of good old fashioned fun, as well as a few slips, slides, crashes, snowball fights, Congo lines, and playing victim to the plans of a big purple bouncy ball care of Lt(N) Aaron Stephens.

When Fraser goes ice-skating, we party the only way we know how: start a Congo line!  At the head of this line was fun-loving PO1 Quentin Flack.  Once everyone saw this Congo line, the whole Corps had to get involved.  While some were just having fun, while others were evading the camera, wielded by myself, whose sole purpose is to document the activities of the Fraser Raiders.

While some cadets were racing around the rink, others were cautiously watching the ice, hoping that it stayed under their feet where the deck rightfully belonged.  Some eventually got bored with skating around in a giant circle over and over (obviously not NASCAR fans), to combat their boredom they tried to have a snowball fight.  This devious ploy didn’t last long as, after they threw the first two snowballs they realized that they had to make more snow; Making snowballs at an ice rink is a very time consuming process.  This idea was soon left behind to resume skating under the watchful eye of the Officers.

As the cadets were getting ready to leave, waiting for parents, and exchanging their good byes the XO was attacked!  All of the Fraser Raiders who observed this were in shock, some laughed others just stood there mystified.  The attacker was the evil, big purple bouncy ball, who found its target (the unsuspecting XO’s head) and implemented Operation Gulf Tango X-ray Oscar (Get the XO).  

No matter where Fraser Raiders go, they always know how to maximize the amount of fun that they have.

PO1 Aroura Gagnon

Warning Order for the Hyack Christmas Parade & Food Drive Pick Up

Winter Has Arrived

Do you have snow?  Don't let it go to waste!  Build a snowman!!  Then snap a picture of it and email it in to the Telegraph! 

Photos will be judged and the best snowman gets a prize and will be posted here in the Fraser Telegraph!!

Summer Training Courses - NOW AVAILABLE!

For those of you who are applying for a Summer Training Centre this coming summer, the following list of courses has just been released.  Keep in mind that Senior Courses have pre-requisites that you must meet before you are eligible and you must meet the requirements at RCSCC FRASER before you will be considered.  You must maintain good attendance at mandatory training events, weekends and parades to be eligible for a position at a Summer Training Centre.

If you have any questions or would like to change the selections that were submitted, please email us at the Telegraph email or talk to the Administration Officer.

COLD LAKE (Cold Lake, AB)

Basic Fitness and Sports (2 intakes / 3 weeks each)

Fitness and Sports Instructor (6 weeks)

VERNON (Vernon, BC)

Air Rifle Instructor (6 weeks)

QUADRA (Comox, BC)

General Training (3 intakes / 2 Weeks each)

Basic Seamanship (3 intakes / 2 Weeks each)

Ship Boat Operator (6 weeks)

Boatswain Trade Group 3 (6 weeks)

Basic Leadership (2 intakes / 3 weeks each)

Drill and Ceremonial Instructor (6 weeks)

Gunnery Trade Group 3 (6 weeks)

Basic Sail (2 intakes / 3 weeks each)

Intermediate Sail (6 weeks)

Sail Trade Group 3 (6 weeks)

Silver Sail (6 weeks)

Basic Musician (2 intakes / 3 weeks each)

Intermediate Musician (6 weeks)

Music Trade Group 3 (6 weeks)

Shipwright (6 weeks)

Marine Engineering (7 weeks)

RCSCC FRASER FOOD DRIVE

Those of you who were with us last winter will remember the 2009 FRASER Food Drive.  Lt(N) Watson wanted a fun, outdoor activity that would involve all of the Cadets and staff of FRASER and directly benefit our community.  So off the Raiders went, to homes throughout New Westminster with bags (donated by Garden Market IGA) and a note asking for donations.  And donate they did!  The pictures inset are from 2009, that striped pile behind Cadets Tsang and Boake is all FOOD!!  Over 2000 pounds of food were donated to an extremely grateful Food Bank.  Everyone was astounded by the generosity shown by the families of New Westminster.  Not a bad turn out for a few hours of effort and a whole lot of smiles and laughter throughout the Royal City.

FRASER is back at it this year with the 2010 FRASER Food Drive.  Cadets from RCSCC FRASER will be out dropping bags at homes in New Westminster on Thursday, December 2nd and will return to pick them up on Saturday evening, December 4th after the Hyack Christmas Parade. 

If you would like to donate non-perishable food items, please send them down with your Cadet or drop them off Thursday or Saturday night at the New Westminster Armoury.  If you would like to donate some of your time driving cadets around to pick up donations on Saturday, it really is a fun way to spend an evening and we would appreciate the help.

Check back here for new photos in the coming week!