279 Elk Valley Squadron

Squadron History

In 1983 there were 6 cadets who were travelling from Elkford and Sparwood to attend 859 Crowsnest RCACS in Blairmore Alberta for their parade nights. They were faithfully driven by parents every week. Eventually, these parents got together and asked a gentleman by the name of Larry Belik, what was involved with starting their own squadron in the Elk Valley. Larry was involved with the formation of 859 RCACS and had recently moved to the Elk Valley for employment.

With guidance from the ACLC BCPC, a sponsor committee was formed. Cadet parents Dino Santarossa and John Parkes helped to set up the parents committee with Ms. Virginia Keiver as the SSC Chair. They obtained sponsorship from the Elkford Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and set up the Squadron HQ and office facilities in the Elkford Secondary School. The squadron was still considered to be a Flight of 859 RCACS and had to attend a parade there once a month.

Finally, in 1985 their Charter was approved and on October 15th, they became 279 Elk Valley RCACS. Larry Belik became the first CO and attended a Captains Qualifying Course. He recruited other officers to join the squadron staff: John Wells, Joe Hamar, Charlie Burton, Sandie Oleksow, Bob Mizen, Jerry Gregr, Massimo Santarossa, as well as various Civilian Instructors Gary Stiles, Catherine Brooks, Bill Wilcox, Bill McCormick, Bob Wilbern, Renie Porter, and eventually bus drivers Bruce (Scruffy) Timbrell and Murray Clow.

Massimo Santarossa was the first senior cadet. Stephen Parkes, Navdeep Gill, Omar Roseler, Daryl Bastein and Joe Leduc were the first six and original cadets. They held recruitment drives and grew in strength to around 30 cadets with a pretty even split between Sparwood and Elkford.

Larry Belik left the squadron in 2000 when he moved into the BC Interior for work purposes. Larry was quoted as saying: "There have been so very many people that have contributed so much by doing and giving so much to keep the squadron strong. Parents who cooked, drove, supervised, instructed, attended meetings and always gave of themselves. The cadets were always keen, sharp, involved and over the years have done the squadron so very proud during and after they left to go on to contribute to families, communities and society. The officers were so dedicated and professional, so interested in bettering the squadron, strengthening the cadets, providing guidance, coaching and mentoring. They helped each other lead the Squadron." It was one of his finest moments and greatest pleasures to be involved with all those people who made the squadron such a fantastic and rewarding source of pride, leadership and spirit.

Notable Adventures & Milestones

Some notable adventures of 279 Elk Valley Squadron have been trips to the Bomber Command Air Museum in Nanton Alberta in 1995, a trip to Great Falls MT Missile Base in 1999 with a sleep-over and Silo adventure, a trip to McChord Air Force Base in Seattle WA in 2001, and a trip to Ft. Harrison MT, Home of the Devils Brigade in 2009.

As the Squadron represented the Elk Valley, it was decided that a bus was needed to provide transportation for the cadets between Sparwood and Elkford to exercises and for inter-squadron activities. A 40-seater bus was donated to the Squadron by the Greenhills Mine Operations in Elkford. It was also used by other service groups which assisted with its overhead and upkeep. There were several drivers over the years; however the last two, Murray Clow and Bruce Timbrell, both served as COs of the Squadron.

In 2010 the squadron moved its HQ to Sparwood, BC.

An interesting observation recorded by Ron Rique in one of his reports to BCPC after visiting 279 Elk Valley Squadron: all members of the Squadron Staff and the Squadron Sponsoring Committee did shift work for the Mines, creating a major communication challenge for delivering the program to the cadets in the community. Every week there was a different group of people at the squadron to deliver the program. To them, they were only doing what was needed to be done. That year FCpl Joel O'Sullivan from 279 Elk Valley went on to represent the Kootenay Wing at the Provincial Effective Speaking Competition.