A crumbling building and equipment crammed in classrooms spurred a coalition between West Shore youth and a motorcycle club. The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and Navy League Cadets of the area and the Canadian Motorcycle Cruisers Chapter 065 will celebrate that collaboration this weekend.

B次元官网网址淎bout a year ago we had to replace the roof on the stores building, which houses all the training equipment and uniforms,B次元官网网址� explained Tina St. Hilaire, president of the Juan de Fuca Branch of the Navy League of Canada.

Once that roof came off, the cinderblock building started to fall apart, something St. Hilaire lamented to her cohorts of the CMC. The members decided to build it themselves, providing the labour and in some cases supplies.

B次元官网网址淥ver a period of eight months we demolished the old building B次元官网网址� and built the new building,B次元官网网址� St. Hilaire said. B次元官网网址淎 group of them just kept volunteering and volunteering, they just wanted to help out in the community.B次元官网网址�

The building was finished, and passed inspections, in June and features a plaque to recognize the clubB次元官网网址檚 contributions.

B次元官网网址淚 wanted to do something significant to recognize the chapter for the tremendous amount of work they did so we decided to have a building dedication,B次元官网网址� St. Hilaire said. B次元官网网址淎t the same time, we decided to rededicate the main cadet hall to the seven individuals who sacrificed much in order to purchase the facility in 1988. Each made a personal, financial commitment that we felt deserved praise.B次元官网网址�

The Juan de Fuca Branch of the Navy League covers the Navy League, which is for kids aged nine to 13 and Royal Canadian Sea Cadets for youth 12 to 19.

B次元官网网址淚t teaches them leadership, they learn social skills B次元官网网址� and all kinds of training and fun activities for minimal cost,B次元官网网址� St. Hilaire said.

Kids are safe, and on equal footing with the uniform provided, at a cost of $55 a year, she said.

B次元官网网址淚 watched one kid get turned around. That hooked me,B次元官网网址� the 17-year volunteer explained. B次元官网网址淭his kid was on the path of drugs B次元官网网址� hanging out with some bad people. I thought B次元官网网址楾hereB次元官网网址檚 people out there willing to show him the wrong way. We need people who are willing to show him the right wayB次元官网网址� and thatB次元官网网址檚 why I stayed.B次元官网网址�

The public is invited alongside current and former cadets, officers, a large contingent of the Canadian Motorcycle Cruisers and a National Navy League of Canada representative to the open house and building dedication on Oct 6 at 11:30 at 948 Dunford Ave. in Langford.

Honouring the past

The new building will be called Shopa Stores, after John Shopa, a former Juan de Fuca branch president and one of the seven individuals who organized the purchase of the facility in 1988.