by Captain Peter S. Milsom, RCN (Ret’d),
Past President, Kemptville Branch, Navy League of Canada

The Navy League in Kemptville is a 100% volunteer organization that provides a remarkable and unique service to the youth of North Grenville and surrounding communities. Now in my fifth year as President of the Kemptville Navy League, I am passing the torch to a superb successor. This will be the subject of a special article but there are a few things to do first. I would like to publicly acknowledge the Branch founders, past North Grenville Councillor, Commander Donovan Arnaud, RCN (Ret’d), and Mike McIntosh, BA, then owner of Total Move Management, for their challenging and very successful initiative in establishing the Navy League Cadet Corps RCSCC Defiant and NLCC Assiniboine in Kemptville.

The Navy League is all about children, but it is also all about volunteering! I would like to express my personal appreciation to the staunch and unremittingly supportive members of the Board of Directors and to the talented and hugely caring Sea Cadet and Navy League Cadet Corps officers and staff – all volunteers for their unswerving and selfless support to the Board and to the young boys and girls in the Cadet Program.

I would be remiss if I did not also warmly thank the North Grenville Council, especially Mayor Nancy Peckford and Councillors Doreen O’Sullivan and Kristin Strackerjan who generously participated in senior Cadet Promotion Boards, for its interest and support of the Cadet Program. Special mention must go to Director Mark Guy and his Facilities Team, first to Superintendent Kevin Henry, and now to Superintendent Joe Petschenig, and to their staff for their enormous support of the Branch in its home, the Pte. Blake Williamson Memorial Armoury, and for the collaborative safety of the cadets during the challenges of COVID. Lisa Kmiel, Tricia Price, Carolyn Lundy, and Tammy Hurlbert also provided thoughtful and helpful professional support to the Branch. The Branch and the public are well served by these caring people.

As an educational youth charity, much is owed to the generosity and support of the many business owners and managers, to our local media, and to not-for-profit entities in North Grenville and, of course, to you, the general public. Your donations, upon which the enduring existence of the Branch and its cadet programs are totally dependent, are tremendously appreciated. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, a strong personal and collective vote of sincere appreciation to Historian, Dr. David Shanahan, and to the redoubtable artist, writer, and Branch friend, Maggie Boyer, for their patience, kindly guidance, and professional support over some twenty-six articles introducing our cadets and their program to the community. On behalf of the Branch, bless you all!

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