Guest Speaker: Cadet Unit Commander Kawerau ATC Sandy Stonell Sandy was welcomed and then she proceeded to give us a test that she gives all new recruits, some of us passed with flying colours while others laboured on!!!Sandy grew up in Kawerau and attended Kawerau College; she has also spent time in the Air Force, now she has returned from Rotorua to Kawerau to live. She used to come over from Rotorua weekly to run Kawerau’s ATC rather than see it close.
Sandy has been involved with Air Training Corps for over 32 years. She runs the ATC in Kawerau at the purpose-built building on Onslow Street. When she joined it was an all-male domain!
ATC is worthwhile for 13 to 18-year-old students, it is a 5 year training program and it can give the NZQA credits.
Community service is important and they are always on duty at the ANZAC Day services which are compulsory for all cadets. The uniforms cost $1000 for each cadet, all fundraising is done by support committees, nothing from the Defence Forces. They meet every week, and in the school holidays they have various programs and courses including Flying Courses, Gliding at Matamata, a Scout Flying Camp, and a trip to Melbourne every two years.
ATC is designed to train the cadets not to entertain them. It only cost the kids $25 a term but sadly many can’t cope with the discipline.
Some of the cadets have gone on to be pilots for Air NZ, and at least eight others have joined the air force as pilots --- though it ATC is not seen as recruitment for the Forces, rather as information sharing. It all widens their horizons and teaches them the value of discipline.
New officers are always needed but it takes at least a year to train them. They must have a police check. Sandy gets a lot of joy out of seeing the kids achieve and benefit from their time with the ATC.
Margaret thanked Sandy for her time and her talk and for all she does for the kids. She also told her about the Youth Trust and that there may be ways in which the Rotary Club of Kawerau could assist the Kawerau ATC Squadron or at least some of the cadets.