A group of cadets in Niagara-on-the-Lake are aiming to raise money for an educational trip to significant political and military sites in Ontario – by collecting empty bottles.

Cadet training officer Heather Emptage told The Lake Report the 809 Newark Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron is hoping to do an end-of-the-year trip to places such as Kingston, Trenton and Ottawa.

They were out on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect empty bottles, which they then recycled at the Beer Store in exchange for money.

“This would pay for some of those extracurricular activities,” she said.

They stationed themselves at the NOTL Legion, the Cornerstone Community Church and the St. Davids Lions Club for the collection.

“We pick up bottles from people who drive by and sort them into groups. Multiples of six, colours and non-colours, beer, wine, cans,” said 16-year-old cadet Aidan Dean. 

Since COVID-19 began, she said, the cadets have not been able to go on any excursions – they great benefit from the experiential learning, she said.

“Training involves a very large portion of citizenship: one of the aims of the program is to promote citizenship in Canadian youth. It would be doing citizenship tourist things such as seeing Parliament in Ottawa, going to the Air Force Museum in Trenton,” Emptage said.

Emptage said that by the end of this training season, which will run until the end of May, the cadets hope to raise $8,000 toward club expenses, including the trip.

Their next bottle drive will be held on Jan. 13.