By Captain Luz Levin, CAP Commander
With the many events and festivities that happen in our great city, you can imagine, there are the many behind the scenes that must take place for them to come together. Things that we take for granted as being in place year after year, but yet wouldn’t be the same if they were missing.
Stop and think about it for a minute: who is the Color Guard Team that helps to lead the annual Holiday Parade, who posts the flags at Veterans’ Park for Memorial and Veterans’ Days, who assist with cleanup after the Food and Wine tasting, who are the people dressed in military uniforms that direct you to a parking spot at the Sportsplex or at the Art Festival, who presents the flags for the events at the multiple ceremonies throughout the city, throughout the year?
Well, that would be the Coral Springs Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, the Auxiliary of the US Air Force.
This past September 18th, the Coral Springs Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol celebrated their 30th anniversary in the city. On October 1st a monument was unveiled, at Veterans’ Park, in homage to the hundreds of members that have come through the program. With members as young as 12 year old middle schoolers to Professional, Retired and non-Retired adults that are part of the organization, it continues to serve its local communities on a regular basis and in so many ways.
The Coral Springs Cadet Squadron has a lot to be proud of, being a part of a nationwide nonprofit organization that was founded just a week before the attacks on Pearl Harbor. It has since been charged with three congressionally mandated missions, Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services.
While each mission plays a distinct role in a squadron’s day to day operations, the Coral Springs Cadet Squadron is most notably active in Cadet Programs; which is designed to inspire the country’s youth to become leaders and good American citizens through improving their leadership skills, communication skills, and self-discipline to achieving excellence in all they do, and that is where they leave their mark on the community. All of this while having fun and making lifelong friendships.
On a larger scale, the members of Civil Air Patrol have the opportunity to participate in nationwide events such as Wreaths Across America, assist at one of the world’s largest airshows, and attend encampments for further training from cyber camps to Ranger schools.
Want to be part of the city’s best kept secret?
The Organization is always looking for interested members, both adults and teens, if you want more information or wish to become a member, you can visit our website or stop by the Coral Springs Charter School Cafeteria every Thursday evening at 6 pm.
www.capcoralsprings.org or call (754)229-9674. You can also visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com for more info.
