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St. Augustine Catholic School Supports Peace
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By: Cpl Stu. Langridge
9 June 2005
 Annually, for the past couple of years the St. Augustine Catholic School Peace Club in Calgary has been raising money for the purpose of aiding children across the world by holding a sponsored school run. Last year they raised one thousand dollars; that year, 2004, they decided to generously donate it to the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) Recce Squadron, which was deploying to Afghanistan as part of the Kabul Multinational Brigade on Op ATHENA Roto 2.
The Peace Club’s intent was to assist their disadvantaged counterparts in Kabul by helping to provide the basic necessities, which we as Canadians some times take for granted. Zellers and Staples were also generous enough to offer some additional funds in support of the Peace Club’s initiative and a total contribution of a $2000.00 was raised. In consultation with CIMIC resources deployed on Op ATHENA Roto 2, the best usage for the funds were determined to be the purchase of desks which were ordered and delivered to schools throughout the city of Kabul.
 When Recce Squadron returned from Afghanistan early in 2005, Captain John Cochrane, the Squadron Second in Command contacted the head of the Peace Club, Sue Taylor, and offered a follow up presentation on the deployment and the good that all the students’ work had accomplished.
On Friday 27 May 2005, three members of the Squadron, Captain Islam Elkorazati, Cpl Nick Starr and Cpl Stu Langridge loaded up in a staff car and drove down to Calgary. Upon arriving at the school, the children, parents and staff were finishing up their annual Run for Peace. The presentation was scheduled immediately following the run in the school auditorium. There was just about 750 staff and children, ranging in age from six to fifteen years old, in attendance.
 It was a true novelty for the children, who were wide-eyed and happy at seeing three soldiers in their school. Captain Elkorazati started the presentation with a homemade video of Recce Squadron in Afghanistan that showed the people and faces of Afghanistan. The children were captivated throughout and genuinely interested in what they were seeing. Following the video a short brief was provided that outlined what Recce Squadron did in theatre and how the children’s contributions were spent. After the presentation was complete, there was a small exchange of gifts. The Squadron presented the Peace Club with a plaque in appreciation of their efforts and the presenters were given T-shits from the school.
 Before departing though, we were treated with a fond example of a childhood memory. As we were preparing to depart, the Principle announced that there were “freezies” awaiting all the students in their homerooms, there was an enormous roar of happiness from the 750 students, who all thought that this was a great way to start the weekend.
This excellent opportunity allowed members of the Canadian Forces to again connect with the children of Calgary. The vast array of duties that the Canadian Forces accomplish while deployed overseas has been passed on to at least 750 students who in conjunction with the CF are doing their part in trying to make the world a better place.
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