Best junior rangers hail from Constance Lake

The 45 members of the Constance Lake Junior Canadian Ranger Patrol have been judged the best out of 600 Junior Canadian Rangers in Northern Ontario.

Brigadier-General Jean Collin, commander of the army in Ontario, presented the annual award to Master Corp. Neil Neegan, the Canadian Ranger in charge of the patrol, in a ceremony at Camp Loon, the annual wilderness training camp for junior rangers from across northern Ontario. The camp is held in the bush north of Geraldton.

“There’s a criteria for the award and the Constance Lake patrol exceeded all the criteria,” said Capt. Mark Rittwage, deputy commanding officer of 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, the military unit that runs the junior ranger programme in 15 First Nations in Northern Ontario.

“The criteria is based on the number of junior rangers in the patrol, the participation of the junior rangers and the activities that they do. Constance Lake was tops on every level. They deserve the award. Master Corp. Neegan relates with the kids, he’s like a big brother to them. He has done a great job.”

“I’ve been a Canadian Ranger for eight years,” Master Corp. Neegan said, “and only in charge of the Junior Ranger patrol for a year. I was really, really surprised by the award but it’s great. The kids were all surprised and very pleased. This means I want to make them even better.”

(Sgt. Peter Moon is the public affairs ranger for 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group at Canadian Forces Base Borden.)