By Sgt. Peter Moon
CAMP LOON – A Junior Canadian Ranger from Lac Seul First Nation has been awarded the trophy for the year’s top Junior Ranger in Ontario.
“Daniel Bottle is the top Junior Canadian Ranger because he has shown strength in leadership,” said Master Warrant Officer James Currier of the Canadian Army. “He’s always helping, always taking charge. He’s a positive influence on the younger Junior Rangers.”
The Junior Canadian Rangers is a Canadian Armed Forces program for boys and girls aged 12 to 18 in remote and isolated communities across the Canadian North. In Northern Ontario, there are more than 1,000 Junior Rangers in 27 First Nations.
Daniel, 17, received the award at Camp Loon, an advanced training camp for Junior Rangers that is held annually in the bush north of Geraldton. He is a staff Junior Ranger at the camp, acting as an assistant to full-time instructors.
“Dan has been a member of the Lac Seul Junior Ranger patrol since he was 12 years old,” said Mark Kendall, an army reserve warrant officer and school teacher at Lac Seul. “He surpasses all expectations in the community. The patrol trains every Wednesday night and Dan trains the little kids and he teaches and he‘s the captain of our national marksmanship shooting team. He works closely with Master Corporal Denise Ningewance, who runs the patrol. He is a natural Junior Canadian Ranger.”
In addition to the top Junior Ranger trophy, Daniel was awarded an Order of St. George Medal for his exceptional work on behalf of the Junior Ranger patrol.
“I like to help everyone I can,” he said. “I enjoy being a Junior Ranger a lot. We do weekend training sometimes, going fishing and things like that. This is my second time at Camp Loon and this is a great experience. When I’m 18 I want to be a Canadian Ranger.”
An Order of St. George Medal was also presented to Junior Ranger Chasity Koosees, 18, of Kashechewan First Nation for her outstanding work with the Junior Rangers.
(Sergeant Peter Moon is the public affairs ranger for the 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group at Canadian Forces Base Borden.)
