PALMER RAPIDS – Palmer Rapids resident Norma Woods always wanted to be a physical education instructor. From her 17 years in the military to another 17 as a civilian supporting the Canadian Forces, her mission in life has gone far above and beyond promoting physical fitness. Born in Richibucto, New Brunswick, Woods attended French school there. At the age of 13, she joined the Air Cadets. After attending summer camp in Nova Scotia as a cadet, she liked it so much she went back for three summers as an instructor. “That really gave me the feeling that this is what I wanted to do,” Woods said. After graduating high school, she applied to join the Canadian Forces. She attended Cornwallis Nova Scotia for her training, then to Shelburne, Nova Scotia as an oceanographer, which at the time was the only female trade in the navy. She remained there for four years, then was posted to Victoria B.C. It was at this point she decided to pursue her first passion and train as a physical education and recreation instructor (PERI), a course she took at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden. Her first post with this new trade was in Cold Lake, Alberta. To read the full story, pick up the November 7, 2018 Valley Gazette.