Beacon – Jan. 31, 2010 - Elant at Fishkill residents recently enjoyed a traditional day of fun and games with the help of 10 visiting West Point cadets.

The cadets, all representatives from company D-1, came in full uniform to play various board games with the residents in an effort to not only give back to the community, but to also take away a stronger sense of citizenship.

“We all had fun playing Monopoly, Checkers, and Parcheesi,” said Cadet Jocelyn Lewis, originally from Bel Air, MD. “The highlight for me that day was seeing their smiles when we first walked in; I think we made their day, and that just leaves you with a good feeling inside.”

“It was wonderful to see the cadets in uniform, and I enjoyed talking to each of them, and learning about their backgrounds and aspirations,” said Elant at Fishkill resident Martin Bader, a Navy veteran. “It made me very proud to see respectful young people taking time out of their busy schedules to visit with us.”

West Point stresses the importance of not only developing as leaders, but also learning to be good citizens in the community. Every cadet learns the importance of volunteerism through various opportunities provided throughout each year, including the Special Olympics and Relay for Life.

“We decided upon this particular community service event because not many cadets interact with people from the older generations,” Lewis said. “For me, I wanted to spend more time with the elderly, especially after losing my grandfather this past winter.”

“I can’t describe what a wonderful program it was; they were so nice and so handsome in their uniforms,” said Elant at Fishkill resident Eva Barton. “I fell in love with them; oh if I was only younger!”

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Elant, Inc., a community-based, not-for-profit organization, is a leading provider of services for older adults and chronically ill people of all ages. Elant is a comprehensive network of organizations that provides a full range of health and housing services to the Hudson Valley and beyond. On any given day, Elant serves more than 3,500 people through its network of communities, home care agencies, and services. Elant’s mission is to provide personalized, high-quality care and lifestyle options to persons of diverse generations, cultures, means, and needs.