Sticking with the tradition of spreading love and cheer over the holidays, Lakewood High School JROTC cadets visited several Autumn Wind residents last week to express their appreciation and remind them that they were not forgotten this holiday season.

“Some of these residents may not have family visiting them during the holidays; therefore, we have come out to show our support and love,” cadet Jonathan Hairr stated.

According to LHS JROTC First Sergeant William Deaver, these acts of kindness performed by the students are actually apart the organizations’ annual Service Learning Event.

“The students are to go out and do something within the community to help and learn,” Deaver explained.

While the students perform two Service Learning Events during the year, the students trip out to Roseboro’s Autumn Wind Resident Living was the first for this semester and was organized directly through the JROTC cadets.

“This is about student planning,” Deaver said, adding, “They started planning it about two months ago and after the excavation and planning are totaled, the students will have put in about 16 hours.”

Additionally to the man hours, the JROTC cadets collaborated with other students attending Lakewood High School in collecting $179, which was put towards the Service Learning Event.

Deaver informed that with the funding donated from other students, “The JROTC students put together 50 Christmas bags, filled with candy, fruit, socks and other little items, and they were presented to all the residents that wanted one.”

Along with putting together goodies for the residents, the JROTC also performed Christmas carols and distributed their afternoon meal.

“It is a way to show our token of appreciation for their services and it is a way for our youth to show they have not forgotten,” Deaver expressed.

“Today is mainly about the excitement of the people who live here. We want to bring them smiles and let them know that we are thinking of them. Also, it is a way for us to know how it would feel if our kids ever put us in a nursing home or we put our parents in one,” LHS JROTC cadet Janice Williams stated.

“At Lakewood you are never forgotten and never alone. This Christmas we hope will be a very special Christmas for these residents,” JROTC cadet Willie Davis voiced. Agreeing with Davis were fellow cadets Sunisha Norris, Joshua Williams and Devony Hemingway.

“It was a little something to tell them, ‘thank you’,” Deaver concluded.

As the students exited Autumn Wind, officials commented, that the cadets were leaving with a memory that they will value forever.

Jessica Wagner can be contacted at (910) 592-8137 ext.122 or reached by e-mail at siphoto@intrstar.net