Chez Nous was a hub of activity on Saturday as a group of cadets from Moose Jaw 40 Snowbird Squadron paid a visit to the senior's home for an afternoon of games, fun and yes, plenty of stories.
The visit was originally labelled as the youngsters serving tea to their elders. And while that certainly happened, it was the chess, cribbage, canasta and checkers that helped make the event as memorable as it turned out to be for young and old alike.
“From what we heard and saw, both our cadets and the seniors had a really good time,” said one of the event's organizers, Lt. Athena Cutts with the Air Cadets. “It was great for the kids because they had a chance to hear some of the stories, even from some of the seniors who were veterans, and that's the kind of experience they might not always have if they don't have grandparents themselves.
“And the seniors, some of the staff there said they hadn't seen them come out in those numbers or stay as long with the kind of stamina they had. So they were enjoying it just as much as we were.”
The visit was part of the Air Cadets' overall mission to help develop the youngsters into the leaders of tomorrow – with good citizenship a large part of that plan. Having a chance to work with seniors and help them enjoy their time at Chez Nous fit right into that role in Cutts' assessment.
“Part of being a good citizen is helping others and this was an occasion we felt would make a difference for the seniors at Chez Nous,” she said.
The visit was the first of its kind for the various cadet corps in Moose Jaw, and Cutts wouldn't be surprised to see more in the future – maybe even spreading out to the Army, Navy and Sea Cadets and bringing their energy to more senior homes throughout the city.
“I think it's something we'll definitely be looking to do again,” Cutts said. “It was such a positive experience for both us and the seniors, having another chance to visit is something we'll be looking forward to.”
