Return to the "POINTER VIEW"February 16, 2001
Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
February 16, 2001
Story and photos
by Kimberly Lamey
Staff Writer
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| A young patient at the Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center tries her hand at painting a pre-drawn canvas during PaintFest. USMA cadets decided to make PaintFest, a program geared toward easing the pain of those in need, their community service project for the semester, said Capt. Craig Whiteside, C3’s tactical officer. |
You are a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy.
You fill approximately 18 hours a day with academics, sports and military training.
You suddenly realize the weekend is coming and Saturday is completely free.
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Kimberly Lamey With a little
help from ‘my friends' |
What would you do?
If you’re one of the 84 cadets from Company C3 you
volunteer to spend that time making a child’s life a little brighter.
Company C3 cadets boarded a van Saturday and spent the day at the Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center doing just that as part of this year’s PaintFest.
PaintFest, a program sponsored by The Foundation for Hospital Art, is intended to comfort hospital patients by "softening the hard walls and ceilings that surround them during their illness." This is the second year cadets
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| Before the start of the event, cadets received t-shirts from The Foundation of Hospital Art that stated they were members of "The Painting Army." |
have volunteered to be part of the event, said USMA C3 Tactical Officer Capt. Craig Whiteside.
"We were looking for a community service project that the whole company could do together and we found it in PaintFest," Whiteside explained.
Whiteside said the event gives them a chance to serve the local community while impacting
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| Cadets 1st Class Peter Inskeep and Wendy Otto put the finishing touches on a painting Saturday during PaintFest at The Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center in Orangeburg, N.Y. |
an ill child’s life in a positive way and Cadet 1st Class Peter Inskeep couldn’t agree more.
"I think any chance we get to give back to the community is good," Inskeep said. "And the program offers a great chance to
make a difference in the lives of these children, even if it’s for only one day."
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| A West Point community member 4-year-old Cayla Whiteside paints during PaintFest Saturday. Whiteside, a handful of other West Point community members and approximately 80 cadets from Company C3 donated their time to brighten up the surroundings of children at the Rockland Psychiatric Center. |
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| Cups of pre-mixed paint line a table as far as the eye can see. During the day-long event, members of company C3 painted with hospital personnel and patients. The finished paintings will be placed throughout the hospital. |
