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More than 20 cadets and officers from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., got a taste of Southern hospitality Feb. 19 during their visit to Slidell.
The Slidell area fire department hosted the cadets for breakfast at Station 17 on Brown's Switch Road. The cadets had traveled from New York to participate Friday at Tulane University in the Mardi Gras Drill Meet, a competition between individuals and drill teams from more than 50 schools. The cadets also marched Saturday in the Krewe of Iris parade in New Orleans.
Several cadets said one of the most memorable of events of their trip is certain to be the breakfast feast at the fire station. The cadets lined up to fill their plates and their stomachs at a buffet of scrambled eggs, grits, hash browns, pancakes, bacon, ham, pork sausage, deer sausage, biscuits and fruit. If that wasn't enough to satisfy their hunger, king cake was available for dessert.
"We're giving them a little home cookin'," said Deputy Chief Billy Wilson, past president of the Slidell Firefighters Association, who organized the event.
Ten employees from St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District 1 volunteered to get up at the crack of dawn Friday to prepare the breakfast.
Fire District 1 Chaplain Keith Boyer offered a mealtime prayer at the event.
Some of the cadets marveled as they tasted traditional Southern breakfast foods for the very first time. "I've never had grits before," said Adam Cerniglia, a New York native and a senior, or "firstie," at the academy.
Others said they were glad to get some comfort food they sorely miss. "It's a little taste of home," said Kurt Lowry, a junior, or "cow," at the academy who grew up in West Virginia.
All the cadets seemed to agree the breakfast was a major improvement over the powdered eggs and "hard-as-a-rock" biscuits they are served at the academy.
The cadets also were offered a place to sleep at Stations 14 and 17 in Slidell and at several Pearl River families' homes during their three-night stay.
"This is our fourth year to do this," said Sandy Tomaszewski, who with her husband, Jim, hosted four cadets at their Pearl River home. The couple's son, Paul, is a 2003 West Point graduate. "We just tap our friends" to help, she said.
Pearl River High School provided the cadets with a place to practice their drills, and the school's Navy ROTC offered them assistance with weapon repairs.
After breakfast, the West Point group presented Fire District 1 with two academy banners in appreciation of their hospitality. "It's really nice," said Moises Jimenez, a freshman, or "plebe," at the academy. "They could have just taken us in but they're doing this breakfast, too."
GRAPHIC: STAFF PHOTO BY ROBERT GUNN SR. West Point Cadet Patrick Richardson, a member of the Military Academy's drill team, helps himself to scrambled eggs Feb. 19 while feasting on a typical Southern breakfast at St. Tammany Fire Protection District 1's Station 17 on Brown's Switch Road. [170111] PHOTO BY LISA VON EBERSTEIN A group of West Point cadets presented St. Tammany Fire Protection District 1 firefighters with two academy banners in appreciation of the firefighters hosting the cadets during their recent stay in Slidell. From left are Gil Berkins, president of the Slidell Firefighters Association Deputy Chief Billy Wilson, past president Billy Dekemel, vice president Quincy Manzey, West Point drill team commander and Michael Hamilton, team trainer.