When Utica Post 229 discovered that 25 veterans were residents of a local nursing home, it didn’t take long for Service Officer Dave Wilson to recommend a plan of action – to “adopt” the facility.

The post decided to do just that, and in December, Legionnaires brought Christmas cheer to the elderly vets at the Pines at Utica Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.

They handed out presents and offered a bit of fellowship and conversation, Wilson reported.

In addition to the gifts, “we gave each veteran a post pin,” he said.

Added Post Commander Tony Palladino:

“It was worth a million dollars to see their faces light up… to see how pleased they were.”