Years ago, the enormity of a household move overwhelmed Becky Donkersley. "I was crying and a Soldier walked by me and said, ‘Everything will be OK,'" she said.

She never forgot that act of kindness.

Today the activities director at the Lakewood Healthcare Center, Donkersley welcomed approximately 30 Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Soldiers and Airmen to take part in a Sweetheart's Dance.

Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) worked with Donkersley to host the first-ever event, held Feb. 13 at the center. "It is just awesome to have these young men and women here with us today to bring some of Valentine's Day to our residents," Donkersley said. "We would love to have them come back here and work with us some more."

A program designed for single and unaccompanied servicemembers to enhance their quality of life, BOSS offers the opportunity to contribute to the community through service activities and assist in events such as the Sweetheart's Dance. To that end, BOSS contacted Donkersley and asked if its members could work with the center. "That's when we came up with the idea," Donkersley said.

She also said that she hopes BOSS will work with the center on future projects. "We'd like to do more of this, perhaps more thematic parties with live bands," she added.

For the day named after Saint Valentine, the Sweetheart's Dance proved to be a success.

"It's just wonderful to have these young men and women here," said Wilma Thompson, as she enjoyed some punch and cookies. "And it's a lot of fun," she added with a mischievous smile.

For the servicemembers, the event proved to be just as enjoyable. "I talked with my Soldiers about this about two weeks ago," said Staff Sgt. Im Chanthan, 38th Long Range Surveillance Company. "This is a great way to help out the seniors in our community, and we should remember that some day we too will all be old."

But between now and then, Donkersley has an offer to the JBLM community. "We would like to adopt Soldiers and Airmen when they deploy," she said. "We're here 24/7; we have all the latest technology to stay in touch; we can work with their schedules; and we love to bake cookies."

For more information, contact Donkersley at becky.donkersley@kindredhealthcare.com.