Christmas at Dallas WellStar 

by: Richard G. Smith

    On Thursday, December 13, 2001 Dreamworkers, Inc. held their annual Christmas party at Paulding WellStar Nursing Facility.  A group of young muscians from East Paulding High School played for the residents there. The students played: selections from "Nutcracker", "Do You Hear What I Hear?", "Silent Night", "Jingle Bells", "Jolly Old St. Nicholas", and "Up on the Housetop". The performance was arranged by Richard Smith, a member of the East Paulding High School band and Dreamworker
youth who visits with his dog, Cash. When he told his fellow classmates he wanted a
select group to play with him at the Nursing Facility, they gave mixed reactions. Several
even laughed asking why he would do something like that. He told them that some of
the residents did not have families to spend Christmas with. He also explained that some
of the residents are not that different from everyday people, and some are great people with brilliant minds.

   On the night of the party, all the students were shocked.They saw that these people needed companions and friendship. On a personal note, the students felt disturbed that the people here did not have many visitors to spend quality time with them. The residents had joy and happiness written on their faces. The sight of eight young people playing Christmas carols that the residents could sing along with made the night worth while. At school the following day all the students spoke of how much fun they had the night before. That night had proved to be a very educational, eye-opening experience.   The group is planning a return to the facility to play in the spring.  The most important thing of all was; we all had so much FUN!!

Special thanks to Richard and all the students who made this a special night for
our friends at the Nursing Facility.