Athens High School junior Avery Paysinger is building a strong foundation for Dreamcatchers, a new club at AHS.

“The purpose of Dreamcatchers club is to grant end-of-life wishes for Hospice patients, much like Make a Wish does for terminally ill children,” said AHS teacher and club sponsor Alycia Townsend. “The club also hopes to strengthen ties between the young people in the community and our elderly population.”

More than 80 students signed up for the club at the recent annual club fair sponsored by the AHS Student Council Association.

Over the summer, Paysinger represented Athens High School at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar held at Troy University. While there, she learned about the Dreamcatchers Foundation.

“I excitedly got to participate in HOBY Alabama where I met the Dreamcatchers Foundation founder, Caitlin Crommet,” said Paysinger. “She spoke to all of us there about how she started this club when she was just a 15-year-old. She also spoke of her connection that she has always held with older generations, which I resonated with.”

Paysinger’s mother is the Director of Hospice of Limestone County and has “always admired the mission that they complete,” she said.

The Dreamcatchers Foundation didn’t have a branch in Alabama, but Crommet supported Paysinger along the way of starting the club at AHS.

“Talking with Caitlin Crommet and Hospice of Limestone County, we have decided to get it going this year and start fundraising for ‘dreams,’” said Paysinger.

She went on to explain, “in the meantime, we will be reaching out to Hospice patients and just showing that, as a younger generation, we still are interested in learning and growing from the past. Most of them love to share stories with school-aged kids and create a connection with them.”

The club is partnered with the Hospice of Limestone County and hopes to start fulfilling dreams later this year.