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C H ARITY SPOTLIGHT {giving back} By Karen Werner ORIGIN: Caitlin Crommett founded DreamCatchers when she was 15. She had been volunteering with a local hospice for three years and wanted to have a more tangible impact on patients’ lives. After noticing that many patients were rarely visited by family or friends — and even more rarely by young people — Crommett came up with the idea of giving them a chance to have their last dream granted. The idea came from the movie “Patch Adams,” specifically the scene where Dr. Patch fills a pool with spaghetti for an elderly woman who always dreamed of swimming in spaghetti. This sparked the idea of making last dreams come true for those nearing the end of their lives. Crommett started a club with this mission at her high school, some friends joined, and the concept spread to other schools. Since then, 55 chapters have sprung up in high schools and colleges nationwide, and the mission has evolved to emphasize intergenerational connection through dream fulfillment and other activities. ORGANIZATION: DreamCatchers LEADERSHIP: Founder: Caitlin Crommett ANNUAL BUDGET: Approximately $90,000 DREAM CATCHERS Big-hearted youths make final dreams come true FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 47 | MAY/JUNE 2021