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Dunbar Youths Throw Birthday Bash at Lifesteps
By Sandy Marwick

Children who attend the Paul Laurence Dunbar Community Center learned a lesson last week about the meaning of 70.

Celebrating 70 years in existence this year, the center has been hosting a series of events to commemorate its anniversary.

Once such event included a service project for National and Global Youth Service Day in which the children hosted a party for clients with recent birthdays at Lifesteps. The clients are part of the Geriatric Adult Day Health Services program there.

As part of the project, the children sang and socialized with the senior citizens. They delivered cupcakes, handmade cards, birthday hats and a gift for each person present that day.

Jillian Fields, 9, of Butler Township offered an impromptu piano performance for the group.

“We wanted them to be exposed to people as old if not older than the Dunbar,” said Kate Folmer about the pairing with Lifesteps clients—many of them older than 70.

Folmer is director and CEO of the Dunbar.

Although similar birthday parties were conducted at Lifesteps by Dunbar youths in recent months, the April event was held after the center received a $500 Disney Minnie grant.

The funds will also help purchase gifts for future parties.

“Throughout my four-year tenure, we have had a particular interest in getting our younger participants with senior adults,” said Mary Ann Dandoy, administrative assistant and youth activities facilitator at the Dunbar.

“I grew up with senior grandparents next door to me, and a lot of kids don’t often get that opportunity.”

“It’s the same way for our participants,” said Lori Williamson, supervisor of geriatric adult day health services at Lifesteps. “A lot of their families live far away. They don’t get to see their grandkids.”

About six of the center’s 150 member youths were present for the party, attended by nine adults.

In addition to receiving an excused partial absence from school, the Dunbar youths said they enjoyed hosting the party in between snacking on cupcakes, and socializing with their guest, who also seemed to enjoy the event.

“I had a very happy birthday,” said Dot Mershimer of Slippery Rock, who turned 84 on April 2.

Mershimer received help from 5-year-old Olivia Davis of Butler Township in unwrapping a rotating photo cube. Attendees also unwrapped such things as a cozy throw, a memo board craft kit and a Dale Jarrett mechanical hamster that dance to “Born to be Wild.”

“It’s just wonderful,” said Helen Zima of Seven Fields. “I won’t forget this one.”

This article appeared in the Butler Eagle on April 25, 2006.