Bitetto, Sissons, Watson Share Christmas Spirit at Preds Holiday Party

A Christmas tree went up in the breakroom area of the Nashville Predators front offices at Bridgestone Arena just as the holiday season arrived, decorated with lights and ornaments - lots of ornaments - but not in the traditional sense.
These ornaments were constructed from colorful paper, strung with yarn and emblazoned with the names of boys and girls, ages ranging from toddlers to teens, with a Christmas wish included below.
Everyday essentials like jackets and underwear were posted, but more playful wishes like bicycles and Barbie dolls also populated the lists of those whose names found their way to the tree.
Preds staffers plucked ornaments as they days and weeks went by, returning the neatly wrapped packages in preparation for the upcoming party. But as the big day approached, a few ornaments remained.

Anthony Bitetto, Colton Sissons and Austin Watson sported their jerseys as they stood in the Bridgestone Arena atrium along with dozens of children and their families.
A few days earlier, the Preds trio made a midday shopping trip to a local Walmart to collect the wishes on the remaining ornaments, doing what they could to make the season bright.
For the children in attendance, this night was the first time in a while - maybe ever - they have received the chance to experience the joys of Christmas.
Of the approximately 40 families in the room, each of them included at least one parent who participates in the 23rd District Judicial Advocates Drug Court program, an initiative that allows adults, who have a prison sentence due to substance abuse, take part in activities that provide them a chance to get back on their feet and enjoy a normal life, instead of incarceration.
For many, the party, presented by Walmart, was the first time in a very long while they've been able to see their children. And in this setting, the reunion was that much sweeter for all.
"The holiday spirit is a real thing," Sissons said. "It's really cool for us to be a part of something and provide some happiness into people's lives."

Doug Beecham couldn't wipe the grin from his face as he looked around at the piles of presents, some stacks 25 and 30 deep.
One of the first graduates of the Drug Court program 15 years ago, Beecham has been clean and sober ever since and is now on the other side, serving as co-director of the program. He knows what it's like to be addicted, to see a life spiral out of control. But he also knows it's possible to turn things around and become a productive member of society, to use his experiences for good.
"This whole thing is a 10," Beecham said. "To see these kids getting to do something that they would never ever be able to do, to interact with their parents like they're interacting tonight, there's nothing like it. For the Preds to help us put these families back together, it's amazing. That's all I can say."
"The idea is to get them back on their feet as best we can," Drug Court Co-Director Kevin Batts said. "We appreciate the Predators so much in helping us because it's a holistic approach. We want these people to turn their entire lives around."

The bicycles and Barbie dolls that were once wishes on the tree were now being revealed as children tore away the red and green paper, their happiness revealed by the gleam in their eyes.
As Batts described, children are often the forgotten victims of the drug epidemic throughout the nation, suffering just as much as their parents do.
Now, as their parents continue their journey back into society, their children are allowed back into their lives as well. The gift-giving comes with the holiday, but for many, simply being together would be more than enough.
The surprises that came along with the night may just provide that extra bit of motivation for those who are so often told that they don't matter and can't get better. People like Beecham are proof those stereotypes aren't always accurate, and perhaps the magic of the holiday season can bring back what was lost in the past.
"To be able to just take a step back and realize there's people out there that are in need of some help, it's important," Watson said. "For us to be able to do a small part to provide some gifts, some happiness into their lives in this holiday time, it's pretty special."