Dedham Community House Celebrates 90 Years

The Dedham Community House (DCH) will be holding its 90th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. The organizers of the event are proud that DCH has been able to remain a "valuable resource" for the Dedham community.

"We are really excited for this milestone celebration," Executive Director Michelle Persson Reilly said.  "Our volunteer planning committee has done a tremendous job and has a fun and festive evening planned.  Guests are sure to find plenty of delicious food, leave with fun photo momentoes and hopefully with some of our high-demand auction items such as sports tickets, Seinfeld tickets, or even an eliptical machine!"

The cost to attend the gala will be $60 in advance and $65 at the door.  But if you can't afford the tickets, DCH will also have a free Fall Fair & Pumpkin Fest on Oct. 21 to celebrate the 90 years of service to the community.

"What has helped this organization to be so strong, is the fact that we are very committed to providing programs for the community," Reilly said.

The organization was founded in 1922, when Charles J. Kimball and a group of civic-minded people decided to purchase an estate for two purposes.  The first purpose was to preserve the historic mansion (it was built in 1795), the second purpose was to provide a recreational center for the people of Dedham.

Since then the DCH has been able to provide summer camps for children, a preschool, events, classes for all ages (Zumba, cooking, sports, etc), and a summer pool.

That makes 90 summer camps and over 32,000 days of classes, events, and workshops.

Providing these activites is the reason why Reilly believes DCH is still surviving.

"We survived because we listen to the community to help meet needs," she said.  "We are not looking to do things to compete with others. We create these programs to fill the gaps."