375th Anniversary Committee Pitches Commemorative Book Ideas

The Dedham 375 Committee met once again to plan the year-long festivities of Dedham’s 375 years and announced as a significant sponsor of the town’s celebration.

“I’m happy to announce this evening that we have Dedham Savings as a sponsor,” said committee co-chairman Marie-Louise Kehoe adding that they had a pleasant experience speaking with Dedham Savings representatives. 

“We came away knowing they would be generous,” she said.  “Dedham Savings has always been about community, [and] helping to bring the community together for a grand celebration.”

Donna Greer, committee member, added that it was the easiest presentation for fundraising she ever gave. 

The committee also spoke about a commemorative book to be published at the end of the year. They had discussed it previously as possibly a newspaper to keep down cost.  Greer suggested something that looked like a quality paperback and committee member Joan Jolley, who was not present, planned to have someone come to talk to the group about what she called a “memory book.”

“I’m not crazy about the newspaper idea”, said Kehoe.

Assistant Town Administrator Nancy Baker suggested that the book should be at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches because otherwise, with all of the events of the year, it would be too thick. 

She said she would like to base it off the memory book that Needham created for their 250th anniversary.

Dan Hart, a resident in attendance at the meeting, said he had been researching the idea as well and found a company that could make a coffee table book for $45 each for an 80-page book.  The residents could also log onto the company’s site and personalize their own memory book by adding their photos.  He said it could come in a variety of sizes and they could even create a memory calendar if they so wished. 

In regard to other fundraising activities, Board of Selectmen chairman Sarah MacDonald said she would reach out to the town’s elected officials and ask them to buy business-card-size ads in the memory book.  Baker said that she would put ads out in various media regarding sponsorship opportunities. The committee members then volunteered to speak with different community businesses for donations.