Spring & Summer Happenings at DCH! - 6/30/22

Spring & Summer Happenings at DCH!

This is the fifth in a monthly series highlighting Dedham Community House, a nonprofit organization devoted to the town, during its centennial celebration.

Spring was a busy time at Dedham Community House! With over 175 participants enjoying T-Ball, Ninja Warrior, Zumba, and more, programming was a great success. April Vacation Camp and Saturday Night Kids Clubs were fun ways to keep the kids busy, and Home Alone Safety and Babysitting Training programs were popular with tweens and teens.

On June 7, DCH hosted a Donor Appreciation Event at its pool facility. It was a beautiful evening and the perfect venue for celebrating some of the wonderful people who support the Community House and its mission. At the event DCH honored outgoing Board President Scott Mays, welcomed new President Kate Blake, and thanked veteran teacher Theresa Long for over 25 years of outstanding dedication to the Preschool. State Senator Mike Rush and State Representative Paul McMurtry were on hand to present Dedham Community House with a $50,000 state earmark from federal COVID relief funds.

Now DCH turns to the camp and pool season, already in full swing. Goodbye spring, hello summer!

The public is invited to share their favorite DCH memories and photos with the organization at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by mail to 671 High Street.

In addition, the Norfolk & Dedham Group, a local insurance company neighboring DCH, has offered a generous matching grant challenge in honor of the milestone. The N&D Foundation will match all contributions of $1,000 or more made to DCH in 2022, with the total match amount up to $75,000. Donations towards this match, as well as gifts of any amount, are welcomed and can be made online or via mail.

SAVE THE DATES:

100th Anniversary Gala, Saturday, October 1, 2022
100th Anniversary Fall Fair & Celebration, Sunday, October 23, 2022

Kids line up at DCH’s Flag Football class

DCH Summer Camp staff participate in an activity during training

Presentation of state earmark to DCH
(l to r): DCH Board President Kate Blake, Senator Mike Rush, DCH Executive Director Michelle Persson Reilly, Representative Paul McMurtry, former DCH Board President Scott Mays

Guests enjoy the poolside Donor Appreciation Event
(l to r): Beth Pierce, DCH Board Member Steve Burke, Sandra Lopez Burke

An Interview with DCH’s Incoming Board President - 5/31/22

An Interview with DCH’s Incoming Board President

This is the fourth in a monthly series highlighting Dedham Community House, a nonprofit organization devoted to the town, during its centennial celebration.

This week, at its Annual Meeting, the Dedham Community House (DCH) installed Kate Blake as its next Board President. DCH Executive Director Michelle Persson Reilly recently sat down with Kate to get her thoughts on taking the helm of the organization in this milestone year. Portions of that interview are printed here.

How did you first come to be involved with the Dedham Community House?

We live around the corner from DCH, and Haven House was one of the landmarks of historical Dedham that drew us to the town in the first place. We were curious about the campus, what the field was used for, and who played at the tennis courts that were where the pool is now. When our first daughter needed daycare, we had heard great things about the DCH Preschool from local friends. On our tour, we instantly felt the warmth of the school, the way its director and teachers encouraged curiosity and play, how the children were seen and made to feel special and important—all in a relaxed environment. We immediately enrolled her and signed up our second daughter five years later.

What is your favorite DCH memory?

Where to begin with so many fond DCH memories… I'll start with the Preschool, which "hooked" us on DCH. Both our daughters, now 13 and 8, were preemies, and I was very nervous about their being in daycare when I returned to teaching. Each of the girls found the most loving teachers. I loved seeing them supported, developing their "strong voice" and playing with abandon. When our family graduated after seven years, it was hard to say goodbye. Now, we love going to the pool, attending the fall fair, selling Christmas trees, sledding down the hill to the Charles, and, above all, being part of the extended DCH family. DCH feels like home.

What inspired you to join the Board and then consider the role of President?

I was drawn to the board because of all that DCH had done for our family and because I wanted to be more connected to the town. I was excited about committing myself in a way that would tether me further. The role of president was honestly something I hadn’t considered until it was presented to me. But from then on, I felt that I could take my commitment to DCH to another level. I am a teacher and a coach, so facilitating conversations, listening to others, and building a team comes fairly naturally to me. The organization is also in incredible hands with the staff and the other board members. I knew that I was joining an established institution, but one that was always looking to grow with the community.

What challenges has the organization faced?

By far, navigating COVID has been the biggest challenge. True to form, however, DCH has faced it with integrity, prudence, and forward thinking. It is a testament to the staff, the DCH board, and the community that the organization is thriving. The donor community has remained supportive and loyal, buoying us through this time.

In your transition to this new role, what have you learned (about DCH, leadership, etc)?
DCH has always been committed to serving and uniting the people of Dedham. I see myself as being a small part of this ongoing history, helping to bring people together, and helping to move the institutional ball forward while maintaining the roots of this organization.

What do you wish more people knew about DCH?

A few things! 1) The canoe boat launch on the edge of the Charles River, beyond the DCH Pool, is one of the most peaceful, beautiful places in Dedham. 2) You don’t have to be part of the preschool or summer camp to enjoy DCH! While they are the first exposure to DCH for many, the organization is about so much more – from free community events to teen programs, from the pool to classes for adults. 3) Our amazing donors allow us to offer financial aid for families who would not otherwise be able to enjoy our preschool and camps and all that we offer. It’s pretty awesome. 4) We hope our 100^th anniversary gala on October 1 will be our best ever, and we encourage new people to come celebrate part of what makes Dedham great.

What do you think makes DCH special to Dedham?
DCH has been a uniter in our town, even as Dedham has had its divisions. It has been accessible to all and has drawn customers and staff from all corners of the community and beyond. It upholds its mission every day through its programming, and I am proud of what it stands for in our town.

What is your vision for DCH’s future?

My family's interactions with DCH have been fun and fulfilling. I like to think of our experiences as being not only rewarding and uniquely our own, but also part of a long tradition of families who have had fun and were fulfilled by their time with DCH. I hope that DCH continues to support and enrich the experiences of all residents of Dedham. It is part of my family's fabric and represents what makes our town special: its history, its accessibility, and its aspirations of unity.

The public is invited to share their favorite DCH memories and photos with the organization at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by mail to 671 High Street.

In addition, the Norfolk & Dedham Group, a local insurance company neighboring DCH, has offered a generous matching grant challenge in honor of the milestone. The N&D Foundation will match all contributions of $1,000 or more made to DCH in 2022, with the total match amount up to $75,000. Donations towards this match, as well as gifts of any amount, are welcomed and can be made online or via mail.

SAVE THE DATE: 100th Anniversary Gala, Saturday, October 1, 2022

DCH Board Presidents past, present, and future at the 2021 DCH Christmas Tree & Wreath Sale Fundraiser. (L to R): President-Elect Kate Blake, President Scott Mays, Immediate Past President Mark Manning

DCH Stands Strong - 4/8/22

DCH Stands Strong

   This article was published in the Dedham Times on April 8, 2022

Did you know?

• The acorn you see on the banner over the Community House was incorporated into the DCH logo in 2002.
• It is a nod to the famous “Avery Oak” that stood for hundreds of years on East Street and has been part of Dedham’s town seal since 1878.
• Across many cultures, the acorn has come to symbolize youth, humble beginnings, growth, strength, eternal hope, and unlimited potential.

As DCH celebrates its Centennial, the acorn is an appropriate symbol for its past and future. DCH started small but strong, growing over time while adapting to changing circumstances and community needs. The past two years of the pandemic provide an example of this resilience. In March 2020, just after DCH celebrated the 50^th anniversary of its Preschool, the future became unclear. How would children, families, and staff be kept safe? How would the preschool, summer camp, pool, classes, and events operate? How would DCH survive an interruption in its programs?

Through hard work, creativity, and gratefully accepted generosity, DCH emerged strong. By summer 2020 the pool and outdoor recreational programs were adapted and re-opened. Children returned to nurturing preschool classrooms in fall 2020, and DCH Summer Camp was back in 2021—this time with a newfound appreciation for its impact on youth employees, not just the campers served. More than ever, campers and counselors alike needed the community building and social interaction that DCH Summer Camp brings.

While especially important in recent years, the impact of DCH’s offerings is nothing new. Past DCH participants from multiple generations share memories that run deep. They recount swim lessons in the Charles River; woodshop class and a community kitchen in the basement; ballroom dancing in the gym; sewing, quilting, and cooking classes in the house; drop-in billiards and dances for youth. For 100 years, DCH has been a strong presence for children, young adults, and life-long learners. Through its programs, DCH provides an opportunity to learn and grow, develop skills, and socialize—no matter your age, ability, financial circumstances, or background. Here’s to another 100 years!

DCH Summer Camp staff and campers on a field trip to Water Wizz in 2019.

A House with a History - 3/11/22

A House with a History

   This article was published in the Dedham Times on March 11, 2022

It’s an unusually warm day on September 20, 1848, and the train is pulling into Dedham Square, carrying a young Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln, 39 years old and a member of congress, steps into a crowd holding banners, a brass band playing. He heads up High Street to what will become the Dedham Community House (DCH) nearly 75 years later. Stumping for presidential candidate Zachary Taylor, Lincoln enters the house for a pre-speech social before addressing his audience across the street. Midway through his speech, he hears the bell of the train in the distance. With a commitment in Cambridge, he bolts for the station, passing forever from Dedham—but the visit from this future president seems a fitting piece of history for one of the most cherished buildings and organizations in town with its own vision of unity.

Indeed, the roots of DCH run deep. It all started with a couple of English elms imported and planted on the front lawn by Rev. Jason Haven on his graduation from Harvard in 1789. By 1795, Haven’s friend, famed Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, designed and constructed the Haven House as a private home, aiming for both grandeur and simplicity. More than 125 years later, a group of citizens united as the Dedham Community Association and purchased the estate. Their mission as expressed in the 1922 articles of incorporation: to advance civic, educational, literary, benevolent, and social interests, and encourage physical and mental improvement. They created a recreational center, living up to what would become its nickname in the early years, the “Dedham Playground,” and offered, among other programs, a summer camp that continues today as DCH’s oldest program.

The “playground” would only expand its programming and its purpose. In 1931, the organization re-confirmed its position “in the heart of the town, in the service of the town.” With tennis courts and meeting rooms, clubs and classes, activities and crafts, a playground and a park, Dedham Community House continually sought to serve the needs of all residents of Dedham and its surrounding towns. The original swimming pool came in 1960 when the Charles became too polluted for swimming. In 1965, a gymnasium replaced the badminton courts of the 1940s. And in the 1950s and 60s, music echoed through the Haven House, where the Dedham Youth Orchestra practiced, and DCH offered discounted music lessons in the summer.

With the turn of the century, the organization continued to grow, purchasing the Bullard House, where the DCH Preschool has thrived for over 50 years; partnering with Dedham Country Day School to improve and share the field; and constructing a new pool and pool house in 2010, which offers daily rates and season passes. Today, children, adults, and families enjoy the campus through classes, school vacation programs, and seasonal events, in addition to the cornerstone offerings of the preschool and summer camp. And music still fills the Haven House, as Dedham School of Music has collaborated with the organization.

It’s been almost 175 years since Lincoln left Dedham that September day. The buildings and grounds of DCH have seen many iterations—adapting to meet the needs of the town—but they have never lost their purpose: to serve and unite our community. In offering affordable programming, free events, and financial aid, Dedham Community House is, and will continue to be, truly a space for all.

DCH Summer Campers playing cards in 1980.

DCH Teen Campers on a field trip to the MIT Museum in 2019.

100 Years of Enriching Our Community - 2/11/22

100 Years of Enriching our Community

   This article was published in the Dedham Times on February 11, 2022

You might know DCH because of the preschool situated on the banks of the Charles River, or the camp streaming with kids on summer mornings. You might have cooled off at the pool nestled at the back of the campus, or signed up for programs running throughout the year. Maybe you have attended the Spring Gala on a night in March, painted a pumpkin at the Fall Festival on a crisp autumn day, or picked out a Christmas tree the first week of December. Whatever your interaction with DCH, you can envision the Haven House at the heart of this organization, standing proudly on the corner of Ames and High Streets in the center of town, firmly rooted in historic Dedham.

Founded in 1922 as the Dedham Community Association, this charitable, nonprofit organization is committed to building a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Centered around the Haven House, a Bulfinch design built in 1795, the association initially served to preserve this historic building and provide a recreational center to the community at its founding. One hundred years later, the Board of Directors and staff of DCH are equally dedicated to serving and uniting Dedham by promoting innovative programs, community leadership, and the preservation of its historic campus. In fulfillment of this mission, DCH operates its highly regarded preschool, its popular summer camp and outdoor pool, a variety of enriching classes for all ages, and several special seasonal events. Its programming serves people of all ages, from all income levels, and from all corners of the town. What’s more, it prides itself on being accessible to everyone with free events, affordable rates, and more than $150,000 in financial aid and donated space provided annually.

Dedham Community House's "Haven House" at 671 High Street, in 1941 and present day.