Dedham Celebrates Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For Ames Senior Center

DEDHAM, MA - The sun beamed triumphantly on Dedham Town Hall Saturday morning as officials and elders celebrated the ribbon cutting for the Ames Senior Center - an event four decades in the making.

Leanne Jasset, chair of the Council on Aging's board, welcomed the attendees to the ceremony, which included a number of speeches from elected officials.

"When our journey began more than 35 years ago, our goal was to create a place where our senior community would be welcome and could come together to share stories, enjoy activities and entertainment, and gather with old and new friends," she said. "After many years of disappointment and sadness of not having a place to call their own, it is such a pleasure now to hear from so many seniors how happy they are and how much they are enjoying the new center."

Keynote speaker and former state Rep. Marie-Louise Kehoe, the vice chair of the Council on Aging, described the arduous journey that led to the center's creation.

"Carpe diem," she said with a smile. "There is a way of coming together to fashion a strong and delicate fabric. And through this, much can be accomplished."

Kehoe reminisced about sitting in the Planning Board room 40 years ago at the old Town Hall building on Bryant Street with JoAnn Mucciaccio, the first COA director, who has since died. They considered potential sites for the senior center and their vision for its use. Previously, the center was housed in that room.

"We just needed a place, a place so that we could move out of our space which was shared in the Planning Board room at the old Town Hall," she said. "Just to serve the needs of our ever-growing senior population."

Several sites were considered, including the Endicott Estate. After commissioning a rendering of the proposed center, Kehoe said the committee was "very quickly ushered out" of the Endicott Estates before making a full presentation.

"We were thwarted at every turn during our journey, literally and figuratively speaking," she noted. "Today, I do not want to continue the litany of negatives."

During the pandemic, activities for elders were held at Traditions of Dedham, an elder assisted living community. This helped older residents cope with the isolation experienced during the past 18 months, according to center director Sheila Pransky in an interview. Card games, knitting, crocheting, and fitness classes were some activities that helped people to socialize again.

Kehoe said the ceremony welcomed "'a new chapter in the center's history," which was designed to meet the activities of the growing elder population's needs and interests, including exercise, social activities and an outdoor patio.

A host of dignitaries spoke at the gathering, including state Sen. Mike Rush and state Rep. Paul McMurtry.

"On this occasion I'm reminded of words tht my father would tell me when I was a boy," he said, "that all good things come to those who wait."

He also spoke of the values his parents instilled in him to "respect and honor our seniors."

"This center is a living symbol and a place of action to honor and respect the seniors of Dedham with the dignity that each and every one of you deserves," he continued.

"We have another incredible and impressive community milestone to celebrate here," McMurtry added, noting that he was on the siting board. "You've made a difference in the generations that are now in this community and the generations that will follow. You deserve this respect and this community place for us to gather."

Rush and McMurtry advocated for funding in the last budget session to bring amenities to the center, according to McMurtry.

Select Board Chair Dimitria Sullivan said that, when she joined Town Meeting more than 20 years ago, she joked that she would be eligible for it by the time it came to fruition. Little did she know her words were a prophecy.

"I said, 'By the time I get this done, I'll be there," she said. "And guess what? I can be here."

In a demonstration of how closely knit this community is, members of the Council on Aging presented a quilt that took them three years to sew for display at the senior center.

Select Board and Council on Aging members joined in the ribbon cutting, marking a break from the past toward the future promise the center has inspired in the town.