News and Testimonials
Letter to the Editor - Hamilton Wenham Chronicle -
July 18, 2007
"Town should be proud"
Hamilton-Wenham is blessed with The Community House. As a mom of a teen, I
came to The Community House with an out-of-town band for the Battle of the
Bands held on July 12. The teens of Hamilton-Wenham acted in a gracious
manner. There were easily over 100 teens, and the worst behavior I witnessed
was a few surreptitious attempts to take unattended chairs. Everyone enjoyed
themselves watching the talent onstage.
The dedication of Melissa Elmer, the director, and Allyson Drayton,
coordinator of the event and source of all the PA equipment, was there to be
seen by all. The hall has wonderful acoustics. Marblehead, where I am from,
outside of the schools, doesn’t have a facility that comes close. I have yet
to see a place that welcomes teens as much and where the teens respond so
overwhelmingly to that invitation. The town should be proud.
Katherine Prouty, Marblehead
Letter to the Editor - Hamilton Wenham Chronicle -
July 18, 2007
"Town served by good people"
It was good to read the article in the July 12 Hamilton-Wenham
Chronicle giving recognition to Margo Druschel, the earlier
executive director of The Community House of Hamilton & Wenham,
highlighting her recent service as director of School’s Out, and announcing
her new position with the Greater Beverly YMCA.
Reading the accolades given Margo, it caused this Hamilton resident to
reflect on the good people who have served our town and Wenham in the role
of executive director at The Community House, during my residence here since
1980. Each one I have known faced enormous challenges in her time, yet kept
the building and the organization going, making improvements whenever
possible. I can remember brave Barbara Rigol, the executive secretary (as it
was called then) when I moved here, and who spent many a day wading through
deep water in the basement of The Community House, before pumps could be
afforded. Barbara insured that programs continued, even when the building
was in disrepair for the shortage of funds. Later, when her successor, the
late Marie Saunders, came aboard, the community came to its senses and
pledged its support for the necessary rehabilitation. With restoration came
new spirit, and the Fourth of July celebration returned as the
Two-Town-Fourth, a tradition still continuing. Betty Sweet, the next
executive, gave life to programs for senior citizens and stretched elder
horizons with excursions to interesting places. Margo Druschel’s special
interests focused on the School’s Out program’s improvements on behalf of
our community’s children — but she took also a personal interest in the
Special Friends program for special-needs adults, which she continues to
administer as a volunteer. Already we see the talents of the current
executive director, Melissa Elmer, bringing us creative ways to spend our
leisure time, while promoting such good causes as Operation Troop Support.
In combination and succession, these fine women have served all of us in
improving our community’s quality of life, through The
Community House. We owe all of them our heartfelt thanks.
Joanne H. Patton, Hamilton
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