Whether you are OFD (Originally From Dorchester), SFD (Still From Dorchester), or DBC (Dorchester By Choice), you fall into a very special group of people.

I fall into the category of OFD. I grew up outside of Fields Corner off Bowdoin Street and lived there for 22 years before ‘moving out’ of Dorchester. For many reasons, my family relocated to the South Shore as many families have done over the past 30 or 40 years. But, there was always something about Dorchester that brought me back. I tried Weymouth for a short while but quickly returned to apartments in Adams Village, Neponset Avenue and finally, my first purchase down in Cedar Grove. I am sure those reading this will have their own similar story.

Even though I have since relocated back to the South Shore, I still consider myself ‘Dorchester.’ My daughter swims with the Marr-lins and my son attends summer camp at the Dorchester Boys & Girls Club every year. My brothers both live in Adams Village and have their businesses in Dorchester. My mother can often be found having breakfast at Gerard’s or tea with the other ‘Dot moms’ at Greenhill’s Bakery, and my dad found his final resting place in Cedar Grove and is in very good company there.

A couple of years ago at Thanksgiving, I was attending yet another wake - the wake of my neighbor, Mr. Marron. Not only was he my neighbor in Weymouth, he was my neighbor in Dorchester for the first 20-plus years of my life. At the wake, I remember running into an old friend and saying “Nice to see you, but it’s too bad that it always seems to be at a wake.” And the concept was born.

Wouldn’t it be great to meet up with the classmates that were attached at the hip back at Dot High, MRM, English High, BC High, St. Greg’s and so on? Whatever neighborhood you were from or religion you believed, if you were from Dorchester, you knew what parish you were from.

Please join us on Sat., March 26th, from 8 p.m.-midnight at the IBEW Hall on Freeport Street. for some live entertainment by TNB – Thenewband, a chance to win an awesome door prize and mainly, to CONNECT FOR FUN. Tickets for this event will be sold in advance for $20 and a limited amount will be available at the door for $25. 100% of the net proceeds of the evening will be donated to a local program under the umbrella matching program through The Rodman Ride for Kids (Team BMC: The SPARK Center).

For more information on this event including sponsorship opportunities, please contact me at 617-763-4608 or 617-414-7408. Look for more information posted around the Dorchester neighborhoods over the next several weeks or visit bmc.org/spark for a link to ticket information. We look forward to having a fun night!