MCH Celebrates Bicentennial with a Bang
Monroe Community Hospital celebrated 200 years of caring for the community Sept. 14, with residents, families, volunteers, staff and community members gathering for an evening of live entertainment, food and fireworks.
The celebration marked the 200th anniversary of MCH, which opened its doors as the County Almshouse on Sept. 14, 1826. The evening featured music from Uptown Groove, presented by the MCH Auxiliary and M&T Bank; a visit from Mittsy of the Rochester Red Wings; Chick-fil-A; Melt Food Truck & Catering; and fireworks display by Young Explosives sponsored by the MCH Foundation.
“Celebrating 200 years of MCH is really about celebrating the people who have made this place what it is,” said Alyssa Tallo, Executive Health Director. “Our residents, families, staff, volunteers and community partners have each played a role in our story, and it was wonderful to bring everyone together to recognize this milestone.”
As part of the celebration, RIT’s Big Shot team worked with MCH volunteers to illuminate the hospital’s historic facade and capture a dramatic time-lapse panoramic photograph as fireworks lit up the night sky. The photograph was part of RIT’s “Shining the Light,” a community education and outreach initiative that uses volunteers and photography to illuminate historic landmarks and other locations.
The bicentennial celebration continues throughout the year with the Taste of Our Community on Friday, Oct. 2; a family-focused Boo-Centennial Spooktacular on Wednesday, Oct. 21; and a Bicentennial Reception in November.
While MCH’s focus has evolved over two centuries, its mission of providing compassionate care to the community’s most vulnerable residents remains at the heart of its work. Today, MCH is among the country’s largest skilled nursing facilities, providing long-term care, rehabilitation, memory care, palliative care, pediatric care and ventilator care to a diverse population ranging from infants to centenarians.
“As we look ahead, we’re focused on building on that history while continuing to meet the changing needs of the people we serve,” Tallo said. “MCH will continue to evolve, but our commitment to compassionate, high-quality care will remain at the heart of everything we do.”
To learn more about MCH’s 200-year history, visit monroehosp.org/timeline.
