A Tribute to a True Dedham Gem

For this week’s column I’d like to pay tribute to someone who has made quite an impact on the Town of Dedham over the past few years. This local fixture can be found at every School Committee meeting, Little League game and Flag Day Parade… even though he doesn’t have any kids of his own.

Of course, I’m talking about Dedham Patch’s own Editor-in-Chief, Tim Robertson.

I first met Tim while fundraising for Dedham Youth Baseball. Tim had overheard me pitching another organization at Mocha Java (yes, I’m THAT loud) and asked how Patch could get involved. After finding the money to secure Patch as a DYB Platinum sponsor, Tim asked me if I would be interested in writing a parenting column and frankly, I thought he was kidding.

“I am always running late, my children seldom eat healthy foods and sometimes watch age-inappropriate television. You might want to ask someone who has a better track record than I do.” I chalked it up to the request of a nice, but young, guy with no kids, thinking that simply having kids made you an expert.

I was wrong; he knew exactly what he was doing.

He assured me that my voice was one that many busy parents would relate to. He said that he had enjoyed exchanging baseball emails with me and thought that I could bring a unique perspective to Patch. And although he didn’t say it then, I think he realized that I had a big mouth and would be likely to strong-arm half of Dedham into reading what I had written. Smart way to grow readership!

In just under two years as the editor of Patch, Tim has become an integral part of our town and brought so many Dedham residents into the 24/7 news cycle. We check the site throughout the day to keep informed about everything from Town Meeting votes to upcoming homes for sale. He has created a forum for important dialogue and encouraged readers to become involved. He’s brought in local voices to share opinions, stories and weekly recipes. And for so many of us, “5 Things You Need to Know” has become as much of a morning ritual as a cup of coffee.

I think that what makes Tim so special has been his commitment to our town – a town that he has never even lived in – no matter how far it took him. Last July, when the Dedham 10s played in the week-long District Tournament, Tim showed up every night in Norton to cover each game. And when the boys advanced to States, he made the trek after work, through Boston rush hour traffic to Tweet and post Facebook updates before uploading a new story the next morning. Every night. For a week. During the summer. IN REVERE.

It bears repeating: Tim doesn’t even have kids of his own yet.

When Tim closes his laptop for the last time this week, he’ll be moving on to a new adventure in Upstate New York. In addition to tying the knot with his fiancée Erin in June, he’s been tapped to help run the online site for the Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin. I don’t know what kind of impact he’ll make there, but if it’s anything like what he’s done in Dedham, it will be remarkable.

Tim, my friend, I know that I speak for so many Dedhamites when I say thank you. You have connected us, kept us informed and encouraged us to communicate. Your smiling face (and humming laptop) will be missed in the Square, just as coffee sales at Mocha Java and Paradise Cafe will plummet once you leave. We wish you luck in the next phase of your life and hope that you’ll come back to visit.

And so, from this “Tireless Mom,” I hope that when the day comes that you become a parent yourself, you look back on these stories and laugh… and maybe even learn a thing or two. 

Go get ‘em, Tim. We’ll be rooting for you.