Princess Court in Dryden is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The Long-Term Care Home is holding a series of open houses this week.

Chair of the Dryden Extended Care Organization, Carol Gardam, says the home’s origins date back to the 1980s.

“The local hospitals were overwhelmed with the beds available to meet this need,” says Gardam.

“So a committee was struck up at the time, and in 1981, ECO was formed, which was just the extended care organization. It had over 80 members. Donations were adding up, so ECO applied and obtained registration as a charitable organization.”

Gardam says the name was later changed to recognize Dryden and the surrounding communities.

After 20 years of lobbying and fundraising, a 65-bed long-term care home was constructed, opening in 2000.

Another 32 beds were added in an expansion completed in 2006.

Barb Gauthier, one of the home’s first employees, says that expansion has been one of the highlights.

“We moved residents in from extended care from the hospital the first couple of days, and then we expanded to Patricia Gardens residents that were coming over because then we had to renovate two wings of Patricia Gardens into long-term care,” says Gauthier.

DECO remains in place to raise funds and support the efforts that enhance the lives of residents living at the home.

The public is being invited to the home for cake and tours this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1-3 p.m. each day.