New things are happening at the Mt. View Grange in White Salmon.
The big red building on at 1095 N. Main St. has turned to white.
The Grange is back to the historic white color it was when it was built by its members in 1934. Starting in 1890, before they had this new building, members met in their homes or at the Jewett family barn.
The grange board offers many thanks to community and friends who donated during fundraising efforts for the new paint, which started in 2018, according to grange board member Ruth Olin. Fundraising culminated in last December’s dance and silent auction, which raised $4,000. Individuals and local businesses came through, donating gifts for the auction and bidding on items. “It was a huge successful community effort. With the addition of grants the grange reached the final amount to get the job done,” said board member Ruth Olin.
Three new board members now serve the grange: Bill Hoffer, secretary Lynn Mason and treasurer Gigi Pomerantz. Longtime board member Pat Sajdak had to leave the grange board after 13 years of above-and-beyond service and she will be missed. Quite a few new members have been welcomed in 2020. Veteran members are the backbone; one member qualifies for the Golden Sheaf Certificate — she has been a member for 65 years; 50 years are needed to qualify.
Lots of folks want to know when the grange plans to re-open after the COVID-19 closure, Olin noted. For some activities, the grange could open as soon as Phase 3. Safety is the main concern.
The opening will see strict protocols to keep social distancing in place, and mask and sanitizer use. Classes that normally re-start in the fall will likely still do so, but with distancing requirements. The hope is that instructors will offer virtual class options in addition to attend-live classes for those (high risk) who want the class but feel safer staying at home.
The Gleaners have continued their service through the closure because they are an essential food providing service. The grange now has a projector and seating for the main hall. It will be awhile before the hall can be filled — due to COVID-19 — but an environmental lecture/film series is in the works. It will be streamed for those who want to attend virtually.
Nate Clarke Painting, a third-generation painting company based in Parkdale, painted the building. The company’s experience with historic buildings like the Mt. Hood Town Hall made Nate Clarke a good choice for the job. “Nate and crew went above-and-beyond and paid a lot of attention to details,” Olin said. With the new white exterior, there are murmurings about some colorful accents. “I can’t say more about this until our design committee meets, but stay tuned,” said board president Amanda Kitchings. “We are exploring some traditional barn decor to adorn the new blank slate. And we’ll pick a color for the doors.”
With its new face, the grand old building is still going strong today and provides a home to a variety of groups and activities. The volunteer Grange Board is committed to keeping rents affordable and the building available to the community for classes, rentals and events. Please join, support, participate; the Grange is all about community.
Find the Mt View Grange at 1085 N. Main Ave. in White Salmon or www.facebook.com/mtviewgrange. Questions/inquiries can be emailed to mtviewgrange@gmail.com.
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