Oakview Grange Features Grange Month With Display at Winery

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April was Grange Month nationwide. Granges throughout the U.S. held open houses, and put up educational displays in their communities to welcome the public to become part of this nearly 150-year-old organization.  

The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry (farming) is a non-profit, non-partisan fraternal organization that advocates for rural America and agriculture.

With a strong history in grassroots activism, family values and community service, the Grange is part of more than 2,100 hometowns across the U.S.  Oakview Granger members put in an information display at Heymann Whinery at 212 N. Tower Ave. in Centralia.

The Grange was the first national organization to give full voice and vote to women, 50 years before Congress adopted the same. The Grange was instrumental in bringing rural free delivery (mail service) to rural America. This act alone saved farm families countless hours of riding horseback into distance towns, sometimes as much at 30 miles away to get their mail.  

Grangers actively sought the establishment of the Future Farmers of America, making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agriculture.

There are currently Granges in 37 states representing more than 200,000 members throughout rural America.  Washington state has the largest Grange membership, with 239 community (subordinate) Granges, 13 of which are here in Lewis County.



The subordinate Grange (or community Grange) is active in its community and responsible for a myriad of services: personal care bags for the Twin Cities Mission for Women, dictionaries to third-grader, and year-round collection of non-perishable food for the Salvation Army Food Bank, just to name a few.  

Granges provide campships and scholarships to local young people.  Oakview Grange raises money for Camp Leo for children with Type I diabetes, and Dogs for the Deaf.  

In recent weeks, Oakview Grange upgraded its heating system from traditional wood stoves to ductless heating/cooling. Thanks to its members’ generous donations, the new system has been totally paid for.  

As part of the state Grange’s many and various programs, Oakview members as well as non-members had a total of 92 entries at Lewis County Pomona Grange contests held at Newaukum Grange on April 2.

Entries ranged from baking, canning, sewing, quilting, photography and assorted array of arts and crafts. Thirty entries took purple ribbons and will go on to the `Washington State Grange Convention in June.