CARL E. FEATHER / Star Beacon
TAKING ADVANTAGE of the unusually warm, dry weather for this time of year are Ingrid Whitaker (left) and her son, David, who painted two sides of the Griggs Grange building Monday.
Published November 09, 2009 11:22 pm - Ingrid Whitaker and her son David used the warm weather and dry skies Monday to paint two sides of the Griggs Grange building, at Brown and Griggs roads.
Griggs Grange still holding on
By CARL E. FEATHER - Staff Writer - cfeather@starbeacon.com Star Beacon
DENMARK TOWNSHIP —Ingrid Whitaker and her son David used the warm weather and dry skies Monday to paint two sides of the Griggs Grange building, at Brown and Griggs roads.
The building, which has been dated to at least the early 1890s, has been used continuously by the Grange since April 1897, when the local Grange was organized at Griggs Corners.
Inspired by her mother and aunts and uncles who were longtime Grange members, Ingrid came into the organization in the mid-1990s and mobilized an effort to restore the old building that had served several generations of Grange members.
A couple of years ago, a vandal painted graffiti on the building. The teen was nabbed and tried for the crime, and ordered to pay for paint as part of the restitution. Ingrid and David are carrying out the work, but she doubts if they’ll get the entire building done before snow flies. At least the north side and back will look good for the annual neighborhood Christmas party in the building, Dec. 5.
Although the building is sound, the future of Griggs Grange, one of seven remaining in the county, is uncertain. Ingrid said they had only 19 members at the close of last year, and she knows of at least one member who died since.
Adding to the challenge of a dwindling, aging membership is the increased cost of keeping the lights on. In the past, Grange halls were treated by First Energy and its predecessors as residential properties, but a change in the company’s policy recently led to the halls being classified as “commercial,” which has resulted in electric bills jumping from $2 a month to $30.
“It makes it hard on us because our dues basically go to state and national,” she says. “Upkeep on the building, utilities, charitable donations have to come out of our raffles and bake sales.”
Still, they keep chugging along. The group is raffling off a baby quilt, table runner and queen-size quilt this fall. The proceeds from that project will be split among four local charities.
The group meets 6:30 p.m. the first Saturday of every month over a pot-luck dinner. Ingrid said new members are always welcome, and they don’t have to worry about bringing a dish to pass because there’s always plenty of food.
“If we could get a few more members, we could hang in there a little longer,” she said.
"WE NEED LAND!" Paying top prices for farms or acreage in OH, W. Virginia and PA. Call Bruner Land Co. at (740) 685-8138....>MORE
SEASONED FIREWOOD FOR SALE Mixed Hardwoods. Cut & split approx 16” $225.00 cord (+) or Slab wood, cut $150.00 cord(+). Delivered within 15 miles of...>MORE
BUYING JUNK VEHICLES WE PAY SCRAP OR BETTER Budget Auto Parts, 6015 Woodman Ave. 992-1111...>MORE
MACHINERY & TOOLS SAFES- Large & small, Forklifts, extra forks, Pallet Jacks, air compressors, (1-20HP), complete torch sets, welding gass...>MORE
Hayward pump (1-1/2 hp) & D.E. Filter for swimming pool, misc. pool access. $300 obo. 576-1585...>MORE
Cemetery Lots 2-lots Garden of Christus, Greenlawn. $400/both. 440-391-3795...>MORE
WANTED TO BUY Immediate Cash for unwanted items. Call for details 440-319-4274...>MORE
CARPET & MATTRESS SALE Carpet with pad installation $12.77 yd. FACTORY DIRECT Mattress sets $100 & up. BARTER HOUSE (440)964-7770...>MORE
GENEVA ON THE LAKE RENTALS GOTL 3BR house $550/mo+ sec. /utils/ trsh.; Also 1 room cottage $200+sec/utils/trsh (440)466-2677...>MORE
Room for Rent Room for rent, util/laundry/ cable incl. Fully furn. $375 (440)789-2140...>MORE
2BR Townhouse All appl., Buckeye, all electric $550+sec. 440-221-4865...>MORE
Remodeled Apartment in Ashtabula Ash. Remodeled 2BR/1.5bath laundry $350 +dep. Some utils.pd. OPEN: 1-4 Fri./Sat. 519 W. 38th or call for an appt. (440)...>MORE
Apartments & House for Rent 1BR Apt., 2BR Apt. & 3BR House Call Bill K. (440)813-4200...>MORE
House for Rent - Buckeye Schools 2BR Buckeye school, refrig/ stove, $550+$550 sec.. 577-1589...>MORE
House for Rent Conneaut 3-4BR Conn. $650/mo, all appl incl. C/A. Call (330)273-1622...>MORE
GENEVA ON THE LAKE - ALL NEW! HOUSE FOR RENT 2BR - GOTL ALL NEW! Some appl. inc. w/d hkup, 440-813-7292...>MORE
Print this story
Post to del.icio.us
