A New Beginning

 

 

It is a new beginning at the Fairview Grange.  This summer has been a whirlwind of renewal. We cleaned, scrubbed, and painted. And, painted some more.  We enjoyed painting so much we invited the Oregon Youth Authority work crew over for six days of scrubbing, scraping, and painting.

The paint recycling project at Tillamook County Solid Waste recycling project brought us a load of five gallon buckets of recycled paint, and we were regulars at the paint departments of local hardware stores. The ReStore store of Habitat for Humanity helped us with “new to us” appliances.  Students from the Wilson River high school helped out, too.

Soon, fresh coats of paint covered the kitchen, the dining hall, and even outside. People driving by honked and gave us the “thumbs up” as we worked.

The performance hall was stripped of old curtains, and old furnishings, and new paint was transforming the stage, and the entire hall glistened with freshness.  The beautiful old maple hardwood floor in the performance hall was cleaned and refurbished, and soon glistened with four coats of tough polyurethane, which will protect and enhance the hall for years to come.  (Though, we promise to keep it cleaned, and to apply a new coat every year!)

The east porch and doors were painted, and so were the bathrooms!  If it didn’t move, it probably got painted.

We spruced up the kitchen, too, adding a new refrigerator and microwave, and a second stove.  We rewired the stove plug ins and now have a nice area set aside for the stoves.

The entrance to the performance hall was cleaned and painted, with some areas getting fresh paint for the first time since the 1940s.

Everything is fresh and clean!

There’s been a few gatherings since all this work has been done, and the public’s response has been enthusiastic and exciting. Once again, the Grange Hall has been filled with community members enjoying a meal together, and listening to local musicians.  This weekend, we are holding our first Open Mic in the refurbished hall, inviting poets, storytellers, and musicians to share their creativity and allow the community to come together and celebrate our culture and our commonality.

We are again open to renting the Grange for weddings, anniversaries, parties, and other community events.  Several youth groups are already coming every week and enjoying the Grange.

On November 17, we are planning a grand “Reopening” party, with food and music and celebrating our community! See you then!

–Neal Lemery 10/4/18