The first issue of the Marys River Messenger has been published and mailed to members. It can also be picked up at the City of Philomath and Out West Farm and Ranch and we hope to expand to a wider distribution.
We plan to produce the Messenger every two months. If you have events, stories or ads you would like included, please see the contact information inside the Messenger.
We hope the Messenger promotes our Grange, Grange events and member businesses to the public, informs our members and contributes to the Philomath community.
Marys River Grange took a huge step forward in replacing it’s aging and leaking roof yesterday.
Fifteen Grangers welcomed around 200 visitors to the Grange Hall. Rummage items were sold, a new member was gained, pies were auctioned, a cord of firewood was given to the person who guessed it held 600 pieces (612 was the correct number), raffle tickets for both Marys River and Summit Star Quilters were sold, vegetables were sold, stories were told, old friends were met and new ones made. We picked the perfect name for the day.
So Much Pie Goodness
The support from the community was a joy to experience. But the most touching moments of the day were hearing the stories from people in the area about the Grange and our Hall and how it impacted their lives.
Our motto for our fund raising project has been “It takes a community to raise a roof”, and that was so evident yesterday. We are thankful and proud of everyone who has supported us, donated to us, our members and friends who contributed to making this a success, those who publicized it and spread the word and those who came out and visited us yesterday, talked with us and supported us with your purchases. We raised a little over $4000 in six hours, and that is such a tremendous help.
In search of buried treasure
We could not do this alone, and your support inspires us to better serve our community.
Manning the envelope raffleFor kids of ALL agesAnd the winner is…
Marys River Grange was part of the Philomath Frolic Parade today and had a great time representing our Grange with eight members, Cody the Havanese and a 1960 Studebaker Scout pickup decked out with Grange and US flags as well as a fiftyish year old replica of the Grange Hall at that time.
It was a beautiful day to walk, the cheers for the Grange were great to hear, and Cody was the star of the show.
Heading out from the staging area
All American made. There were a lot of Fords, a few Dodges and a Chevy or two. But only one Studebaker in the parade.
Reppin’ the Grange The school bus behind us as decorated as a Bee, and even better, the very nice driver gave us and the Mariachi band who marched in front of us, a ride back to the staging area afterwards.
Marys River Grange Hall now has WiFi capability! If you are interested in using this in combination with a rental event, please see the rental page.
Marys River Grange has submitted one Grant application and is completing a second. A fund raising committee will be meeting shortly and seeking input from members about fundraising and Grange involvement.
After obtaining estimates, it looks like we can renovate one chimney, replace two others with stove pipe and install a roof using 50 year asphalt shingles for slightly less than $25,000. It is a lot of money to raise, but it will help preserve our Grange Hall for decades to come.
Two areas of concern were recently addressed. The southeast corner in the back of the stage had sagged and a support on the south wall had also sagged a great deal.
Cracked and fallen about four inches
JayB Construction did a fantastic job of working on the Grange Hall and allowed members to do some of the excavation work to reduce costs, saving the Grange over $600.
Granger Nate hard at work.
The south wall was raised nearly six inches! The wood pieces placed on the old timber indicated by the arrow show just how much the wall had sagged.
New support posts with old in center
The rotting old supports in the basement have also been replaced with pressure treated supports.
Basement supports. Level and ready for the next 80 years!
Grange members are continuing to complete the acoustic insulation of the stage and complete the connecting room before moving on to our next huge project, replacing the roof. Stay tuned for updates and how to help.
Here’ is a photo of the original Grangers in 1935 in front the Hall with original hand split cedar shakes.
Six Grange members put in a morning of cleaning a two mile stretch of Highway 34 sponsored by Marys River Grange. Many bags of trash were cleaned as well as some larger signposts and debris. Cans and bottles which could still be returned for deposit were donated a local organization. Drivers, residents, and we presume wildlife too, were pleased to see the cleanup take place.
Granger Judy picks up trash while Granger Jay stops to investigate the Daffodils.
If you have not checked out the Grange Hall recently, you may want to come to a meeting and witness the fruits of our members labors.
Over the last few years the Junior room was remodeled to remove the old carpet. The connecting room has been completely revamped and is nearing completion. New siding was installed to replace the aging siding on the west (main entrace) side of the hall. Electrical wiring, much of it out of code, has been replaced by grounded and insulated wiring. Bare incandescent bulbs in the stage and meeting area have been replaced with dimmable LED lights. A grant from Benton County Cultural Coalition was received in 2017 to make acoustic enhancements to the stage area, and that project is nearly complete, the only remaining portion is to add acoustic insulation under the stage floor. The main hall wood stove has been replaced, due to cracks in the firebox of the old unit. The Grange recently contracted out work to repair the sagging south and east foundation walls, which is underway.
Projects to replace the old fluorescent lighting with efficient LED lighting and to improve the exterior sign (with matching grant funding from the Oregon State Grange) have been approved by membership.
Projects under discussion include replacing old single pane windows in the kitchen and behind the stage, painting the main hall interior, and the need to replace the existing roof.
Welcome to the revised web site for Marys River Grange#685.
What’s New?
Rental information has been updated, including a floor plan.
Contact information has been updated.
List of Officers has been updated.
New photos and an image gallery.
Links to Benton Granges, Oregon and National Grange and community services and local agrarian businesses.
History of Marys River Grange#685.
A News blog page that will feature work on the hall, events and items of interest to Grangers.
Heading out from the staging area
