East Franklin Grange finding it harder to serve
WAYNESBURG – It’s an organization that has existed for more than 150 years.
The grange was created in 1867 with the mission of being an agricultural and rural advocacy organization. Greene County has had a long history with the organization since the horse and buggy days; back when dairy and sheep farmers in the area needed help with overproduction and seed distribution.
“The grange has changed a lot since then,” East Franklin Grange President Bonnie Smouse said. “I don’t think people here realize that.”
Today, the nonprofit East Franklin Grange, along with two others in the county, have changed their mission to providing opportunities for individuals and families to develop to their highest potential in order to build stronger communities and states, as well as a stronger nation. Anyone who is interested in bettering their community can join.
“It is a family organization,” Smouse said. “We are a community working together for the better of everybody, socially economically and through legislation.”
East Franklin Grange, which is located on Smith Creek Road south of Waynesburg, opens its doors for free to many local organizations, including the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Waynesburg Area Senior Citizens, NHS Human Services and hunter safety groups.
“That is part of our community service,” grange Vice President Claude Barnes said. “We are here to help the community.”
The building can also be rented for a fee of $125 for reunions, weddings and other celebrations.
“That is a small amount compared to other places,” Barnes said. “And we only charge that to keep up with maintenance of the building.”
They do a lot and give back to the community because, Smouse believes, that is why the grange was created.
But recently, they have been struggling to find money to keep themselves running.
“It’s getting harder and harder to meet the needs of the community and also the grange,” Smouse said.
“Granges are going extinct,” Barnes said. “We don’t want that to happen to us.”
With only 40 members, most of whom are not able to attend meetings and activities becuase of location and age, the need for help is increasing.
“The roof only has at the most two to three years left,” Barnes said. “We want to continue to be a resource for the community but we can’t without this building functioning properly.”
The roof is already showing its age and leaking in some rooms. They have received four bids to replace the roof, which is expected to cost $37,000.
“We are nowhere near having that kind of money,” grange secretary Martha Williams said. “When we do get money, we don’t sit on it. We try to use it to help our community in some way.”
But Smouse, along with the grange’s other officers, believe that they will get back what they give.
They are currently looking for grants, talking to legislation and going out to individual businesses in the community who are looking for a tax break. They also have fundraisers such as their homemade apple butter that they sell at the Covered Bridge Festivals that help with keeping up with the normal maintenance.
“We can get through this, we just need some help and some more support,” Smouse said. “This affects everybody.”
Williams echoed that sentiment and lamented the thought of losing the precious resources that have become a staple in Greene County.
“Who else is going to do it if we are gone?” Williams asked.
For more information on the East Franklin Grange, call 724-627-6946 or 724-627-8555.