Steptoe gathers to save Grange

Nearly 50 residents of Steptoe gathered in the community’s former grange hall Sunday night to dine on spaghetti and discuss the building’s future.

The donation dinner raised $878, reported co-organizer Lavonne Hall, with donations continuing to come in through Tuesday.

The money will be used to make repairs on the “Grand Old Girl.” Donations were made to the Steptoe Community Fund, which is planning to donate it to the Steptoe Grange for the repairs, taxes and utility bills.

The grange hall has been the center of Steptoe’s social scene for more than 80 years, hosting wedding receptions, Thanksgiving dinners and old-timey dances.

The grange is not accepting donations directly, said Grange member Ginna Scholz, because those funds could be soaked up by the Washington State Grange, which holds the title on the building.

The community fund has launched several attempts to buy the grange hall from the state grange, but could not convince the organization to sell.

Officials with the grange in June said the state grange typically holds ownership of buildings in case others decide to re-form a local grange.

The building was shuttered by the state grange for a time in 2007 until a few members of the community banded together to re-form the Steptoe Grange and keep the building open.

The grange hall also has a list of direly-needed repairs, such as stabilizing of the floor joists, new sidewalks, a new finish on the floor and a new coat of paint on the interior.

Volunteers have repaired plumbing flaws in the mens’ bathroom.