Grays River Grange promotes positive change

Pictured right: Darbury Novoselic, Krist Novoselic and Robert Pyle prepare for Tuesday's meeting. Photo by Melissa Linquist.

Grays River Grange #124 rests just feet from the highway. It is lined with single piece wainscoting that stretches from floor to ceiling. Shoes shuffle across old growth solid fir floors, pale scuff marks suggest many years of passage from the front doors to the kitchen area. Inside, volunteers from western Wahkiakum gather over a banquet.

Neighbors share freshly baked bread, homemade quiche and a fluffy angel food cake topped with blue berries from Sulema Zerr’s garden. They congregate on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month to discuss community service programs benefitting a variety of local groups.

It is that community service and hard work that has led the Wahkiakum County Fair to dedicate this year’s festivities to the Grays River Grange.

“It is wonderful,” said longtime Grange member Esther Gregg of the fair’s tribute. “The (Washington State) Grange is really a standard bearer and for years and years we have tried to live up to that. The Grange is a way to address the needs of the community. Influential Grangers have been involved in maintaining the cemetery, restoring the covered bridge and in developing the western Wahkiakum water system. Many big ideas have started right here in this building.”

Established in Washington, D.C., in 1867, the National Grange consists of 3,878 Subordinate (local) Granges in 37 states with more than 300,000 members. It is an organization in which men, women and young people assemble for fellowship, discussion and formulation of policies on current issues.

“It is really about kindness,” explained Grange Master Krist Novoselic.

With a mission to promote positive changes which help the lives of all citizens, members of Grays River Grange #124 will display a booth at the upcoming fair. The theme is beekeeping and the booth is a collaboration between Darbury Novoselic and Verne Waterman. It will include beekeeping gear, a handpainted screenprint, and bee print textile and paper.

Krist Novoselic, Robert Pyle and Esther Gregg will be present on the big stage to introduce the Grays River Grange and discuss its history in the community. The group will also be selling raffle tickets for a bass guitar named for Grange Master Novoselic, known for being the bassist and co-founder of the grunge band Nirvana.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's breakthrough Nevermind album, Gibson USA has introduced the Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass.

“This is a nice guitar,” said Novoselic. “It is based on the RD guitars and basses that were popular in the 1970’s with a rounded, offset body style.”

The bass, advertized as “A Bass Monster for One of Modern Rock’s Most Distinctive Players” has been donated to the Grays River Grange by Novoselic. The brand-new, autographed Gibson will be given away in a drawing held on December 11th.

“This is really about raising money for the community,” said Novoselic. “The money that we bring in will make it possible for us to make more positive changes in the community.” And it is that commitment to the community that has Grays River Grange #124 receiving recognition in the first place."