Britten Haskin, 91, Centralia, has been part of the Newaukum Grange pretty much his entire life.
His parents helped build the current Grange building west of Chehalis near the intersection of Highway 603, Shorey Road and Brown Road. When he was old enough, he, too, joined the group.
"Everybody joined the Grange. It was the only entertainment we had," Haskin recalled of his younger days.
TODAY, HASKIN'S FAMILY is three generations strong in the Grange, with his daughter Judy Zandecki, 63, and his grandson Chuck Zandecki, 37, active members. His great-grandchildren are also on their way to becoming Grange members. On Sunday, they will be among those celebrating at the Newaukum Grange as it reaches the 100-year mark. Looking back on his lifetime with the organization, Haskin, the current master of the Grange, said he is pleasantly surprised the old family friend has made it to such an age.
"No, I never expected this," Haskin said, adding with a laugh. "In fact, I think nobody expected me to stick around this long, either."
IN MARKING its centennial, the Newaukum Grange will host a public event Sunday at the Grange hall. The facility and all its events are always open to everyone, members or not, but Grangers are hoping community members will take the opportunity to come celebrate with them.
"I think it's pretty special because there are so many Granges in the county that have closed up," said Bummy Yantis, 78, who joined Newaukum Grange in 1969, and who has four generations of her family as part of the organization. "There used to be 17 Granges. A lot of them have folded up. We just feel like we want ours to keep going because it's been one of the most active Granges."
The Grange, also known as the Patrons of Husbandry, is the nation's oldest national agricultural organization. Washington State Grange is the largest among the states. The grassroots organization was founded in Washington in 1889, just prior to statehood. Lewis County's first Granges - Alpha, Hope, Forest, Silver Creek, St. Urban and the countywide Pomona - were founded in 1904.
SUPPORT FOR rural communities was one of the primary goals of the Granges when they were begun, Haskin explained. Rural fire districts, public utility districts, even fog lines along the highway owe at least their beginnings to the Granges. The Grange rallied for the rights of agricultural communities, but has remained nonpartisan in its politics. To this day, that political involvement continues, as the Washington State Grange has fought for the state's open primary election system, which was ruled unconstitutional in July 2005. The Grange believes the system worked for 70 years for a reason, Haskin said, to give individual voters a voice.
"The Grange is really unique," Haskin said. "It's an organization that's for the people and for the family."
Officially founded on Feb. 9, 1907, Newaukum Grange takes its name from the town once known as Newaukum, which began in 1903. The area consisted of a post office, store, several sawmills and a saloon where the Grange first met. Later, the Grangers purchased the acre of land where the current Grange hall sits for $50, and built the facility a few stages at a time.
A MUSTY BASEMENT AREA now used for storage used to be the Grange's kitchen, where the members used to cook up an annual strawberry shortcake dinner. At one time, members would stain their fingers red picking strawberries at a neighboring farm to make hundreds of strawberry shortcakes. Later, they purchased the berries already sliced and in syrup. About 10 years ago, the festival ended because there were not enough members to continue staging it. Even in its last year, 500 people showed up.
"People would be waiting out in that hallway," Yantis recalled. "It only went from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and at one point they served up 800 people."
TODAY, NEWAUKUM GRANGE has about 20 active members, but about 93 dues-paying members total: 12 Gold Sheaf members, with more than 50 years of service; and 46 Silver Star members with more than 25 years of service. It is one of the few Granges that still participates in the Grange booth display at the Southwest Washington Fair. Its members stay active with a reading program through the Napavine schools, as well as a child identification program at many community events.
Active members have dwindled, but remain hopeful the next generation may step up and keep the organization alive.
"It's like all the other organizations, the Eagles, or the Moose or the Elks, we've got the membership, but they've got other activities," Zandecki said. "When we started, the Grange was a community center. We had dances and it was a family-oriented thing. This was your community meeting place."
Right now, though, Newaukum Grangers are turning their eyes toward Sunday. Grangers sent out 100 invitations to past and current members, other Granges and even elected officials statewide. No matter the current state of affairs, turning a century old is an accomplishment to celebrate, Yantis said.
"I'm hoping the hall will be packed," she said.
Carrina Stanton is a feature reporter for The Chronicle. She may be reached at 807-8241, or by e-mail at cstanton@chronline.com.
