The Grange Goes Solar!

On Earth Day, April 22, dozens of people came to the inauguration of the Grange’s new solar array. This 108-year-old building is now using the sun to power concerts, lectures, films, and other events throughout the year. This significant investment in green energy reflects our common concerns for the environment and the future of the planet and the people who inhabit it.

Holding the ribbon in the photo are representatives of the organizations that accomplished this huge step forward for the Grange and the Town of Essex. The solar project is a great example of nonprofits, government, and private business working together. Thanks to Essex Town Supervisor Ken Hughes and the Town Board, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, Adirondack North Country Association, Adirondack Architectural Heritage, Apex Solar, Essex Initiatives, NYSERDA, and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism for their support.

The Grange and Whitcomb’s were reborn through the efforts of volunteers and donations large and small from you and many others who understand the connection between rebuilding structures and revitalization of the places where we live, learn, and find community. This project builds on the Grange legacy and looks to the future!

Listen to this special report on the solar project on North Country Public Radio. See drone footage of the panels in the video below.

Whitcomb's Arts -- Meet the New Kid on the Block

The Grange is excited to announce the formation of Whitcomb’s Arts, with a mission to build out programs at Whitcomb’s, the renovated garage and greenspace across the street from the Grange. Whitcomb’s is now home to five artisans, a retail store, community space and art gallery, and also has over an acre of greenspace on the Boquet River. The new committee is actively seeking co-curators to partner with Whitcomb’s Arts on projects, and will explore new types of events to bring to the region.

Whitcomb’s Arts chair, Laurie House, notes that the North Country has an active arts scene. “I go to more arts events here than I ever did while living in New York City.  Our fun challenge is to use Whitcomb’s to expand those riches in a unique way.”

An example of this is the recent “Wool & Water” exhibition held in the gallery. It featured pieces created from fiber and natural materials by many artists who interpreted water quality data from the lakes and rivers of the Adirondacks in striking and unexpected ways.  In March, the gallery features an exhibition of Teddi Rogers’ paintings and drawings; in April, a show by Brian Lavallee from Jay.  Gallery shows will expand to include a festive opening night reception featuring artist interviews.

For the past year, Whitcomb’s has hosted the popular monthly SpeakEazy Open Mic Storytelling nights on second Wednesdays, and a weekly music jam. On March 31, Whitcomb’s Arts will present a Stop Motion Animation Party (for Grown Ups), led by Laurie House, where participants can create their own videos using stop-motion techniques.

Possible future Whitcomb’s Arts events include readings by visiting writers, interactive salons and discussion groups, youth events, play readings, art classes, songwriting and creative writing seminars.

Whitcomb’s Arts is looking to community residents and visitors as “Co-Curators,” individuals who want to create an event or project. House says, “Many of us have at least one great idea or dream event that we’d like to put on, but have no way of doing it as a person outside of an organization.  Co-curating with Whitcomb’s Arts is a chance to put an idea into action with the support of a group that has a mailing list, an existing space with chairs and lighting and, of course, nice people who want to work with you.”  Whitcomb’s Arts will seriously consider all ideas, even if they can’t do each one.  “It’s the beginning of a great experiment. Surprise us with your suggestions.”  To reach Whitcomb’s Arts, email whitcombsarts@thegrangehall.info.

Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Champlain Valley Film Series!

WHALLONSBURG, NY – The Champlain Valley Film Series will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Saturday, April 1 at 7:00 at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall in Essex with a free showing of The Fabelmans, nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. The Fabelmans is director Steven Speilberg’s semi-autobiographical love letter to filmmaking and the audience will be treated to free popcorn and birthday cake as part of the celebration.

The Film Series showed its first movie, Shakespeare in Love, in 2003 and has now screened over 320 films. CVFS co-founder, David Reuther said, “We never imagined we’d reach this milestone. We want to thank our loyal audience members and local businesses and organizations from around the region for their tremendous support over the years. They know that watching a movie together on a big screen with an audience is truly magical.”

“Twenty years ago,” Reuther explained, “the closest theater was in Plattsburgh and it showed mostly Hollywood blockbusters. We thought people would like to see independent studio films, documentaries, and foreign films as well as action movies. And we were right.” In 2006, the Film Series expanded the number of shows to over 20 per year from September through May. 

For the first few years, CVFS showed films at several locations including Willsboro Central School, the Masonic Lodge in Essex, Depot Theatre in Westport, and even outdoors in parks along Lake Champlain. In 2012, the film series settled into its permanent home at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall in Essex and invested in a high-definition projector, full-size movie screen and specialized sound system. Today, CVFS volunteers make movie popcorn and sell candy at each show to complete the authentic movie-going experience for the audience.

The most popular shows over the past twenty years have been the nearly 50 films that were introduced by directors, actors and others associated with a film’s production. These include the film Captain Phillips, introduced by the “real” Captain Richard Phillips; Oscar-nominated Frozen River, introduced by director Courtney Hunt; King Corn,with director Aaron Woolf; Affliction, with author Russell Banks; Where the Rivers Flow North, introduced by novelist Howard Frank Mosher and director Jay Craven; and four silent filmclassics with live piano accompaniment by Ben Model.  

“Movies continue to be a powerful expression of human culture,” said Reuther, “and the Champlain Valley Film Series is proud to make excellent films available to people in the region. We believe that in twenty years there will still be movies to see and people will come together to watch them.”

Whitcomb's Project Receives 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award

This award from the Preservation League of NYS recognizes the best in the field of historic preservation.

Whitcomb’s Garage Adaptive Reuse Project has been named one of this year’s Excellence in Historic Preservation award winners. Since 1984, the Preservation League’s statewide awards program has highlighted projects, organizations, publications, and individuals that exemplify best practices in historic preservation and recognize the people who are using historic preservation to build stronger neighborhoods, create local jobs, provide affordable housing, open our eyes to overlooked history, and save the places that are special to all of us.

“The adaptive reuse of Whitcomb’s Garage shows that preservation, revitalization, and community involvement are intertwined,” said Andrew Buchanan, Vice President of Whallonsburg Grange Hall. “It is an example for rural New York and beyond.”

The renovation and repurposing of this disused service station and garage has created space for new businesses in an economically challenged rural region. The conception, planning, and construction work was done by volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, who spent thousands of hours transforming the old garage into commercial workshops, a retail store, ceramics studio, and mixed-use space for classes, performances, and other community activities. This derelict garage has been transformed by volunteers into a vibrant center of economic revival and community engagement. The project is having positive impacts on the morale and confidence of the entire community.

The Whitcomb’s renovation project preserved the building’s iconic exterior and industrial look, connecting the upgrades with its history. Throughout the building, windows, doors, and other features were reused wherever possible. The “Whitcomb’s” lettering has been preserved on the exterior and the colorful updated facade echoes key elements of the original. The original multi-bay design was utilized to create separate workshops. 

 The Whallonsburg Grange Hall (WGH) is a volunteer-driven nonprofit arts and community center. The century-old Grange building sits at the crossroads of NYS Route 22 and Whallons Bay Road in the hamlet of Whallonsburg. Whitcomb’s Garage is directly across the road from the Grange. After WGH purchased the long-vacant garage in 2018, they organized a group of dedicated volunteers to plan, design, and carry out the adaptive restoration. It was a challenging project – the garage had no insulation, primitive wiring, most was unheated, and the building had been badly damaged by years of neglect. Without the support of committed local volunteers, Whitcomb’s Garage would surely have been lost.

“Whitcomb’s Garage is a prime example of a community deciding for itself what is worthy of being preserved,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “The vernacular garage and service station was an important fixture of the community, and we applaud Whallonsburg Grange Hall for rallying such a committed group of volunteers to save it and make it a true community asset.”

Whitcomb’s Garage Adaptive Reuse Project was funded thanks in part to a Northeast Heritage Economy Program (NHEP) grant provided by the Preservation League of NYS (NHEP was funded through a grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Regional Forest Economy Partnership program) and additional grants from the Cloudsplitter Foundation and the Essex Community Fund.

The Whitcomb’s Garage Adaptive Reuse project team included Project Director Andrew Buchanan, Vice President Whallonsburg Grange Hall; Project Managers Jim Kinley and Schell McKinley; Mark Hall, CPHC, Hall Design Group. 

Our shared cultural history grounds us and helps us better understand who we are as New Yorkers and as Americans. The 10 projects honored this year are strikingly different, but they all remind us that preservation is about people as much as it is about our built environment. The Excellence in Historic Preservation Awards program is integral and essential to the work of the League. This year’s award recipients represent the very best of what the League stands for and supports in historic preservation. 

 Additional information about the 2021 Excellence Award winners, including interviews, videos, and more, can be found on our website: https://www.preservenys.org/excellence-awards

Special Grange Newsletter -- Looking forward to summer and fall!

We miss you! See what we’re planning in The Big Tent, the Whitcomb’s project, summer and fall events, and lots more. CLICK on the image to see the online version.

Whitcomb's project receives $35,000 grant for next phase

Preservation League Announces Recipients of Northeast Heritage Economy Program Grants, Supported by the Northern Border Regional Commission

Part of a Four-State Economic Development Investment Meant to Help to Address Job Losses in New York Communities

Albany, NY, 04/07/2020 — The Preservation League of New York State, as part of a four-state coalition, has announced targeted grants to projects in the communities of Whallonsburg, Saranac Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, and Oneida New York. The grants will assist in the restoration and reuse of historic buildings in areas that have lost jobs and investment due to the downturn in the forest products industry.

These funds are made possible by an award to the Preservation League of New York State along with the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Maine Preservation, and the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). The four states have evenly split the award of $1 million. In total, fifteen projects have been funded by this innovative collaboration called the Northeast Heritage Economy Program.  The organizations looked for projects that strengthen the communities they serve as well as their economies in areas that are suffering from the decline of the forest products industry. These grants support workforce development, cultural centers, community-supported enterprise, and visitor destinations in historic locations including museums, theaters, a historic garage building, a barn and a utopian industrial community.

Studies show that historic preservation investment supports small business and good-paying labor jobs, improves property values, keeps money circulating in local economies, catalyzes additional investment and increases community pride.  The funds for this program, and all NBRC programs, are available thanks to the support of the congressional delegations of all four NBRC states: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.

The Whallonsburg Grange Hall will receive $35,000 to renovate and repurpose the large, vacant building and riverfront greenspace across the road from the Whallonsburg Grange Hall, a performing arts and community center in Essex. The restored Whitcomb’s Garage will house two small businesses, a pottery and ceramics studio, space for classes, a retail store and café. The project builds on the successful volunteer-led renovation and rebirth of the Grange and is a step forward in the economic revival of this rural hamlet.

Historic Saranac Lake will receive $75,000 to rehabilitate the former Trudeau home and medical office at 118 Main Street in Saranac Lake. This project will lead to an expanded museum campus that will help drive heritage tourism in the North Country. The space will host exhibits, collections storage, a resource room, public space for arts and cultural events, and rented office space. The over 5,000 square foot building was built in 1894 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Adirondack Experience (ADKX) in Blue Mountain Lake will receive $68,000 to restore the Log Hotel, an 1876 structure, along with two adjoining cottages. The work will address deterioration of the historic structures, which are the centerpiece of this thriving museum in the Adirondacks which welcomed over 54,000 visitors in 2019, including many regional school children.

The Oneida Community Mansion House in Oneida will receive $52,000 to repair and rehabilitate a roof, masonry facade and associated internal framework of this National Historic Landmark building. Upon completion this will pave the way for expanded commercial space, allowing wellness and food service businesses to grow, as well as allowing the Mansion House to host public performances.

“With the support of the Northern Border Regional Commission and our state congressional delegation, these grants give us the ability to fund building restorations that will create local jobs, increase heritage tourism, and leverage other sources of funding,” said Jay DiLorenzo, President of the Preservation League of New York State. “This program is about getting resources to areas hit hardest by the loss of the forest products industry and helping them to complete locally-driven projects that capitalize on their historic resources. We are indebted to the Commission and our congressional delegation for their support.”

"Rural communities are the backbone of our state," said Senator Gillibrand. "This funding will help revitalize communities that have been suffering from the decline of the forest industry. I will always support and fight for projects that help our rural communities."

“At the Department of State, we were pleased to help with the establishment of the four-state Regional Forest Economy Partnership Program to direct federal funding to communities working to transition away from traditional forest-based economic development activities,” said New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado. “These Northeast Heritage Economy Program investments will enable four New York communities to revitalize locally-identified ‘places’ critical to support new economic opportunities.”  

Projects in the other three states are:

Maine:  Timelines Community, Inc. (Thorndike, ME); Maine Highlands Senior Center (Dover-Foxcroft, ME); Centre Theatre, Inc. (Dover-Foxcroft, ME); Association Culturelle Et Historique Du Mont Carmel (Lille, ME; Belfast Maskers (Belfast, ME). 

New Hampshire: Canaan, Vermont School District (Canaan, VT) [grant co- supported by VT]; Mill Hollow Heritage Association (Alstead, NH); Sustainable Forest Futures Inc. in conjunction with Northern Forest Center (Lancaster, NH).

Vermont:  Canaan, Vermont School District (Canaan, VT) [grant co- supported by NH]; Town of Hardwick; Vermont Bridgewater Area Community Foundation, Inc. (Bridgewater Corners, VT); The Space on Main, Inc. (Bradford, VT).        

More information about these sites and the Northeast Heritage Economy Program can be found on our website:https://www.preservenys.org/nhep

Cloudsplitter Foundation awards $10,000 grant to Whitcomb's project

WHALLONSBURG, N.Y. – The Whallonsburg Grange Hall in Essex, New York, announced that the Cloudsplitter Foundation has awarded the organization a $10,000 grant for the next phase of the project to renovate and repurpose Whitcomb’s, the building and riverfront lot that sits directly across the road. The Grange bought the property in December 2018 with the goal of developing it as commercial space for small businesses, artisans’ workshops, community space, retail store and parkland on the Boquet River. Cloudsplitter Director Chenelle Palyswiat delivered the check while touring the site.

The Grange itself was saved and renovated through a multi-year, volunteer effort and is now a thriving community and performing arts center, open year-round. Whitcomb’s Garage was a used car showroom and auto repair facility in the center of the hamlet of Whallonsburg from the 1950s to the 1990s. When longtime proprietor Clarence “Narni” Whitcomb passed away in 2017 and the building went up for sale, a generous donation enabled the nonprofit Grange Hall to purchase it.

“We are deeply grateful to the Cloudsplitter Foundation for their financial support and for the confidence they have shown in this project,” said Andy Buchanan, Grange board vice-president. “The Whitcomb’s project builds on the success of the Whallonsburg Grange and is a testament to the deep commitment local volunteers have to revitalizing our small communities. Renovating this structurally sound but long unused historic building gives us an opportunity to create a place where small businesses can grow alongside studios for ceramics, pottery, and other handcrafts. We’re hoping to see community classes, a café, and other uses for the space by residents and visitors.”

Left to right: Sara Evans, Grange Manager; Chenelle Palyswiat, Cloudsplitter Foundation Director; and Andy Buchanan, Grange board vice president.

Buchanan said that the volunteer-led renovations have reached the point where two commercial tenants, a blacksmith and woodworker, will be moving into the building in early spring. Plans have been drawn up for the development of a retail store, studios, and a community room, and the next phase of renovations will get underway in 2020.

Tick Crisis in the Adirondacks -- presentation information

Over 100 people packed the Grange for the special Lyceum on Tuesday, June 25, “A Ticking Time Bomb: The Tick Crisis in the Adirondacks.” Our panel covered the ecology and science of ticks and their spread in the region, how to protect yourself from ticks, what to do if you find an attached tick, the medical aspects of tick-borne illnesses, and treatment options. We welcomed Dr. Lee Ann Sporn, Biology professor and Coordinator of Human Health and the Environment at Paul Smith’s College; Dr. Keith Collins, Specialist in Infectious Disease at UVM Health Network-CVPH; and Susan Allot, Director of Public Health Unit, Essex County Health Department.

The information provided was comprehensive and enlightening for everyone in attendance and a lively discussion period followed. Here are links to Dr. Sporn’s presentation and to the Tick-Borne Diseases web page from the Essex County Health Department.

Click on the image for a PDF of Dr. Sporn’s presentation.

Presentation by Dr. Lee Ann Sporn: “The Ecology of Tick-Borne Diseases in the Adirondacks”

Essex County Health Department Tick Borne Illness information page.

The County Health Department distributes Tick Kits with an info brochure and a tick remover. To obtain one, contact Susan Allot, sallott@co.essex.ny.us. Sue is also available to speak to community groups.

Thank you to our speakers for their time and efforts to educate our community. Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise in the Champlain Valley so please learn how to protect yourself, your family, and your pets.

Pete Seeger Tribute Concert -- Mountain Lake Journal segment

What a wonderful night at the Grange it was, captured beautifully by Tyler Warner from Mountain Lake PBS. Pete Seeger’s spirit lives on.

Whitcomb's Garage: Seeking proposals and ideas for reuse

Late in 2018, the Whallonsburg Grange Hall purchased the long-disused Whitcomb’s Garage building on Route 22, across the road from the Grange. Our goal is to renovate the building, preserving the historic façade, and to make it available for use by one or more small businesses. We are especially interested in partnering with people who will contribute time and energy to the restoration work. Rent is negotiable, and will be reasonable; the Grange needs to cover the costs of maintaining the building (including property taxes, insurance, utilities, etc.). 

There are two or possibly three workspaces, depending on how the building is configured, and it has the potential for a small retail space with high visibility at the front. The workshop bays measure (1) 37' x 37'; (2) 25' x 28'; and (3) 29' x 49'; the shop/apartment area is 22' x 37'.

The Grange Hall committee overseeing the project will review statements of intent at its next meeting on Thursday, April 4. Anyone interested is invited to submit an initial one-page outline of their business plan or project for consideration at that meeting. For more information or to tour the building contact Andy Buchanan, admin@thegrangehall.info, 518-963-7777.

Clean Out the Garage! volunteer work days will take place, Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14. Many hands are needed to begin the renovations, and jobs for all ages, skill levels, and physical ability will be available. Everyone is welcome to come and help as we start the project to turn this unused and deteriorating building into a new community asset. 

To find out more or to volunteer contact Audie Sparre at the Grange: 518-963-7777 or admin@thegrangehall.info.

Grange referendum passes with 78% of the vote!

The referendum supporting a new agreement between the Grange and the Town of Essex was passed in the November 6 election. Volunteers canvassed nearly every house in the town and sent out flyers explaining why the Grange and the town should continue to work together now and in the future. The Town of Essex owns the building and the Whallonsburg Grange Hall (a 501c3 nonprofit) manages it on behalf of the Town. The Grange has been responsible for raising over $275,000 and organizing hundreds of hours of volunteer help to rebuild and restore the Grange as a center of the community. The Town will continue its valuable role as a partner in this effort and will continue to pay some of the utilities (up to $4,000) and provide basic services that it does for all other town-owned buildings.

Out of the 290 people who voted on the referendum, 78% voted YES! We are grateful to ALL of the people of the Town of Essex, however they voted, who support the Grange through their tax dollars and as volunteers and contributors over the past ten years. And we thank each and every person, wherever you live, who has been a part of this crazy, grand dream to bring back the Grange as a place to gather with friends and neighbors, old and new.

My Lai Memorial Exhibit

Mountain Lakes PBS visited with Essex artist Mac MacDevitt, creator of the My Lai Memorial Exhibit. Mac talks about why he created it and the impact of the massacre. Click on the image below to watch.

Press-Republican interview with Michael Glabicki

WHALLONSBURG — If you missed Michael Glabicki and Dirk Miller the first time at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall, Friday's performance is an encore for the duo of Rusted Root fame.

“I'm working on a new album for my solo project called MG Uprooted,” said Glabicki, frontman.

“It's becoming more complete and more in focus now. We're putting a band together and also doing these duo shows, too.”

"Awesome" is how Glabicki describes playing more intimate venues.

“It's one of my favorite ways of playing music now. We're very in sync, and it is just a whatever happens happens kind of thing. We are exploring all these different things every night and getting some nice surprises happening.”

A ROOM OF HIS OWN

Pittsburgh is home to both Miller and Glabicki, so they record and rehearse at the latter's home studio.

The instrumentation on the work-in-progress is electric-guitar heavy . . . READ MORE

Ten Years of the Whallonsburg Grange

In 2006, the Town of Essex acquired the dilapidated Grange Hall for the sum of one dollar. Two years later in 2008, the town contracted with the Whallonsburg Civic Association, recently reincorporated as the Whallonsburg Grange Hall, to manage the Hall. Through a Memorandum of Understanding it charged the Civic Association with renovating the building, including raising the funds to do so and with managing it as a community center where people throughout the region could attend concerts, films, plays, lectures, and community events, as well as rent the Hall for modest fees. The Town of Essex agreed to support the Grange by covering heating and lighting costs and by providing occasional services such as plowing the parking lot – the same services it provides to all other town-owned properties. Ten years later, we are proud to report that we have fulfilled our responsibilities – and so much more!

Renovations: Over the last ten years the WGH has raised and invested over $200,000 to renovate and modernize the Grange and organized thousands of hours of volunteer labor, including:

Upstairs: Removed the drop ceiling and restored the main hall to its original glory; rebuilt the entrance hall and office area; installed two new restrooms; remodeled the balcony and installed safety railings; installed an emergency generator required for a Red Cross emergency shelter; installed acoustic panels to improve sound quality; replaced the uncomfortable wood seats with modern, upholstered chairs; purchased an HD projector, professional movie screen, and digital audio system; installed professional concert speakers and a soundboard; restored the historic painted stage curtain; renovated the stage, including state-of-the-art blackout curtains and theater lighting.

Downstairs: Rebuilt the kitchen and purchased equipment to meet Department of Health standards for certified commercial use; remodeled the space to create a multi-use community room and dining hall; installed a new restroom; painted the space; and installed a photo exhibit celebrating the history of the Grange, Whallonsburg and Essex.

General: Installed a new septic system; drilled a well; installed a modern water filtration system; rewired the building to code; purchased a security and fire alarm system; and installed energy-efficient air conditioners that also supplement the furnace to reduce energy consumption.

Exterior: Added a new standing-seam metal roof and repaired the slate roof; rebuilt the porch; purchased new exterior lighting; repainted the exterior of the building; installed a marque; landscaped the property; and installed exterior signage about the Grange and local agriculture.

Community Services: During Hurricane Irene local residents used the Grange as a shelter. After this experience a dedicated group of volunteers were trained by the Red Cross to operate the Grange as an official Red Cross Emergency Shelter.

Fundraising for our community: Grange volunteers raised and distributed $38,000 for Whallonsburg neighbors affected by Irene. We have provided space and support for fundraising benefits, including for the Staats family, Reber Rock Farm, and others. The Grange raises money every year at Christmas for the food banks in Willsboro, Westport, and Elizabethtown -- $1,200 last year. The Grange Volunteer Firefighters/EMT Appreciation Days showcase the work and equipment of the Essex, Whallonsburg, and Wadhams VFDs and raise funds for them.

Community events: The Boquet River Theater Festival children’s summer camp uses the Grange for one month every summer and presents sold-out shows every year. Hundreds of children have participated in this theater camp over the past ten years. Other community events include the weekly winter Play Gyms for families with young children, candidates’ nights and annual Election Night Dinners.

Community space: Families can rent the Grange for weddings, birthday parties, family reunions, and anniversaries for modest rates. We provide an affordable space for many local groups and organizations including Champlain Area Trails, the Garden Club, Cornell Cooperative Extension. We host classes and workshops for farmers and programs to discuss agricultural issues that affect the community. The Grange has partnered with Mountain Lakes PBS to hold programs where military veterans can meet and discuss their experiences. The certified commercial kitchen is a low-cost facility for value-added food production and catering of events.

Education and Entertainment: The Grange has become a cultural center for the entire region. Our well-attended programs improve the quality of life for the entire community, year-round and seasonal residents. Over the last ten years, we have put on hundreds of high-quality concerts, dances, movies, and plays, too many to list. The Lyceum lecture series has presented dozens of educational programs and has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its speakers. We also help publicize the town of Essex and the Champlain Valley as a destination through social media, event posters, e-newsletters, press releases, and other marketing efforts.

A Community-Based Organization: The Whallonsburg Grange Hall is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a dedicated volunteer board. Grange events are run by volunteers, who set up chairs, take tickets, run the soundboard and lighting, bake and sell refreshments, and do all the necessary behind-the-scenes work. Most of the renovation work was carried out by volunteer crews, including local contractors who donated their time.

Support from the Town: The Town of Essex makes an important contribution to the success of the Grange by paying for the heating and electric, and providing some other services. In addition the Town installed a new furnace to replace the 1950s era unit. The Grange has improved the energy efficiency of the building and we also now pay for the phone, insurance, propane, internet and building maintenance.

The Town’s support remains essential. The Grange operating budget is very tight and we rely on our successful partnership with the Town. Over the last three years the Town of Essex has paid around $4,000 per year on utilities. This is one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the Town budget, a small price for so many benefits to the community.

The WGH Board recognizes and appreciates the ongoing support of the Town for this extraordinary project. We hope that the Town Board continues to see it as a sound and affordable investment in maintaining and improving the community, now and in the future.

Statement presented to the Essex Town Board by
Andy Buchanan, WGH Vice-President
on behalf of the Whallonsburg Grange Hall Board
April 12, 2018

New era for Boquet River Theatre Festival

One of the highlights of the year at the Grange is the arrival in July of several dozen young actors enrolled in the Boquet River Theatre Festival's summer camp.  They move into the Grange for four weeks and put on multiple (usually sold-out) performances of two musicals, one by the Junior group (ages 8-12) and the other by the Seniors (ages 13-17). The Depot Theater and BRTF just announced that the Depot will be taking over and ensuring the future of this wonderful program and the Grange will remain "home" for the rehearsals and productions. We are so proud to have hosted and supported BRTF for so many years and look forward to working with the Depot. Bravo to Gigi Mason and the BRTF Board for their dedication and hard work!

 CLICK HERE to read the Plattsburgh Press-Republican story.

The cast in the August 2018 BRTF production of Madagascar on stage at the Grange.

Welcome to the new Grange Manager

A very Happy New Year and a warm Whallonsburg welcome! After an extensive search we are pleased to have hired Emma Gibbs as our full-time Manager. Emma grew up in Westport and moved back there this year after living and working for eight years in Alaska and Vermont as a youth advocate and social worker. She and her husband, Matt, started Ledge Hill Brewing Company and Emma has also been working as a consultant for marketing and publicity with several Westport organizations. 

Like many local residents, Emma has memories of the Grange from her childhood and is looking forward to bringing more activities for children and young people here. (She has two of her own who will help her with that!)  Emma has great ideas for programs and looks forward to collaborating with other groups on projects and events. She will start her new position in mid-January.

The Grange is thrilled to bring Emma Gibbs on board as we start a new year full of exciting opportunities!