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During the Winter of 2021-2022, the ice on the grange roof was thick enough and heavy enough to slide down during a “warming” spell, and slice off our wood stove's concrete block chimney!
Happily, our local skilled mason, Chris Hansen, was able to install a new chimney in the following Summer, and heating our Great Hall was again possible.
BUT, our long-term thinking Grange Stewards, Chad and Lee, asked, “What if we have another ice problem next Winter?”, and they promptly installed a metal diverter to alleviate the possibility.  Also called a “chimney cricket”, the diverter splits the running water and sliding snow/ice down each side and around the chimney. 
Well done, to both Chad and Lee!

HIGHLIGHTS AND ON-GOING (*) SPECIAL EVENTS FOR OCTOBER 2022

*03 October:  6 P.M. – Camden Grange and Community Center committee meeting – all are invited to bring their interests, skills, and suggestions.

*08 October:  10 A.M. – 1 P.M. – Farmers’ Market at Camden Grange.

*11 October:  7 P.M. – Elk-Camden Garden Keepers garden club annual Harvest Dinner and last meeting for 2022.

*19 October:  10 A.M. – noon – quilting club meeting.

*20 October:  6:30 P.M. – HAM radio operator’s club meeting.

05 October – FOOD PRESERVATION, FREEZE DRYING

08 October – BASKET WEAVING 3

15 October – MOZZARELLA CHEESE MAKING AT HOME

19 October – SOURDOUGH BREAD BAKING!

22 October – FINE ART ACRYLIC PAINTING

26 October – HOMEMADE JERKY!

29 October – DOG TRAINING SEMINAR

DETAILS ON THESE EVENTS CAN BE SEEN ON THE "EVENTS & CLASSES" PAGE

We need volunteers, PLEASE!!

A work party is going to attempt cleaning up the Main Hall to get it ready for a host of upcoming indoor events.

When?  This Thursday, August 25 from 7PM - 9PM

So come on down and bring your favorite work gloves!

Those who help will be treated to FREE ice cream provided by our generous president, Mary Lee Rozelle.  

Thank you for your consideration!!  

​Our July class on “Instant Pot” pulled pork was a big hit with the students, especially when instructor Pat McGinty told them there was pulled pork barbecue sauce sandwiches and chips on the post-class menu.

Pat offered lots of tips on saving food budget money, and on saving precious food preparation time in the kitchen.

​More “Instant Pot” classes are on the horizon (including a class using unique dessert recipes), so please stay tuned!

Click the button below.

MORE JUNE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP CAMDEN GRANGE!
 
Dear Friends of Camden Grange and Community Center:
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Another June opportunity to help us re-connect our Grange with our community is upon us.  We plan to clean out and organize the Grange basement on Friday, the 24th of June, from 1-4 P.M. 

We are looking for some friends to help lift and tote stuff of questionable value, out of the basement, and into a stock trailer for eventual disposal. 

Grange President Mary Lee Rozelle has offered to provide pork “sloppy joe” sandwiches and all the fixin’s for the crew.  Should be one of those “many hands make light work” things, LOL.  Please feel free to bring your older teenaged helpers, and if you have access to a hand truck (“dolly”), pushbroom, dustpan, etc., please bring them as well.

You can contact me to let me know that you are available at:  j.p.mcgintyelk2@gmail.com, or by phone at 509-292-0326.

Thanks, Jim Mcginty

Dear Friends of Camden Grange:
 
Quite a few of you have asked me what you can actually DO for our newly-reactivated grange and community center.

Opportunities in June abound, LOL!

On 18 June, during our community’s annual Elk Pioneer Days celebration, we will be hosting a “Heritage Day at Camden Grange”, with a big display of vintage photographs of Elk and Camden, an exhibit of antique homestead and farm equipment, and (especially for children) a “touch and teach” collection of pioneer-era home and kitchen tools.  Children will be invited to churn butter, spin wool, shell corn, grind beans, and other fun activities.

This “Heritage Day” will run from noon to four P.M., and is free to the public.

If you have a vintage tool, and would like to show, and can demonstrate that tool, we would appreciate your time and effort – you can simply email me at j.p.mcgintyelk2@gmail.com or call me at 509-292-0326.
 
Thanks for your consideration – all our efforts at restoring Camden Grange and Community Center to its place as the “heart of the community” are paying off – again, thank you.
 
Jim McGinty

Please remember the gardening class this saturday, 04 june, from 1-3 p.m., at camden grange and community center (7 camden road, elk, wa).  Instructor josie will be talking about and showing how you can improve your garden soil using bio-char (easily made activiated charcoal), and by using the Hugelkulture practice of mounded/raised bed gardens - a great way to use up all those branches and stumps from your tree lot!

If you visited the raised bed garden of club members marlene and stephanie over the years, then you know how well Hugelkulture works!

The class will start at the grange, and then leave for a short drive to josie's raised bed garden for a look at how this all works.

Class is $5 per person, and well worth your time.

Our fitness instructor will not be available.  Please join us next Tuesday!

If you DO show up, you are encouraged to run laps around the Grange and Community Center for the 45 minute period. ;-)