Editor,

It is with much gratitude that I offer thanks to the South Whidbey community for making their voices heard and to Chuck Prochaska, president of our local Grange for listening.

Mr. Prochaska has now stated that the Grange will not be rented to far-right extremist groups whose message is not of family core values, but of intolerance and divisiveness.

Historically, Granges in our country were the centers of social life in rural communities. Formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry, they knitted rural communities together and advocated for the interests of farmers. They held monthly dances, quilting bees, served as meeting halls and members were quick to lend a hand to a neighbor in need. Our own Deer Lagoon Grange has been home to weddings and receptions, birthday parties, potluck dances, celebrations of life for community members who went before us, church services, education opportunities, and fundraising for local charities. It has served our community for many years and served it well.

Groups such as the Proud Boys, WA3% and WA4Change advocate “fixing both the corrupted state and local government systems” by broadcasting messages of hatred, violence and bigotry based on propaganda and lies. Standing up for core American values such as peaceful political discourse, tolerance, majority rule, and fairness as Mr. Prochaska and the community at large have done is central to a functional democracy; it is also the example from which our children learn to develop ethics and values, and learn their responsibilities to their country and to become moral people.

In 2019, the National Grange revised its mission statement: “The Grange strengthens individuals, families and communities through grassroots action, service, education, advocacy and agriculture awareness.”

I support their mission statement and am proud to be a descendant of many generations of Grange members beginning with John Stack, my g-g-grandfather joining his local Grange in 1870 McLean County, Illinois.

Peggy Kimbell

Clinton