In September, two Lane County Granges — Creswell Grange #496 and Lorane Grange #54 — were named National Distinguished Granges by Christine Hamp, National Grange president. In November, they will be recognized during a ceremony at the 158th National Grange Convention in Bettendorf, Iowa.
They are among 36 community granges recognized as National Distinguished Granges or the 1,500 active community granges nationwide.


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“Distinguished Granges are elite Granges, working to make their communities stronger,” Hamp said.
Additionally, two county and four state granges, including the Oregon State Grange, received the award.
Creswell Grange #496 received additional recognition as a Golden Distinguished Grange because the group presented a program on mental health, which has been a focus topic of the National Grange for several years.



This is the sixth year in a row that Creswell Grange has been recognized as a National Distinguished Grange, and the second year was named a Golden Distinguished Grange. It was the first year Lorane Grange applied for the Distinguished Grange award.
“Our members enjoy working to make our community a better place,” said Gary Lutman, Lorange Grange president.

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Both granges are:
— Active in programs to support Veterans, including the annual Lane County Stand Down and Valentines for Veterans.
— Participate in the Words for Thirds Project by giving dictionaries to every third-grade student in their local schools.
— Host public education programs and community events, such as annual free Christmas Dinners, Creswell’s annual Community Ice Cream Social, Lorane’s annual Summer Community Potluck, and Bingo games.
“I enjoy being a Grange member,” said Georgann Squire, a retired elementary school teacher coordinating the Words for Thirds project at Creswell Grange. “We have a great group of people who have fun working together to do good for the community.”

Creswell Grange meets monthly on the second Monday at the Creswell Grange Hall, 274 W. Oregon Ave. Potluck is 5:30 p.m., and the business meeting is 6:30 p.m. For more info, contact Louise McClure at 541-942-5849. Lorane Grange meets monthly on the first Thursday of every month, except January and July, when it meets on the third Thursday. Meetings are 7 p.m. at the Lorane Grange Hall, 80342 Old Lorane Road. For more info, contact LilyHill Thompson at 541-942-5701.