Almost a year ago, a small group in Homer began to explore the possibilities of developing a Grange to create and preserve sustainable ways of life within our community. At that time, 12 Granges had already been established in Alaska.

Since then, we have had continued support from the National Grange in Washington, D.C. and the State Grange of Alaska. On both levels, leaders have patiently and diligently worked with us as we have journeyed forward toward getting an official charter here in Homer.

During our first meeting, we were honored to meet Ted and Zula Bryan, Ambassadors with the Washington State Grange, along with Gaye Hunt, the President of the Alaska State Grange. These leaders addressed the history of the Grange and how it has evolved over the years to support grassroots projects all across the nation.

Last week, we were finally presented with our official charter by Gaye Hunt, along with Ed Luttrell, President of the National Grange. We were also able to meet Rusty Hunt, the leadership membership director of the Grange. He is a dedicated individual who helps bring individuals together to create teams of people who wish to better their communities.

Homer is now the 13th Grange located in Alaska. One of our priorities is to further educate others in the community as to how they can become involved and share their own concerns and ideas. We will be doing our best to discuss upcoming events about our new Grange through newspapers and radio stations.

As of now, you can find more information about the Alaska State Grange at www.alaskagrange.org, or the National Grange at www.nationalgrange.org. We are in the process of developing a local Web site to create a public forum of our own.