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“Cinco” de Mayo Potluck

The Grapeview Community Association invites you to attend the Cinco de Mayo Potluck and Meeting at the Horton Community Center. It will take place on Friday, May 9^th, starting at 6:00 PM with the meal starting at 6:30. As part of the Cinco de Mayo occasion, the Grapeview Community Association will provide a Taco Bar and punch at no charge. Bring a potluck salad, dessert or another Mexican main dish to share. Bring your own dishware, utensils, and beverage of choice (e.g., other than punch). Jan Hillesand (360 275-4542) and Linda Fish (360 277-3520) are coordinating this potluck. Please call one of them if you have any questions.

The Crab Feed

The Crab Feed will take place this Saturday, April 26th. The demand for tickets is high. We have a waiting list if already sold tickets become available. Please call Jackie Longmire at 360 275-3697 if you would like to be added to the waiting list or if you discover that you will be unable to use your already purchased (or committed) tickets.

Grapeview School News

The Grapeview School District is seeking applicants for a vacant school board position. If you are interested you can obtain more information by visiting the school district website at www.gsd.org, request that an application package be mailed to you, or you may stop by the Grapeview School District office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, weekdays.

As noted in the “Dates to Remember”, a couple Public Hearings are scheduled (April 22 and May 22). The hearings are part of the study session to discuss and take public testimony on the reallocation of specific expenditures for the district. They will be held in the library at the Grapeview School beginning at 6:00 PM.

The Grapeview School is looking for some volunteers. They are looking for tutors for their reading program. This would involve about an hour and a half a week. If you are interested, please call the school at 360 275-4921 or 360 426-4921 for further details.

The school does not have to make up the December day they missed due to flooding and road closures. This means that May 23 will be a holiday/no school and not a make-up day.

15^th Annual Grapeview Water Festival and Art Show

Volunteers are always needed for the Grapeview Water Festival & Art Show. Last year there were over 150 volunteers. We need volunteers for a variety of jobs from “Parking” to “Food Booths” to “Hole In-One-Golf”, etc. If you have not had the opportunity to help and would like to help, please contact Jackie Longmire at 360 275-3697 or e-mail at Longmire@wavecable.com.

You do not have to be a member of the Grapeview Community Association to volunteer. If you have a neighbor or friend that would like to help, please have them call or e-mail.

The Silent Auction is the GCA’s largest source of funds of the year. It has been a most cost effective means of raising funds for construction of the Horton Community Center, sponsorship of local community events, and for GCA operational expenses. The deadline for donations this year is JULY 1. Donations cannot be accepted after that date.

Here are some donation suggestions: gift cards or gift certificates to a favorite business (restaurant, auto service, office supply, garden supply, hardware, grocery, or mini-cruise on your boat). Or, consider coordinating with a friend or neighbor for a “theme” basket such as: a baseball with tickets, or coffee with mugs.

Thank you in advance for your donation and meeting the July 1 deadline. Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions. Contact Judy Berry (360 277-9359), Pat Palms (253 759-3892 or 360 275-6234), or Helena Rowse (425 485-5885 or cell 206 919-6113). Below is a sample of GCA Gift Certificate for Silent Auction donations.

DID YOU KNOW …

Did you know that in 1947 it took the Grapeview-Allyn Volunteer Fire Department fire truck six minutes to travel from its’ regular parking place on Stretch Island (at the St. Charles Winery) to a grass fire near the Allyn city dock? The six minutes started when the fire was called in by telephone.

Sometime during late 1947 or early 1948, Charles Somers donated land for the fire department to use. The current Grapeview fire station and Horton Community Center is located on that land. In 1948 the first structure was built, a two vehicle garage, to house the fire truck. It had no rest room and no kitchen facilities. The garage was built with donated lumber, donated materials and donated labor by the fire department volunteers. The volunteers donated more than a few of their Tuesday summer evenings to the project starting in July, 1948. The garage served until June, 1965.

During its’ 17 year existence, it was frequently a meeting place for the firemen and local civic groups and a place for fund-raisers, dances and parties. Much of the above information was found in the Sept. 4, 1947 and July 29, 1948 editions of the Shelton-Mason County Journal and obtained in a telephone conversation with Harley Somers on April 8, 2008.

NEW BUSINESS

GCA Board Meetings

Please note that the regularly scheduled board meetings will take place on the first Wednesday of the meeting month (even number months) starting with June (i.e., June 4); same time. Please update your GCA Directory with this meeting change.

Long Range Planning Committee

The GCA Board is forming a Long Range Planning Committee. The financing and construction of the Horton Community Center has been a major part of the Grapeview Community Association for the past years. Now that this goal has been satisfied, it is time to review our goals and objectives for supporting the Grapeview community. We have a number of fund-raising events during the year: the Crab Feed, the Irish Stew Dinner, and the Grapeview Water Festival and Art Show. The purpose of the Long Range Planning Committee is to propose new or modified community oriented goals and objectives for GCA resources (funds, volunteers, events, etc.). If you would like to volunteer to serve on this committee, please contact Linda Fish at 360 277-3520.

OLD BUSINESS

The Grapeview Community Association thanks everyone for joining in on the fun at the Irish Stew Dinner. Over 90 people attended the St. Patrick’s Day annual event. The annual Irish Stew Dinner has been a part of the Grapeview community for a long time. It is interesting that in 1991 the Irish dinner was offered as a “to go” event …?

The Mason County Government Services and Information website “Road Closures/Restrictions” at http://www.co.mason.wa.us/public_works/road_closures.php provides updates on County road conditions (e.g., the Grapeview Loop Road closure at McLane Bridge). You can also get this information by calling 360 427-8434.

MEMBERSHIP

We currently have 266 Paid Voting Members. It is not too late to mail your dues in for 2008. Family membership is $15.00 and individual membership is $10.00. We are always reaching out to new members, so if you have a new neighbor or know someone you think would enjoy membership, please call Paula Cimmery at (275-5185) or e-mail kcimmery@wavecable.com) and I will be happy to follow up with them.