Ramona Grange No. 632 was recently notified that it would receive a $100,000 grant from the San Diego County Neighborhood Reinvestment Program.
The fraternal, community service organization, which promotes agriculture and Ramona’s rural community, was one of two organizations to receive the grants. In His Steps, a Christian-based recovery program offering residential services to men and women, was awarded $10,000.
“My number one priority is to ensure that every grant dollar goes back into the community to benefit the lives of District 2 residents with the greatest impact,” said Supervisor Joel Anderson about the grants. “The Grant Steering Committee does an incredible job to the community and enable it to continue to thrive with these grants.”
Organizations were notified in early May they should be receiving the grants within the next two months.
“We are so grateful and honored to be given and trusted with that amount of money,” said Karen Carlson, president of the Grange.
In their grant application, of the newly revitalized Grange organization had asked for at least $959,000 — the amount they estimate they need to return the Grange building at 215 7th St. to a more useable facility. The $100,000 falls short of that, they said.
Now the group will consider how to make the best use of the $100,000 to reach those goals, Carlson said.
The Grange building is estimated to be at least 110 years old. Originally Miles Mercantile, the first grocery and gathering spot in Ramona in the late 1800s, the owners donated the building to the Grange in 1925, when it was moved from its location next to Town Hall to the 7th Street spot.
Carlson said when they first entered the building after it had been closed, they discovered it had been ransacked.
“The air conditioner was gone, the stove, stove hood, fridge and more from the kitchen were gone. All the tables and chairs were gone, although we’ve been able to purchase replacements,” she said.
“We don’t believe there is any true framing and there is no foundation. The south wall is bowing and bubbled out. The kitchen and bathrooms were added later, and are pulling away from the main building, causing a roof leak. And the kitchen and both bathrooms need to be replaced entirely.”
Carlson said they won’t know the true extent of the work that needs to be done until they start taking the building apart, but they plan to focus on the immediate maintenance needs.
“We have bids out for everything,” said Julie Crider, treasurer for the Grange. “The contractors have been cutting us slack and giving us lots of concessions and we are thankful for that.”
Carlson said they are open to ideas from contractors and construction professionals, and are hopeful donations of labor and materials can help fill the gaps in funding for whatever they decide.
Jerda Campbell Herrera, senior house manager for the In His Steps program, said the grant funds will be used to make modifications to comply with their major use permit.
Two sliding glass doors have already been added to an office building, Herrera said.
Other Ramona organizations that have received NRP grants so far this fiscal year include The Art Center of Ramona, $4,550; Friends of the Ramona Library, $17,661; the Ramona Chamber of Commerce, $101,000; Ramona Skatepark Champions, $16,500; Anthony’s House Corp., $15,000; North County Health Project, $24,000; Ramona Food and Clothes Closet, $15,000; Ramona Municipal Water District, $12,200; Ramona Soccer League, Inc. $7,500; Ramona Town Hall, $10,000 and the Ramona Woman’s Club, $27,000.
