Submitted by the Lopez Island Grange

The Lopez Island Grange recently received a $5,000 COVID relief grant from the Keep Music Live Project of the Whatcom Community Foundation. The Keep Music Live Project was launched in the fall of 2020 by music lovers across the state as a COVID-19 fundraising campaign to provide relief funds to small, independently owned music venues.

Keep Music Live issued its first round of grants in February of 2021 with support from over 2000 donors. Grant funds are to support venues with expenses related to closures due to COVID-19, including rent or mortgage assistance, staff retention, utilities, insurance, property taxes, and COVID-19 venue upgrades.

In non-COVID times, the Lopez Grange regularly hosts a plethora of music events including monthly square dances, concerts from local and touring musicians, tap classes from youth to adult and more. These events and others provide the Grange with its yearly operating budget through rental income, donations and fundraisers.

“The loss of revenue has been challenging for the Grange,” Grange Master Sue DuMond said. “We were right in the midst of some major building projects when Covid hit. We are extremely grateful to The Keep Music Live Project. This grant alleviates a lot of financial stress and will help pay some upcoming operating expenses. We look forward to the return of music in the coming months as the Grange looks towards safely and slowly reopening.”

For more information, visit www.lopezislandgrange.org or www.keepmusiclivewa.com.