Grant hosting annual holiday celebration

GRANT — Grant United Methodist Church will host its annual Memorial Day Dinner Monday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. with a free-will offering. 

The menu includes:  sloppy joe or ham sandwich, baked beans, assorted salads, pies and desserts, and coffee, tea or lemonade.  All money raised by the dinner supports the Grant United Methodist Women and their work for mission projects and the Grant church.

 The Grant United Methodist Church, founded in 1855, conducts worship services at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday.

Open House/Music in the Park

Following the church dinner, Grant Community Preservationists (GCP) will host an open house from 1-2 p.m. at the Grant Masonic Lodge. 

With the help of grants from Iowa West Foundation, REAP Historic Resource Developments Program, Schildberg Foundation and Montgomery County Community Foundation, the lodge was recently painted and re-roofed.

 GCP invites visitors and residents to come view the work and plans for further renovations, talk to the project architect and share ideas about how the community could use the restored building.

The Memorial Day fun continues at the Grant Park with a country-bluegrass performance by Jim and Kathy Wymore and special guests. Admission to the Grant Park Opry is $6, and supports maintaining and improving the opry stage. 

Future events are scheduled for June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 15 and Oct. 13; additional shows and dates will be announced.

 A concession stand will also be open, serving soda, coffee, iced tea and desserts.  Attendees should bring lawn chairs, umbrellas and rain gear; musicians play on a covered stage.  A porty-potty will be on site.

Proceeds from the concession stand benefit GCP and its work on the Grant Masonic Lodge and Grant Park. The Grant Community Preservationists was formed to help maintain Grant and its unique historic character.  Designated in October 2003, the Grant Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.