MOSES LAKE — The year-long community market hiatus ended Saturday when about 10 vendors set up shop in the Moses Lake Grange No. 1151 for a by-the-community, for-the-community Spring Bazaar of knickknacks and crafts.

The Moses Lake Grange, at 14724 Road 3 SE, off state Route 17, was built in the ’60s, but the current management took over in 2017, said Grange President Brittany Oliver. Because the grange is a nonprofit organization, all the money it collects fixes up the building or is shot right back into the community.

Since the new fraternity took over, the grange’s roof, floors, bathrooms and more have been refurbished, Oliver said.

Aside from building improvements, the grange works in community involvement. In the county fair, they have a seed booth every year to get the word out about the area’s agriculture and small businesses, she said.

Through the Words for Thirds program, the grange purchased a dictionary for every third-grader in Longview Elementary School.

With Moses Lake’s Tree Fort Children’s Museum, the grange put together 200 STEM kits packed with activities and handed them out to the Boys & Girls Clubs of The Columbia Basin and several elementary schools. This was important last summer, Oliver said, when many camps and group activities were canceled.

The bazaars have always been a part of this work, she said. In 2018 and 2019, the events were in the fall. Unable to hold one last year, they wanted to get an early start in 2021.

“We were looking forward to something this spring to do to help not only local small businesses, but also get people out and about in a safe manner,” Oliver said.

Booths ranged from longtime Moses Lake locals to folks from all over the state. Quilt patterns, crochet hats, jewelry, leather and glass work, and more sat on display Saturday.

Nicki Letz, the “N” in A & N Crafting Nook, sold personalized glass and vinyl products. Partnered with her friend across the mountains, they sell their work throughout Washington.

In pandemic terms, sales are really starting to pick up, she said.

“It was pretty slow for a really long time and then as soon as this stuff hit and everyone started to want to support small businesses, we made quite a bit of money just in the last four months,” Letz said.

Another booth was operated by Mary Courtright of Creations by Eighty & Eight, who has lived in Moses Lake since 1956. According to her sign, she sells “repurposed silver and stuff.”

It started last summer, Courtright said, when she was making wind chimes for her friends as something to do. By the time the markets starting rolling around, she had a pile of crafts and needed to do something with them.

At 88 years old, she does the metalwork while her 18-year-old granddaughter stamps the words and designs, she said. But while her granddaughter was away at a church conference this week, Courtright ran the booth herself.

Everything the grange does is for the community, Oliver said. The building is often rented for family reunions, birthdays, quinceañeras, retirement parties and other events.

“It’s our goal to keep our building up-kept well enough so we can continue to offer that service at low cost to the community so people can have a safe place to gather, get together and celebrate,” she said.

The grange will hold a second market April 24, Oliver said, and it will be double the size. With the warming weather, booths inside and out likely will be available.

Sam Fletcher can be reached via email at [email protected].