Wednesday workers and warm up: a place to gather, learn new things

Seen clockwise from left Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 3, are Farmington Grange #12 Master Bonnie Clark of Farmington, Arthur Shaw of Farmington, Willow Embry of Farmington, Karen Yingling of New Sharon and Theresa Foster of Strong, during the Wednesday Worker and Warm Up program at the grange in West Farmington. The program is available the first and third Wednesday of the month during the winter. Crafts, games, a warm soup, sweets, coffee and tea are part of each session. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

WEST FARMINGTON — Wednesday Workers and Warm Up [WWW] is once again available 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. the first and third Wednesday through the winter months at Farmington Grange #12, 124 Bridge Street.

“This is our second year,” Bonnie Clark of Farmington said Wednesday, Jan. 3. “We had 14 our first time. We have a small but loyal group here.”

“We usually have more than this here,” Karen Yingling of New Sharon noted.

Some people come and go, others straggle in, Clark said. “We would like to see it grow.”

“Sometimes people bring in different crafts, we learn new things,” Willow Embry of Farmington stated.

Willow Embry, at left and Arthur Shaw, both of Farmington work on a puzzle Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 3, at Farmington Grange #12 in West Farmington. Wednesday Worker and Warm Up is held the first and third Wednesday of the month there through the winter. Also seen clockwise from left are Karen Yingling of New Sharon, Theresa Foster of Strong and Bonnie Clark of Farmington. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Clark typically brings her sewing machine, is available to help people repair clothing, sew buttons or learn how to use the machine. There are lots of games available for people to play, she noted.

“We always have a soup, sweets, coffee and tea,” Clark said.

“You don’t have to stay for the whole time,” Embry stated.

Yingling was knitting a robe while Foster was knitting a mitten.

Foster admitted she doesn’t crochet much, but Clark said there are members who do.

“A couple of us do rug hooking,” Yingling noted. “We only use wool, hook on a special linen which is preferred. We get things from each other and we buy. Pins and Needles in Farmington has everything you need for rug hooking, we get it all there.”

Embry said a great variety of people in the community use the Grange building.

Food trucks The Ugly Dumpling and Freedom’s Forage rent the commercial kitchen downstairs by the month, Clark stated. Families hold reunions, birthday parties, and Thanksgiving gatherings, she noted. Yoga classes are offered, homeschoolers occasionally meet there and a clogging group practices Wednesday nights, she said.

“There is a little free library,” Yingling noted. “The Literacy Volunteers [of Franklin and Somerset Counties] help us keep it stocked.”

Grange members have been waiting two years to get the building painted but there is a shortage of painters, Clark noted.

Those interested in renting the building should contact Marion Scharoun at 207-778-2932. For more information about the commercial kitchen contact Clark at 207-778-1416.