HOWELL – The Southard Grange hosted its first monthly open mic night of 2026, where talents from across the local area took the stage to share their diverse music and poetry. Several different genres of music were played and sung by nine different acts for the crowd to enjoy, spanning from original country songs to Elvis Presley being played on an accordion. The event itself was put on by the grange to establish a sense of community, spread the word of their organization, and to find a way to bring people together.
Food was available for eventgoers to make a plate, and tables were set up so that attendees could sit together while the music played.
The first performers at the event were guitarist Mike Galligan and flute player Karen Bowdan. They specialized in country music and sang a few original songs during their time on the mic. Other acts that followed them included an accordion player who played a lot of Elvis Presley songs, a guitarist who specialized in 80s rock, and a poet who read a few original works while on the mic.
The Southard Grange is run by a group that is dedicated to giving back to the community. They have done volunteer work with local pet associations including the Jersey Shore Animal Center and they also have plans in the works to do a stockings for soldiers drive next year, to do volunteer work at local senior centers, and will be helping out one of the other granges in north Jersey with a veterans benefit theater.
The grange itself was originally founded to be a gathering place for farmers. When granges were first popping up around the country in the late 1860s and early 1870s, they were largely put together to help feed the southern United States during their time of economic ruin after the Civil War, according to the Southard Granges president, Geri Wallens.
The National Grange of the order of Patrons of Husbandry, of which the Southard Grange is an affiliate, has a mission statement on its website describing what their goals are in the modern day.
“Our mission is to strengthen individuals, families and communities through service, education, nonpartisan grassroots advocacy and agricultural awareness.”
Nowadays, the Southard Grange has become a center for the arts run by a group dedicated to giving back to the Howell community.
A few of their community events that celebrate the arts include their monthly open mic night, which is on the first Sunday of every month, a monthly Karaoke Night, various theater events, and more.
In recent years, the grange has not been able to give back to the community on the scale that they would like to, according to Wallens. Their traditional meeting house at 4860 Route 9 has fallen into disrepair and membership has dwindled. The group greatly appreciates any donations made out to them, and welcomes anyone who is interested in joining their cause to give back to the community.
There are very little requirements to joining the group. Those include attending two meetings and paying a $25 membership fee.
For those interested in joining the group, head over to their Facebook page. Upcoming events and more information about the organization itself can be found there.
