Grant County Republican Party honors volunteers and fallen community workers

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Republicans gathered late Tuesday at the fairgrounds to honor some long-time party volunteers and party figures who have passed in the last few years.

“We have a lot of people who serve this party, some of them for years and years,” said county GOP Chairman Danny Stone. “They can work in the background, some work up front. But sometimes we feel like they are not acknowledged in a way that would just be a historical part of our memory.”

The Grant County Republicans have installed a “Memory Wall” in their building at the fairgrounds to honor long-time Republican Party volunteers and workers who have died in the last few years. Honored on that wall Tuesday were state legislative assistant Kyle Lynch, longtime volunteers Warren and Ethylmarie Greeley, and party rally organizer Anthony Schneider.

“Looking back, there are some great folks in the history of our party,” Stone said.

The party also honored, as Volunteers of the Year, Linda Bishop and Ivan Schultz.

Stone said it was important to honor volunteers and the memories of those who have passed as a way of reminding Republicans what they believe in, stand for, and can accomplish, as well as a way of inspiring new generations of volunteers, assistants, organizers and elected officials.

“Maybe by honoring them, it will encourage others to stick with it, to hang in there and be people who care about others and who care about their country,” Stone said. “These people did it, and so can you.”

Stone said that as the year progress, more names and photos will be added to the memory. The county GOP will also name new volunteers of the year at its annual Lincoln Day Dinner every February.

“We will fill it up,” Stone said of the Memory Wall. “I’m not sure where we’ll put all the pictures.”