To the editor:

We want to thank Charles and Gayle Pancerzewski for their recent generosity in donating $14,000 to Bayview Community Hall, which funded several important and necessary repairs. While it is structurally sound, many improvements are necessary to maintain the hall as a viable meeting place for generations to come.

The hall was built in 1927 to provide a public meeting space in the thriving South Whidbey community. This is still true today, but 83 years has taken its toll. This historical building sits prominently on Bayview Road and belongs collectively to the residents of the South End, but it needs lots of TLC from its owners. To that end, we have decreased our membership fee to $5 so every single resident can afford to support the hall by becoming a member.

The hall is supported through rental fees, but it also sponsors events throughout the year that help with this effort. Many of the events, however, are solely to bring our community together. On Feb. 21, from noon to 2 p.m., we once again honor the ancestors who settled here by featuring the roads that were named after them. Our second Back Roads potluck will give the families connected to Gabelein and Becker Roads a chance to tell their family’s history. And in March we will once again put on our Easter egg hunt, which provided fun for 300 children last year.

Our current membership drive is when we try to gather support for the upkeep, preservation and community enjoyment of Bayview Hall. Please visit our Web site at www.bayviewhall.org for more information.

Brian Grimm

President

Bayview Community Hall Board of Directors