COLLECTORS SEEK 2020 TENINO WOODEN SCRIP

Collectors from around the world are vying to snap up Tenino’s wooden scrip — in some cases bidding up to 12 times the cedar cards’ $25 value — and the phenomenon seems to be tickling pink Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier.

“The fact that the Tenino currency is the highest valued currency in circulation dollar for dollar in the world right now is an amazing statement,” Fournier said last week. “The program is an inspiration worldwide, and that’s pretty mind boggling.”

Moreover, he added, the program’s phenomenal publicity has prompted half a dozen donations totaling about $6,000, and other cities around the country have been contacting city hall to find out more about the grant program and how they might establish one of their own.

For longtime Tenino resident Lauretta Mahlenbrei, the simple index-sized wooden cards featuring George Washington’s face and a $25 symbol are anything but pretentious collector’s items. They’re utilitarian, plain and simple, and they have saved her bacon — and freed her from cleaning people’s toilets just to buy food for her ailing dog.

Mahlenbrei, a Tenino School District bus driver, has been out of work since March 13 when Gov. Jay Inslee ordered all state schools to close to help combat the coronavirus.

For the following 2 ½ months the 63-year-old tried to make ends meet on the $250 per week the school district continued to pay her for her regular bus route, but her typical extra trips, which could double her salary — such as driving students on field trips and sports teams to games — evaporated when the schools closed.

But on May 28 — after jumping through a few hoops at city hall, she said — Tenino’s COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program rescued her. On that day she received 12 wooden cards bearing Washington’s face, each marked $25. The $300 total was redeemable at a variety of businesses around town that had agreed to participate in the grant program.

And then on June 10 — as her money was again set to run out — the city approved her second COVID-19 Recovery grant application, and she subsequently received another $300 scrip installment.

Mahlenbrei was, in fact, one of the first Tenino residents to qualify for the wooden scrip and is to date the only one to receive more than one grant. So far, she has used scrip to purchase merchandise or services at about five out of the 14 Tenino businesses participating in the program.

And on a sunny late-June day in front of Tenino Market Fresh, Whidbey Island resident Franc Sawatzki approached Mahlenbrei with an offer he hoped she couldn’t refuse. The 55-year-old wanted to buy three of her scrip for souvenirs — but before he could even name a price Mahlenbrei was gently refusing.

“I’d heard about the wooden dollars and wanted to buy a few to help out the small town,” he said. “I wanted one for myself and two for relatives.”

Sawatzki, clad in a National Public Radio T-shirt and surgical mask — seemed genuinely interested in the history and design of the scrip, and after chatting with Mahlenbrei for a few minutes went on his way in search of someone else willing to sell the elusive wooden currency.

Through Wednesday, June 24, the owner of Tenino Coffee Bistro had fielded at least seven telephone calls from people as far away as New York wanting to purchase Tenino wooden scrip — for as much as $300 per $25 scrip card.

Williams, who says she was “one of the very few people who tried to open a business during COVID-19,” has been operating since April 1. So far, she has had no customers offer wooden scrip to buy drink, food or other merchandise in her store — which includes white T-shirts emblazoned with images of the scrip.

But she’s received plenty of calls offering to buy the cedar cards.

To read the complete article, see:
Collectors Seek Tenino Wooden Currency (http://www.chronline.com/community/collectors-seek-tenino-wooden-currency/article_5431973e-ba5d-11ea-b311-ab97a51bf16c.html)

The Centralia City Council held a workshop on Tuesday evening to discuss how the city plans to utilize the $515,100 of federal COVID-19 relief funding. The council discussed the details of an application process for non-profit organizations to receive a portion of the funds and the creation of a scrips program.

The details of the scrip program were not finalized at the workshop — city staff will prepare a resolution for consideration and the city council will vote on it at their next council meeting on July 14 at 7 p.m.

City staff researched the options for a scrip program and Brodersen presented the general requirements to the council for discussion at the workshop. The city is looking to allocate $50,000 of the CARES Act funds toward the scrip program.

The scrips would only be available to Centralia residents who complete the application and meet either the income thresholds or are enrolled in the senior discount program at the City of Centralia utilities. An eligible household will receive a set amount based upon the household size with a maximum award of $250 to be spent at participating Centralia businesses.

To read the complete article, see:
Centralia Considers Creating ‘Scrip’ Program, Similar to Tenino’s Wooden Money (http://www.chronline.com/community/centralia-considers-creating-scrip-program-similar-to-tenino-s-wooden-money/article_0182896c-bcb5-11ea-8631-1714ce22dff6.html)

To read earlier E-Sylum article, see:
TENINO'S 2020 WOODEN MONEY (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n24a35.html)
CNN COVERS TENINO'S 2020 WOODEN MONEY (https://www.coinbooks.org/v23/esylum_v23n25a31.html)

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