West Bath Seaside Grange Gets Started

 Grange News, Membership  No Responses »
May 232013
 

Webmaster note and correction:  This story was based on the story reported in the newspaper which was incorrect. West Bath Seaside actually had an organizational meeting where they elected three officers for the charter application, Master, Lecturer and Secretary. They also filled out the application with 18 charter members. At their next meeting they will elect the remaining officers and if the charter is back from National it will be presented. Installation and obligation will take place as soon as they are chartered. Thanks to Maine State Grange Overseer Vicki Huff for the correct information.

On Tuesday, May  21st, Maine State Grange Overseer Vicki Huff installed charter officers at the newly organized Grange now known as West Bath Seaside Grange. After a two-year vacancy, the building is being rejuvenated by Master Will Snow and 19 charter members. Following the traditional installation ceremony, Sister Huff joked, “…all the new members are under the age of 50,” and noted, “This will be a happening place with exciting times for them and us.”

The local media also took note and reported that while it’s rare to hear of Grange Halls reopening, the folks in West Bath are reversing that trend. The original story was reported in The Times Record and reprinted in its entirety in the Bangor Daily News. The new Grange plans to meet the first Tuesday of every month.

Master Snow notes that he hopes West Bath Seaside Grange will restore some of the sense of community that is too often missing today. “It’s basically a place for the community to come together,” Snow said, and noted the newly formed group is already planning their first bean supper. He is encouraging others in the area to participate, adding, “Membership will have its privilege.”

Welcome, Patrons of Husbandry affiliated with West Bath Seaside Grange! We’ll be looking forward to hearing about some of those exciting times right here on the Maine State Grange website!

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Wayside Grange May News

 Grange News  No Responses »
May 222013
 

The Dexter Wayside Grange Theatre at their meeting last Thursday made plans to welcome Ken and Jane Brooks for their May 25th appearance. A full house is expected to enjoy old-fashioned  Classic Country music along with songs the Brooks’ have written.

The Talent Night committee reports they now have 1 hour of skits being prepared but need more talent for acting and musical presentations.

The community band will be using the grange stage for practice beginning on June 11. They will do a concert at the grange in September.

Charlie Haiss will provide dinner music at the next grange supper. There was a lengthy discussion regarding improvements to the supper sign which is posted along the roadside advertising the monthly meal.

Chester Bekier reported a number of cracked and broken windows through out the building that require replacing  and glazing. Repairs to the broken windows in the dining hall will be done first. Concern was expressed about the construction of the steps leading up the front porch.

The May schedule for mowing the grange lawn was set.  Grange Master Pearson, will have the honor of the first mowing of the season on May 11th.

It was agreed to remove the overgrown arborvitae trees that were planted some years ago in front of the porch.  They are now quite large and are causing a moisture problem with the wood of the porch.

The matter of concert admission fees to be paid by Wayside Grange members  was discussed.  It was voted that Grange members working at the concert can choose either to attend the show for free, or pay ½ or full admission price.  Non working member can attend the show for ½ price or full price.

The next meeting will be June 13th at 6 PM at the Wayside Grange.

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E Sangerville Grange MOFGA Organizational Meeting

 Agriculture, Events, Grange News  No Responses »
May 222013
 

Webmaster’s Note: I decided to post this as news as well as an event, because it is an example of how Grange’s can collaborate with and assist other like-minded organizations.

Members of the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association in Piscataquis County and neighboring towns are invited to the East Sangerville Grange on Sunday, June 9th at 5 pm for a discussion about the possibility of creating a Piscataquis County MOFGA chapter.

There are currently four MOFGA chapters in Maine: Cumberland County, Waldo County, Sagadahoc County, and Midcoast. Each chapter engages in its own choice of activities. Creating a local chapter involves sending a proposal to MOFGA stating the geographic area the chapter would serve, the number of potential participants, the frequency of meetings and a description of the chapter’s focus or purpose.

One possibility for a Piscataquis County chapter, for example, could be to create easier access to MOFGA’s rich knowledge base and pool of experts by providing a local venue for MOFGA demonstrations and educational talks. The Piscataquis MOFGA chapter would serve Piscataquis County and surrounding towns in the Maine Highlands Region.

The purpose of the June 9th meeting is to gauge interest in the idea and to brainstorm about what a Piscataquis County chapter might look like. If there is enough interest in the idea, East Sangerville Grange is willing to prepare a proposal and would consider acting as the Chapter host.

R.S.VP is not required but appreciated. If you have any questions, or just want to let us know you’re planning to come send a message to the East Sangerville Grange at esangervillegrangeatgmaildotcom  (esangervillegrangeatgmaildotcom)  .

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Valley Grange Honors Two

 Community Service, Grange News  No Responses »
May 202013
 

Valley Grange celebrated community with a potluck supper and program on Friday night that seemed to be all about time. The program included some thoughts on the value of five minutes of community service every day. Noting that if every citizen in Piscataquis County between the ages of 20 and 80 gave 5 minutes per day to his or her community, Lecturer Walter Boomsma pointed out ”this would equate to 188 people working full time in our communities–an average of ten per town. Using the median income from 2011, the value of those five minutes would be the equivalent of an annual payroll of over six and a half million dollars per year.” Boomsma also noted “but there’s more than just dollar value, explaining how his association with Valley Grange has allowed him to discover his passion for working with kids–a passion that sees him now substitute teaching at the elementary school level and having his book Small People –Big Brains published recently. “Were it not for my association with Valley Grange, I might not be where I am today,” he admitted.

Mark Putnam, editor of the Observer, "a successful and effective community newspaper is a direct reflection of its community."

Mark Putnam, editor of the Observer, “a successful and effective community newspaper is a direct reflection of its community.”

The Grange recognized two news organizations for their community service: local newspaper The Piscataquis Observer, and Bangor-based WABI - TV 5. Both organizations were praised for their “boots on the ground” involvement in local communities and their willingness to work with local organizations such as the Grange. Dover Foxcroft Historical Society President Mary Annis offered testimony and an additional award in acknowledgement of both organizations’ contributions. Representatives from UMaine Extension, Kiwanis, Center Theatre, and other Granges in the area added accolades for both organizations’ local emphasis and their responsiveness to individuals and organizations. Piscataquis Community Elementary School Principal Julie Orton noted that the school genuinely appreciates the recognition students receive for their accomplishments and the kids value that recognition and find it rewarding and motivating.

In his response thanking Valley Grange for the honor, Observer Editor Mark Putnam spoke about how the digital age is changing media, but also noted that “our paper truly belongs to the community” adding “there’s no way we’d be celebrating our 175th Anniversary if that were not true… Much like the Grange, our newspaper wants to be relevant and essential in what will be known as the Digital Age.”

WABI News Anchor Terry Stackhouse noted that there was a certain irony to the fact that he is a “six month employee accepting the award on behalf of a sixty year station.” In reporting the story later, he noted that “everyone was very kind and even sent me home with leftover food.” (You can see his report on the WABI Website. )

As part of the celebration of community, Valley Grange also honored members Herb Dunham for 55 years of Grange Membership and Carolyn Campbell for 65 years of membership.

Observer Staff Mark Putnam, Stu Hedstrom, Jeanette Hughes, Linda Kain, and Keri Foster

Observer Staff Mark Putnam, Stu Hedstrom, Jeanette Hughes, Linda Kain, and Keri Foster

Valley Grange is currently conducting a membership drive with the theme, If you’ve got some passion, we’ve got a place…. Membership Chair Janice Boomsma notes “We’re trying to give opportunities for people who want to build community and experience the rewards that come with doing so. We’ll take those five minutes if that’s all someone can spare, but we also have the structure and facilities to assist anyone who want to somehow improve our communities in some way.”

 

 

 

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Bangor Grange Honors Community Citizens

 Community Service, Grange News  No Responses »
May 062013
 

A family, an individual, and a non-profit organization were honored for their commitment to the community during the recent Community Citizens Night at Bangor Grange #372. The meeting was open to the public. Those honored were the Violette family, Dennis, Holly and Julia; Ellen Fisher; and Food and Medicine, represented by Jack McKay, Director. Certificates of Appreciation were presented by Grange Master, Rolf Staples, Sr. as various members recounted the accomplishments of the recipients. The Violettes and Fisher have donated countless volunteer hours in improving the lives of area citizens. Food and Medicine’s policy is that people should not have to choose between food and medicine. The organization has been instrumental in obtaining funding to support CSA, (Community Supported Agriculture), and the 50% discount available to food stamp users at the local farmers’ markets. Grange Community Service Chairman, Anne Staples told those present about the history of the Grange and its present aims and activities. She emphasized that Bangor Grange and the individual members perform community service, including Make-A-Wish, Relay for Life, Disabled American Veterans, sponsorship of the Ohio Street Farmers’ Market, as well as many other activities. The meeting was followed by music from members of the NEVAH Band and refreshments.

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Enterprise Holds Ecumenical Day of Prayer

 Grange News  No Responses »
May 052013
 

Submitted by Marilyn Stinson

Enterprise052013Bette Horning is shown here with the Enterprise Grange focus table for our recent National Day of Prayer Ecumenical Service. It has the Bible and explanations of Flora, Ceres, and Pomona. The table explains how Flora represent flowers, Ceres represents cereal and grains, and Pomona represents the Pomegranates and pom-de-terres and other fruits and veggies.

Since Grange is not a church or religious organization and is non-partisan, it is a very good place to have an Ecumenical National Day of Prayer Service. We only asked that everyone respect the fact that others may pray differently than they do.

Boy Scout Troop #610 did a wonderful job of presenting the flag, leading the Pledge and then three of them read prayers for families, local governments and National Government. We included an explanation of how Muslims, Jews and Christians all have their roots in the same God going back to Abraham. We had a Native American Prayer and a prayer for children that was from Islam and Jewish Prayers and St. Ambrose church had a well written piece about the persecution that Christians are feeling all over the world.

Special music was provided by CJ Roy and St. Ambrose Choir members. Bette read ‘What is a Veteran’ by a Marine Chaplain, Father O’Brien, and leading prayers, with audience participation, for those who have served since WWII. Benediction from ‘The people’ and Grange ended the program.

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Granges Featured in Maine Farm Project

 Agriculture, Grange News, History and Trivia  No Responses »
Apr 262013
 

Image (10)Dear Maine State Grangers:

I have been involved with a volunteer project traveling around the state profiling unique Maine farms.  The project involves a comprehensive website, traveling photo exhibit, a 224-page book, and a slideshow and discussion program. Here is a link to the website: www.uniquemainefarms.com

In my travels I began noticing how the Granges have been an important part of Maine farming.  I decided to create eight webpages on the “Granges in Maine” and include these webpages in my project. You can access these webpages by going to the Home Page of the Unique Maine Farms’ website and looking for the link to “Granges in Maine.”

http://www.uniquemainefarms.com/uniquemainefarms.com/Granges_in_Maine.html

Hopefully, the Maine State Grange will be pleased that the story “Granges is Maine” will be included in the Unique Maine Farms’ project.  I hope that the positive story and photos will prove to be some good complimentary coverage for Granges.

I encourage the various Granges in Maine to send a photo of their Grange building if they would like to see it appear on the webpage that I created that is entitled “Some of the Maine Grange Buildings.”

There are so many beautiful and historic Grange buildings and I think visitors to the Unique Maine Farms’ website might enjoy looking at pictures of them.

The story that I created was based on information that I gleaned from the Maine State Grange website and from various places where I have been and seen a Grange presence such as the Fryeburg Fair.

If you see a need for any corrections with the story that I wrote please let me know.

I realize that the Grange is involved with many very worthy projects and I did not address several of them.  Because the Unique Maine Farms’ project is concentrated on farming in Maine the focus of my discussion on the Granges in Maine was farming-related.  Thanks for your understanding on this.

If you would like to get an idea about many of the over 120 farms that I have visited, here is a link to a recent eight-minute video that I posted online about the Unique Maine Farms’ book project that I have been working on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncQy5ldOJ

I was very impressed with the wonderful work that the Grange has accomplished in Maine.

If anyone knows the name of the lady who is sitting in front of the Grange information table in the photo on the Fryeburg Fair photo page, please let me know.  She was so sweet and I forgot to ask her name and I would like to recognize her properly!

Looking forward to receiving some photos of the Grange buildings and also farm-related Grange news.

With appreciation,

Mary Quinn Doyle
Unique Maine Farms
www.uniquemainefarms.com
mqdoyleatgmaildotcom  (mqdoyleatgmaildotcom)  
207-793-2759
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New Items at Grange Store

 Grange News  No Responses »
Apr 262013
 

(Reprinted from the New Grange Newsletter)ENews Banner (591x208)

By  Samantha Johnson | sjohnsonatnationalgrangedotorg  (sjohnsonatnationalgrangedotorg)  
National Grange Sales, Benefits and Programs Director

The Grange store has added some fun new items available for purchase! These new items include: Grange Sharpie in blue for $2.00 and Navy Long Sleeve Shirt Small thru XL $35 and 2XL $36.

There are some items that have been out of stock for a couple of years that have now returned to the Grange store! These items include: the Golden Sheaf Button for $20 and the 4th Degree Past Master Pin with Gavel for $15.

Also, the Grange is reintroducing the Grange Umbrella and the Grange Binder with new designs. The Grange Umbrella costs $12.50 and the Grange Binder costs $6.

Check out these new items at www.grangestore.org . You can order online at the Grange Store or by calling the National Grange Sales, Benefits and Programs Director Samantha Johnson  (sjohnsonatnationalgrangedotorg)   at 202-628-3507 ext. 109.

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Danville Junction Grange Month

 Grange News  No Responses »
Apr 172013
 
Lucille Webber, accordian player Lorraine Ouellette, and Holly Meserve

Lucille Webber, accordian player Lorraine Ouellette, and Holly Meserve

A very successful Open Meeting in conjunction with Grange Month was held at Danville Junction Grange in Auburn last week with fifty people in attendance.  The program was preceded by a delicious luncheon coordinated by Shirley Hatch and Karen Gagne.

After a welcome by Master Ed MacDonald, the Bible was opened and the flag presented.  The meeting was then turned over to Lecturer Glenys Ryder.

Musical entertainment was provided by Lorraine Ouellette on the accordian, who enlisted the musical talents of two of our members, Holly Meserve and Lucille Webber.  The rest of us helped her out by clapping and tapping our toes!  It was terrific!

A humorous classroom skit was presented by teacher Barbara Hardison and her unruly students, Gladys and Maynard Chapman, Luclle Webber, and Ed MacDonald.

Membership Certificate Recipients: Shirley Hatch, Donald Proctor, and Cynthia Maxwell

Membership Certificate Recipients: Shirley Hatch, Donald Proctor, and Cynthia Maxwell

Membership Certificates were presented to Cynthia Maxwell (55 yrs.), Shirley Hatch and Donald Proctor (both 65 yrs.) by Jim Merserve of the Maine State Grange Executive Committee.

The Community Service Award was presented to Officer Tom Poulin of the Auburn Police Department in recognition of his service to the youth of Auburn.  A $50 donation was given to him for the Police Activities League (PAL) Center for children that is being established in Auburn.

An Appreciation Certificate was given to Barbara Hardison, our present treasurer, for her many years of service to the Grange.

It was an enjoyable evening  of food, fun, and fellowship!

 

Skit: Maynard Chapman, Lucille Webber, Ed MacDonald (on floor), Gladys Chapman, and Barbara Hardison

Skit: Maynard Chapman, Lucille Webber, Ed MacDonald (on floor), Gladys Chapman, and Barbara Hardison

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Wayside Grange Plans Programs

 Events, Grange News  No Responses »
Apr 142013
 

Webmaster’s note: As many know, Wayside Grange in North Dexter has recently reorganized… in an effort to keep their communities informed and engaged they are distributing summaries of their meetings as press releases. A number of the local weekly papers are printing them!

At the Thursday meeting of the Wayside Grange-Theatre plans were finalized for the first supper of the season on April 13. Barbara Bekier reported everything is all set and the kitchen staff is ready to serve a menu of pork roast and all the fixin’s. Guitar dinner music will be played by Ram Das Singh during the meal.

The opening music show will be on April 27 featuring the highly acclaimed Abbott Hill Ramblers band under the direction of Chris Prickett. Liz Breault made a request for volunteers to bake an assortment of desserts for intermission.

Grace Lommel reported fliers have been distributed all around the local area showing the dates of the bands playing at the grange from April to November. The police Department public sign will also list the dates. Grange suppers are to be held on the second Saturday of each month through October. Joe Kennedy and Wally Warren will work on a roadside sign to advertise each supper.

Tim Breen reported on the upcoming Talent Night. There are now enough candidates that have volunteered to make a full show but will advertise for actors to be in the skits. Window repairs, a possible chimney water leak, and loose floor tiles were discussed and will be investigated by the Building Committee. The window in the attic has been fixed.

Dawn Huntt and Joe Kennedy volunteered to work on a scrapbook of clippings of the publicity we have generated so far and continuing. The Treasurer’s report included a request to renew the Victualer’s license and to pay the Annual Incorporation fee.

The Dexter Community Band has requested using the auditorium stage for their weekly practices. This was tentatively approved for a few months providing enough chairs can be located for the band.

The next meeting will be on May 9th at 6:30 PM following the Talent Night meeting at 5:00 PM

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