Maine Contests Encourage Helping with National Convention 2013!

 National Conference  1 Response »
Aug 312012
 

Submitted by Vicki Huff, Coordinator for Maine–Northeast Connection

Webmaster’s note: You can download a Northeast Connection Contest Poster summarizing these contests and use it for your own reference or to post on your Grange Bulletin Board.

2013 National Grange Convention is coming to our area and will be here before we know it! The Coordinators from the seven Northeast States need your help. Below are three contests we need your help with. These contests will result in materials we need for the Convention.

First, we are looking for a design for hat, mitten and scarf trees. The prototype can be made on a small scale out of any material you choose and should be a pattern that can be adjustable to a full size tree.  In the past each state in the region hosting National Session has donated a decorated artificial Christmas tree to the session and they have been given to local charities. We wanted to do something a little different in the Northeast and instead of asking for decorations we will donate hats, mittens and scarves.

Second, we are looking for ideas for centerpieces and table favors for the different banquets.

Rules and Considerations:  Centerpiece entries should be suitable for round table seating and  no taller than eight inches. Special consideration will be given to entries that conform to the convention theme “How Sweet It Is.”  Also, remember the goal of the Northeast Connection to make this an environmentally-conscious convention. Use of recycled components (cans, glass, plastic, etc.) is encouraged as long as these components are readily available in larger quantities for “mass production.” We will need to produce a large number of each design.   Table favors can be designed to coordinate with a specific centerpiece entry or may be submitted as a separate entry.

A list of materials used must accompany each entry along with a label that identifies the name, Grange, and state of its creator and should also include the category and meal function for which the entry is intended.

Keep in mind that centerpieces may be awarded to lucky diners at the conclusion of the meal. Therefore it is helpful if they can be easily dismantled and packed away in luggage and unnecessary parts discarded.

The current meal functions planned are (subject to change):    Freshmen Delegates Breakfast, Distinguished Grange Awards meal, Host Region Dinner, Heroes of the Grange Luncheon, GROW Club and Youth Dinner, Past Delegates Luncheon, Salute to Ag Breakfast, Junior Breakfast, Luncheon with speaker, Committee Chair and Secretaries’ Meal Celebration Banquet.

If you wish to enter any of these three contests (Tree, Centerpiece, Favors) please bring your entry to the State Grange Convention, October 25th-27th at The Elks Club in Rockland. You may also give your entry to your Deputy prior to December 1 and he or she can bring it with him or her to Deputy School.

All entries must be at State Headquarters by December 21, 2012. Judging will be taking place in January at Northeast Leaders Conference which Maine is hosting this year.

If you have questions please email or call Vicki Huff, the information in the roster is correct.

I look forward to seeing your creativity! Maine Grangers are the best.

Fraternally,

Vicki

 

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Help Wanted!

 State Conference  No Responses »
Aug 282012
 

An important part of the Sixth Degree offered in conjunction with State Conference is the “Rose Drill.” Brother Jim Owens is looking for a volunteer to organize and lead this year’s team… Call him at 696-5338! The Sixth Degree (and Rose Drill) will be conducted on Friday, October 26th this year.

The job can be a whole lot of fun and contributes a great deal to conference. You can do it!

 

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Quick Tip — Make Something!

 Quick Tips  No Responses »
Aug 272012
 

Quick Tip

Submitted by Vicki Huff

In a recent tip our Webmaster mentioned the cd included with the Grange Month information from National Grange. Folks this is a great tool. You can use it to create your own information boards for in your hall, on your town’s web-site. It includes Youth and Junior information as well as approved logos, grange emblems and most computers should be able to use at least one of the formats available. These were sent to your grange secretaries, ask them for it, use it. I am confident you will find it helpful. I know I did. Thanks Walter for the tip.

 

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Piscataquis Pomona Reveals New Fair Display

 Publicity Posts  No Responses »
Aug 262012
 

Submitted by Walter Boomsma, Piscataquis Pomona Publicity Director

Four panel configuration at the Piscataquis Fair

Sometimes ideas just happen! I’ve always struggled with ways to present information in a number of different venues both in my own work as well as that of the Grange. Anyone who has had posters and signs blow away at outdoor events knows some of the challenges! Well, here’s something I discovered that might be of interest–the grooves in “tongue and groove” boards are just about the right size to accomodate the foam board readily available. If you’re willing to get a little sawdust in your hair, you can make a very flexible display unit with a couple of 2×4′s and some tongue and groove (t&g). By having different lengths t&g the resulting stand can be readily adapted to fit in different areas.For the Piscataquis Pomona Fair display, there are four panels–making the unit 80″ wide. Two of those panels might be considered “general information” about the Grange such as member benefits and our principals. The two center panels included photos of each Grange Hall in our Pomona, maps and general meeting information.

While we didn’t attempt to staff the booth this year, we did make it open and provided some seating so folks could rest their weary feet. An ambitious thought for the future might include scheduling member Granges to provide coverage by someone who could answer questions and do some gentle recruiting. Since we have some “friendly competition” for members there would definitely be an incentive to sign up!

There’s a community Grange near you!

Another goal our Pomona has had for a while now is a “directory” of Granges in the area that we can freely distribute at events and have available at places like the Chamber of Commerce. One of the challenges with that has been getting complete, up-to-date information for every Grange because elections are held so close to the fair. This year I decided some information is better than none so we could have a “take home” piece to accompany the fair display. While the primary purpose is to let folks know where they can find a Grange in our area, I’ll bet some officers will find it useful as well! (Download your copy of the Piscataquis Pomona Directory.) While I think specific, local information is always best not every Grange has the resources to produce their own brochure and other publicity. (Several Piscataquis Pomona Granges do have individual brochures and these were available in the booth.) This is one very practical way for a Pomona to support member Granges–by pulling together information and resources. If you’d like more information regarding how to build the frame, send me an email  (webmasteratmainestategrangedotorg)  . You only need basic carpentry skills. The exhibit will be on display at the next Piscataquis Pomona meeting scheduled for September 6th at Valley Grange. Join us for potluck at 6 PM and a meeting featuring newly installed officers at 7 PM. Lecturer’s program is “Gee Haw!”

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Woolwich Celebrates Members

 Grange News, Membership  No Responses »
Aug 252012
 

Woowich Grange Master, John Hauck, with Sister Grace Smith, 75 years of service, Charlotte Sutter, a 70 year member, and Marion Bailey, also a 75 year certificate honoree.

Wearing lovely corsages, three members of Woolwich Grange #68 were awarded certificates honoring long-time service to the Grange. After a delicious roast pork dinner, Grange members and families of the honorees were introduced. The three recipients were given not only their certificates, but also each received a silver ornament depicting the Woolwich Grange building. Grange Master John Hauck spoke of the contributions of each of those receiving certificates. They were Sister Charlotte Sutter, honored for her 70 years of membership, and Sisters Grace Smith and Marion Bailey, both having been members for 75 years. A fourth member, Sister Edna Lord, was honored for 85 years of membership, but was unable to be present. Family group photos were taken, and members shared reminiscences at the close of the ceremonies

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National Grange releases ‘Legal and Economic Influence of the Grange’ as an e-book

 Grange News  1 Response »
Aug 232012
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Aug. 21, the National Grange released “Legal and Economic Influence of the Grange 1867-1967″ as a Kindle download available through Amazon’s Kindle Store.

The text, written by authors John Miles Jr., Alfred Strand Jr., William Falck and Robert Lingo, chronicles the impact of the Grange on social legislation through the organization’s first 100 years.

The digital version of the 1967 volume has 91 pages, including index, introduction, and footnotes.

“We are very happy to be able to bring ‘Legal and Economic Influence of the Grange’ to the public,” National Grange President Ed Luttrell said. “The Grange’s impact on social legislation cannot be understated, so it is important to have such a comprehensive look at the most important advocacy moments of the Grange’s early history available for anyone interested.”

The National Grange has signed a 90-day exclusivity deal for “Legal and Economic Influence of the Grange 1867-1967″ with Amazon Continue reading »

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Valley Grange Featured on Grange Radio

 Community Service, Grange News  No Responses »
Aug 212012
 

Grange Radio is available in the form of “podcasts” on the National Grange Website… Programs run about 20-30 minutes in a talk show format on a wide variety of subjects. (They are referred to as podcasts because of the popularity of listening to them on I-Pods, but you can also listen on any computer, tablet, or even smart phones as long as you have Internet access.) National Grange Program Assistant Austin Miller recently sat down with Tracey Hanson, Junior Grange Activities Director at the Rhode Island State Grange, Walter Boomsma, Publicity and Program Director (lecturer) at Valley Grange No. 144 in Guilford, Maine and Steve Runkel, President of Cape Fear Grange in North Carolina, to talk about the types of programs Granges participate in to get area children ready to tackle a new year of school. Hear what they discussed and enjoy the ideas. (When you arrive at the site you’ll need to click “launch podcast” at the end of the description.)

For additional specific information regarding Valley Grange’s programs, you can also visit the Valley Grange Website.

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Community Service Reminder

 Community Service  No Responses »
Aug 202012
 

Submitted by Christine Corliss, Member of Maine State Community Service Committee. 

Hello Everyone!

Maine State Session is just around the corner.  Community Service is sending out this reminder to please make sure delegates stop by the Community Service table to sign and pick up your Grange’s Community Service Books.

We will also be raffling off baskets with all proceeds to benefit the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.  Please be sure to stop by our tables to purchase your tickets.  Please also make sure to come by our tables to pick up all your information on different Community Service Organizations in your area.

Hope to see you then.

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Webmaster’s Report August 2012

 Web Site Information  No Responses »
Aug 162012
 

Words from Walter…

Greetings, Grangers!

It hardly seems possible but the summer is almost over… here we are in the middle of fair season and the stores are featuring back to school supplies! In Grange circles it’s the season of officer installations and the anticipation of State Conference just two short months away… contests are ending, reports are due. And of course, every end is also a beginning. As we begin a new Grange year, I thought I’d share a couple of tips with you and remind you of some resources that are available.

We can start by suggesting you find the CD that came with your “Grange Month” packet from National Grange last spring. If you are producing any sort of flyers or print material, you really need this CD! It contains all sorts of useful items from sharp, crisp logos to actual copies of the full color brochures containing information ranging from membership benefits to our declaration of purposes. (If you don’t have the CD, most of this information is available on the “members side” of the National Grange Website.)

Consistency is often about habits. Did you know, for example, that you should always capitalize the word “Grange” when writing? You’ll learn this (and a whole lot more) in the Communications Handbook.  Another important aspect of consistency relates to Facebook pages or websites. If your Grange has created one, it’s important that you are consistently sharing information. Otherwise it’s like starting a weekly newspaper but only publishing an issue every month or two. You won’t keep subscribers very long by effectively saying, “You’re not important enough for us to be bothered keeping you informed.”

The Communications Handbook is 168 pages of just plain “good stuff” that’s not just for publicity directors or webmasters. Over the next couple of months I’ll be sharing some bits of the information from it, but you don’t have to wait! Get your copy today–it’s an easy read and you will learn a lot!

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Membership Column August 2012

 Membership  No Responses »
Aug 152012
 

A new Grange has been organized in Montville recently. I am excited about the enthusiasm of the 20 plus new members who have joined. In speaking to them, they have some great ideas and much hope. Let’s learn from them and welcome them to our fraternal family.

Remember to keep all of your members involved. Ask them for help with a project. Listen to their ideas. Many people don’t feel comfortable speaking up because they feel they can’t make a difference. Try a new approach. Ask the ones who sit and say nothing meeting after meeting for ideas or to help with a project. Maybe they have been ignored for years or overlooked by more active members. You may be pleasantly surprised how just a small gesture on your part can make a world of difference for them and your Grange!

We are trying to initiate new ideas and projects for membership building. Many Granges have welcomed the idea of working together, with other organizations and other Granges. Our Pomona granges have been encouraged to help the Subordinates.

Building membership does not have to be a difficult task. While keeping membership is our biggest concern, we must look within to prepare ourselves to receive and keep the new members. Every Grange, no matter how small, is encouraged to have a working membership committee. Every granger affects membership.

Fraternally,

Rick Grotton , Co-Membership Committee Director.

 

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