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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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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Facebook Pages…

 Web Site Information  No Responses »
Apr 282013
 
WB Logo

WWW – Webmaster Walter Writes

I will willingly acknowledge that I am not a huge fan of Facebook… that said, I’m also willing to acknowledge that a number of Granges have created pages and a number of members are “on” Facebook.  One of my major issues with Facebook is the lack of privacy that results… I recently discovered, for example, that at least two of my “friends” are involved with an online dating service. (I thought one of them was married!)

Anyway, before we talk about Facebook Pages you may be creating for your Grange, let me just remind you that your behavior on Facebook may well reflect on your Grange. You are a Grange Ambassador! Please think before you post!

In February 2011 National Grange recognized the growth of social media and the National Grange Executive Committee adopted a website and social media “code of conduct.” The code is part of the Maine State Grange Web Policy, but let me share a few points from it with a few editorial comments.

All websites, Facebook groups or pages, and all other internet based social media platforms representing the  Grange must be under the jurisdiction of a Subordinate/Community, Pomona, or State Grange.

In short, an individual should not just decide to start a Facebook page on behalf of his or her Grange. There are many good reasons for this, but let’s focus on the fact that the page is representing the Grange–not an individual. As such, members should be engaged and involved in order to assure the page is monitored and posts and comments are appropriate. This also helps if the original member loses interest because there will be others ensuring the page/group is kept up-to-date.

No partisan or sectarian comments, opinions, statements, or endorsements may be posted on the website or page.

For reasons sociologists are still exploring, many people feel very free to make bold, sometimes outlandish statements on social media. If your Grange has a Facebook page or group, members should be monitoring themselves and the page to make certain inappropriate comments are not being posted. If the page is identified as a “Grange page,” one person’s opinion should not be represented as Grange thinking.

Note that these guidelines apply to websites as well. Regardless of the venue, we need to keep our Grange Face smiling and positive. That’s not to say there is no room for “healthy debate”–in fact  (lecturers note!) I’ve had one or two folks suggest we might consider more debates as part of our programming.

One additional thought: The National Grange Style Book includes the statement, “For external purposes, you may refer to the Subordinate Grange as a Community Grange or pluralized as local Granges.” We truly do have our own language in the Grange… but we might well consider the impact our language has on others. Step outside tradition and habit and ask yourself if most people would be more inclined to be involved in a “Subordinate Grange” or a “Community Grange.”

I thought so! Want to take it one step further? I actually had someone (not a Granger) recently explain that she thought “Grange Meeting” meant members only, but that a “Grange Program” was for everyone. So just maybe instead of Subordinate Grange Meetings we ought to be promoting Community Grange Programs!

 

 

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Loafing with CWA

 CWA Committee  No Responses »
Apr 252013
 

There appears to be several versions of the recipe for the Blueberry Banana Loaf floating around, including one that omits a line of instruction. The recipe in the official CWA Program Book is complete, and that book can be downloaded from the MSG website. The confusion appears to be in step one. The complete, correct instruction (as shown in the program book) is:

 Step #1

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour bottoms only of three 6”x3 ½” inch loaf pans. In large bowl, combine sugar and oil; beat well. Add bananas, applesauce, vanilla and eggs; blend well.

(This was edited a bit for clarity.) The program book also includes complete rules for entering, including contest deadline.

Officers and Directors, please note: This might be a good opportunity to remind everyone that posting your program book, contest rules, etc. on the website can avoid a lot of confusion and make the information widely available. Do not assume I have your information.. Program books or lengthy instructions and forms are best sent electronically (a PDF file is perfect) as an attachment to an email addressed to webmasteratmainestategrangedotorg  (webmasteratmainestategrangedotorg)  . If you have submitted your program books and other information to the site, please send any changes and corrections when you make them. We can save time and avoid confusion and frustration with a program of active communication.

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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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Webmaster’s Report – April 2013

 Web Site Information  No Responses »
Apr 152013
 
Webmaster Walter Writes... WWW!

Webmaster Walter Writes… WWW!

You’d probably prefer that I don’t remind you that today is tax day, so instead we’ll get right to the business of talking about your Maine State Grange website! Before I start nagging, let me share some numbers with you.

If we consider this site something of a virtual Grange Hall, we can note that so far this year we’ve been averaging 60 visits per day! Imagine leaving your Grange Hall unlocked and seeing 60 people drop in during the course of a day. How cool would that be!? Yes, some are members–but not all. There’s really no way of knowing how that breaks down, but based on some of the submitted questions I get (and the search terms that bring people to the site) I can assure you there are a number of people visiting the site for information about the Grange that ranges from historical questions to how to rent (and in one case buy) a Grange Hall to what scholarships are available…

One of the exciting things happening recently is that several Granges have claimed their free website from National… and I congratulate those Granges and the folks in them who’ve “taken the plunge” and are willing to learn a little bit about how to maintain a site. The sites offered by National are very user-friendly–most of the work has already been done, so the challenge is reasonable and the benefits are many. Websites are about communication and anything you can do to improve communication among your members and communities is a big step forward. If you’re interested in getting started, you can contact National Grange or shoot me an email   (webmasteratmainestategrangedotorg)  and I’ll help you get started.

Of course I’m being a little selfish, because once you have a site, you’ll understand some of the frustrations I face. One is that it’s hard to communicate without information! But you’ll also understand the rewards and I can assure you it’s rewarding when people use the site to learn things and share good news.

If you’ve been following this site, you know we recently underwent a major change in the way events are handled. The “bad” news is event postings are no longer automatically emailed to subscribers. The good news is events are much easier to find and can include a lot more detail… in fact, that visitor who wants to come to the public supper you are having can now have a map to your Grange. Oh, wait–that only works if you’ve submitted the address of your Grange with your event information. And if you have, that only works if you’ve used the 911 address. For example, Valley Grange is located at the corner of Butter Street and Guilford Center Road. But if you are using a GPS or the mapping program on the site to find it, you really want to know that Valley Grange is at 172 Guilford Center Road in Guilford Maine 04443.  So if I were submitting an event I’d include that address in every submission, because I know the webmaster can’t possibly remember the address of every Grange in Maine.

The devil is in the details. I’m working on a new submission page that will encourage you to remember to include them. It should be ready in a week or two, but many of you prefer just sending an email and that’s fine. Just make an effort to include all the information. Rudyard Kipling will help you:

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.

If your Grange has it’s own website, include that address (URL) in the details you submit so those who are interested can find additional information. One other request: if you are emailing information or an article, please turn on your spell-check. Even that doesn’t guarantee everything will be write right. But it will help.

Think spring! It’s a time for growing… let’s not limit that growth to plants! We can grow communication, websites, and our Granges!

 

 

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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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Valley Grange To Honor Piscataquis Observer and WABI-TV5

 Events, Grange News  No Responses »
Apr 112013
 

NewsGuilford—For over a decade, Valley Grange has honored a local citizen each year with their “Community Citizen of the Year” award. This year the Guilford-based organization is breaking tradition by presenting two awards. One will go to the Dover Foxcroft based Piscataquis Observer and another to Bangor based WABI-TV Five at the Grange’s Community Celebration on May 17th. “

This is not the first time we’ve presented the award to an organization,” noted Mary Annis, Valley Grange Community Service Chair. “But it is the first time we’ve given two awards in one year.” Annis explained that members always use a “boots on the ground” standard when selecting the recipient. “And these two organizations have supported our communities by taking interest and sending reporters to cover news and events that are important to the welfare of our communities.” By coincidence, the Observer is celebrating their 175th anniversary this year and WABI-TV5 it’s 60th making the honor seem even more appropriate. For all these reasons, Grange members agreed unanimously to double up the award and create a media event for media.

Publicity and Program Director Walter Boomsma noted there is some irony surrounding the event. “Who’s going to take the photos and write the story? The people who would usually do so will be the featured guests!” Boomsma further noted that the program is also a celebration of community. “While we are honoring these two organizations, we are also celebrating our communities. We should be proud of the things we achieve by working and playing together as friends and neighbors.”

The May 17th program will begin with a community potluck supper at 6 PM and attendees are invited to “bring a dish to share.” The program begins at 7 PM with a brief introduction of the Grange’s work and mission. The formal presentation of awards will be followed by an opportunity for individuals and organizations to express their support and appreciation in the form of brief testimonials or additional honors. Those who cannot attend are encouraged to send letters to Walter Boomsma, 17 River Road, Abbot 04406 to be read during the program.

Valley Grange Master/President Jim Annis notes that the invitation is extended to local organizations in the area. “I can’t think of any local organization—non-profit, school, or business—who hasn’t in some way benefitted from the work of The Observer and WABI,” he said. “We hope many organizations will send a representative to the program and join us in saying ‘thanks.’”

Valley Grange is located at 172 Guilford Center Road at the corner of Butter Street in Guilford. Additional information is available on the Valley Grange website: http://valleygrange.com.

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