Tag: Grange Activities

President’s Perspective – June 2026

Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange Master/President
207 490-1029

THANK YOU to Manchester Grange once again for allowing us to use your hall for our annual fundraising yard sale event. Thank you to all the folks who came to support us, and/or helped. We appreciate your participation, efforts, donations, and hard work. We had a wonderful day, and the weather cooperated.

ELECTIONS are at hand; June is the time for electing officers. Our State By-Laws require every Grange to have full elections every year and yes, we use paper ballots for each officer with names being presented for each, one officer at a time prior to the ballot. Please consider the officers/leaders of your Grange, are you ready for a change, what is best for your Grange, are there others who would make good officers, are you helping others learn the different duties of the offices, or are you pushing too hard?  Some offices are more involved than others. Some committees are more involved than others. 

After the election, the reelected or newly elected Master/President shall appoint/select the Committee Chairs and committee members for their Grange. This should be done right away; there is no need to wait for the installation of officers to get your committees set up. Some of the most common Committees in our Granges are: Legislative-Agriculture; Women’s Activities; Youth; Junior; Community Service; Family, Health & Hearing; Membership and Others. Committee terms begin upon installation of officers. Other Committees may be named as needed that may be specific to your Grange. Special Committees are established as needed for a special event or activity. Please tell your Secretary who the chairman will be, so they can report the roster information to the office.

ROSTER INFORMATION is to be sent to the State Grange office as soon as possible after your elections are completed. Grange Secretaries will receive the 2027 Roster forms next week. Please fill them out legibly and return them to the office as soon as possible. If you want to type the information out separately and mail or email it to us, that would be fine also. 

We will be looking for the following information to be provided to us for each Grange:  Grange Name and Number; Street Address and Town of Grange Hall; Meeting Day(s) and Time; Supper or Refreshments and Time.  (Maine State Grange By-Laws:  ARTICLE XXII – MEETINGS  Section 1.  The Bylaws of each Subordinate Grange should definitely fix the day and hour of all regular meetings.)  Plus the following information for Officers and chairmen.

  • Master/President: Name; Address; Phone; (Cell if they want it listed); and e-mail address.
  • Lecturer: Name: Address; Phone; (Cell if they want it listed); and e-mail address.
  • Secretary: Name: Address; Phone; (Cell if they want it listed); and e-mail address.
  • CWA Chairman: Name; Address; Phone; (Cell if they want it listed); and e-mail address.

RESOLUTIONS are due in the office August 15, 2026, either by email to mainestategrange@gmail.com or by standard mail to 36 Anthony Ave, Suite 102, Augusta, 04330. Submit both ways to ensure we receive them.  Resolutions must have a title provided by the Grange; we cannot assign one. The Title reflects the issue you are proposing, the “whereas” section(s) explains the issue and includes facts or information and the “resolved” section(s) explain how you propose to correct the issue. The entire resolution must be written out, if you use initials in your resolution, the words must also be written out. The resolution must be voted on & supported by the Grange to be submitted to the State Grange. Any resolutions to make changes to State or National Grange By-Laws must refer to the Article number, Section number, and sub-section number(s) and be written out in full as it currently appears in the State or National By-laws, then the new change written out in full with the change(s) to be made.  

We then have to print everything and mail all resolutions back to each Grange, after the August 15th deadline. The Delegate Registration, Meal forms, Schedule, etc., also will be sent in August. This all takes time.  State Session is October 30 & 31 at Black Bear Inn in Orono.

Officer and Department Reports are due in the office no later than September 15th. (written or emailed to the office and to my email  SHarriman@twc.com).  I prefer emailed reports. These dates may seem early, but getting everything put together for the session takes time. 

Mill Stream Grange Visits School

Kindergartners Start Farming

Recently, Mill Stream Grange members Jill Sampson, Lisa Goucher, and Paula Hanley visited teacher Melanie Hall’s kindergarten class at Mt. Vernon Elementary School to share information about the Grange and farming.  Each child was given a new book titled “Farming” by Gail Gibbons, a coloring book on farming, and animal stickers. Jill read “Farming” to the students, then Lisa and Paula helped each of them to plant sunflower seeds, which were placed on the windowsill in the sun.  

Mt Vernon Kinders had fun learning
Jill reads to future farmers.
Jill reads to future farmers
The farmers’ tools and future crops

Farming by Gail Gibbons is a popular nonfiction children’s book that uses clear, colorful illustrations and diagrams to explain the year-round work on a farm, from planting and harvesting crops to caring for animals and dealing with seasonal changes. An updated edition includes new safety equipment and procedures, making it an engaging and educational resource for young readers (ages 4-8) about agriculture, tractors, and where food comes from. It is available from Amazon.

What’s not to love about Jill’s apron? “Romaine Calm and Carrot On.”

Sagadahoc Pomona News

By Marilyn Stinson

Sagadahoc Pomona held their May meeting at Topsham Grange where Lecturer Sharon had an interesting program for her agriculture report. What do elephants and fireflies have in common? They are both “keystones” for our environment. We learned how to help reduce the light pollution that is harming our ecosystem.

Marilyn has been saying that she would rather Enterprise Grange (in Richmond) get a red or white ribbon for the exhibits they earn at the fair than a blue one, because there is no competition. Well, we also learned that Merriconeag (in Harpswell) is having secret meetings to come up with the best exhibit with the Poultry Theme that MAAF has given all Granges to use.

Ta Da!! A friendly challenge is accepted. It will be fun to see how the different Granges in our state respond to the second year of the Maine Fair Association directing our common theme.

Monmouth Fair is the first and has to be set up before June 24th, which is our meeting date. Pittston is second in July, then Windsor, Topsham, and Litchfield for the fairs in our area.

Sagadahoc will have a Memorial program and Elections on June 24th, no meeting in July, and our picnic at James Mitchell Park on the ocean in Harpswell on August 29th. See you then!

Communication Shorts 05-26-2026

By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842

Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Please send us your ideas and thoughts!

The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330.
 mainestategrange@gmail.com.

June Bulletin

Articles for the June Bulletin are due by the end of the day, June 14th.. Recent issues of the Bulletin are available on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Website Status

No more outages! The site seems to be running faster! We still are occasionally run into missing items and links not working. If it happens to you, please let the webmaster know!

Great Grange News

Ocean View Grange reports they have been highlighted for their Fuel Assistance Program in this issue of the St George Community Development Corporation newsletter. They are happy that their efforts are noted and proud that the Ocean View Grange members are part of helping our community.

Election Stress Getting to You?

Set strict media boundaries: Stop doomscrolling by scheduling 15 to 30 minutes a day to check the news, and use news-free zones (like your bedroom) to disconnect. The June Primaries are only the beginning.

Fryeburg Fair Opportunity

The Fryeburg Fair is seeking a nonprofit to take over the New Church Booth. The New Church group had operated the booth for seventy-three years! The Fair provides an opportunity for over 20 non-profits to earn funds through the operation of various booths. Who is up to this challenge?

What’s Going On?

Don’t forget to submit your special events and programs for our event calendar! We want people to know the Grange is thriving! Surely, there are lots of things happening in Maine, especially in the summer. We also love photos and reports of events that have happened. What’s your meeting magic?

To Ponder…

Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.

Howard Zinn

An Idea for Your Grange

How about sponsoring a Patriotic Flower Contest in your community? This could be done in conjunction with an Independence Day parade or as part of your 250 Celebration. One option would be to follow the model of a Christmas lighting contest. Another would be to create a garden tour with a patriotic theme.

Subscribe!

Remember, we don’t share your email address with anyone, and you get a weekly summary of what’s been posted. Subscribe here! Share that link with your members and Grange friends!

Online Directories Available 24-7

Thanks to those who help us keep these directories current by letting us know of changes!

  • The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct! Visitors to the site frequently consult these directories.
  • The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies, along with their contact information. Updated January 16, 2026.

June Grange Events

Every Monday, at 7 PM, St George Grange hosts Music Night. Enjoy live music, bring a musical instrument and play, or get up and sing.
Every Saturday, 10 AM-4 PM, Kennebec Valley Grange hosts a flea market that fills two floors. Details here or call Diane Pinkham at 207 314-5135 FMI.

  • Elections of Officers
  • June 6, 2026, MSG Yard Sale at Manchester Grange, 9 AM – 1 PM. For table rental, 207 213-0371, For event info, 207 583-7211.
  • June 13, 2026, St George Grange Public Supper, 5 pm. FMI
  • June 13, 2026, Winthrop Grange Bean Supper, 4- 6 pm, FMI contact gwamme@gmail.com.
  • June 14, 2026, Dairy Goat Class at Evening Star Grange starts at 11 am. $20, FMI contact fullmooncreamery@gmail.com.
  • June 14, 2026, MSG Bulletin Deadline
  • June 19, 2026, Victor Grange in Fairfield hosts a free senior lunch, 11 AM – 1 PM.

When submitting an event, please include:

  1. Date it’s being held
  2. Start and end times
  3. What type of event (public supper, craft fair, etc.)
  4. Where it’s being held (include town, please)
  5. Who to contact for additional information (phone number, email address, or both)
  6. Any cost information, including “by donation.”

Ocean View Grange Helps with Flags

Ridge Church Cemetery with flags placed for Memorial Day
Along with the local American Legion, several Grange members volunteered to help place American Flags on the Grave markers for veterans at the Ridge Church cemetery in St George, Maine.  This is a very moving and rewarding duty.

Highland Lake Grange Places Flags

Submitted by Dave Gowen

On May 16, 2026, eight members of Highland Lake Grange placed American flags on veterans’ graves at Highland Lake Cemetery for Memorial Day. The Grange has been placing flags for over ten years. Grange markers (made by the members) were placed next to the graves of past members of the Grange.

Exploring Traditions – May, 2026

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

From the First Degree

During our recent Degree Day, someone commented that they wished more people could hear the words from the Degree Work. For the next few issues, we’ll be sharing some of them!

Early in the First Degree, the Overseer explains to the candidates:

“Friends, the Grange is a great fraternity, and the lessons of its ritual are expressed by the use of symbols drawn from the field, the farm and the farm home. The first four Degrees of our Order are based upon the seasons of the year, each conveying its appropriate lesson. You are about to enter the mysteries of the First Degree, symbolic of springtime on the farm, when all Nature is bursting into newness of life. The wild flowers are making the woods and the hills glorious with their beauty; orchards are in bloom, and the air is redolent with their perfume; plowing the fields has begun and soon the sower will go forth to sow.

Additional Laborers and Maids are needed for work in field and household, and we accept you as willing workers, now in waiting for the tasks to which you will be assigned: For in our fraternity there is work for all, and the idler has no place among Patrons of Husbandry.”

Of course, the idea is to do more than simply hear (read) the words. With this, we have the opportunity to digest those words. It was not an accident that the Degree Work starts with the spring season, “when all Nature is bursting into newness of life.” Joining the Grange is also about newness in our lives as we commit to live differently, in accordance with the “precepts of our order.”  There is work to be done on our farms, our communities, and ourselves. Joining the Grange was never meant to be a passive experience, and the “idler has no place among Patrons of Husbandry.”

Another advantage of reading and absorbing these words is that we’re allowed to drift off into visualization. We can take the time to see what the overseer is describing. Imagine standing at the gate to a farm, ready to enter and become responsible for what happens on it. There is no sense of dread. Perhaps some anxiety and tension, but a deep sense of excitement and possibility.

As the Lecturer accepts the candidates’ applications (signets), he explains, “An honest man is the noblest work of God… The first and highest object of our Order is to develop a  better and higher manhood and womanhood.” That’s not just something we do to and for others. It’s something we do to and for ourselves.

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://wboomsma.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.

Membership Moments, May 2026

Rick Grotton

By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915

One of the best parts of being on the State Membership Committee is the pleasure of awarding longevity certificates to members and certificates of appreciation to community individuals who have done outstanding work to improve the lives of those around them. The positive energies are felt throughout the room, and their imprints are embedded in the walls of the Grange Halls. Listening to the recipients as they give their acceptance speech and watching their faces as their eyes sparkle, their positive energies emerge from their voices, and feeling their gratitude as it flows freely from their person gives me a warm, happy, proud feeling. It makes me grateful and proud to be a Grange member. Whether the recipient is receiving a 25-year or an 80-year certificate (yes, it is true), the responses all resonate with the same happy feelings, with good memories of their Grange membership. You can tell that being a Grange member has had a grand impact on their lives and the lives of their family and friends. I certainly can relate to that reasoning. The family of the recipients who attend but are not Grange members also listen with awe and gratitude while their family recipient is truly immersed in good thoughts and projects, conveying such feelings to the audience.

Utilize your Halls to give awards to non-members who are outstanding in your communities. There are many people doing positive things, and they are mainly overlooked. Recognize them and offer your thanks and appreciation for what they have done for the community and for the Grange.  This ceremony will bring people to the Grange building, and for many, it will be their first time in a Grange Hall. The families of those recipients will learn what the Grange does. Usually, when I host such an event for non-members only, I give them a brief history of the Grange before giving awards, so they become aware of their surroundings.

Rapid Program Resource

Submitted by Diane Pinkham

Rapid Resource Logo

The Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention (MCEAP) has a Speakers Bureau with presenters who are available to give a 60-minute presentation on elder abuse. To raise awareness of the serious problem of elder abuse and the many valuable resources that are available in Maine to help those who are affected by it, the Council developed an Elder Abuse: A Community Problem with Community Solutions presentation.

MCEAP’s goal for this presentation is to provide an overview of the issue of elder abuse including statistics, general information about the different types of elder abuse, and where to go for help. This presentation does not provide profession-specific content, and it does not include information about legal reporting mandates.

For more information or to request a speaker for your event, please contact:

Jill Randall
Co-Chair, Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention
jrandall@mainelse.org

207-620-3114