Piscataquis Pomona officers provided instruction in the fifth degree at the Garland Grange Hall as a great way to “kick off” the month of May and add two new Pomona Members. Candidate Jerome Moores from South Sangerville Grange said he was “pleased to take a step forward in his grange membership” and that he “likes the grange because of what it stands for—family values and commitment—values that we seem to have lost sight of as a society but maybe we can get them back.”
Roberta Moulton and Jerome Moores
Jerome was joined by Berta Moulton from Garland Grange who said she “learned a lot” by taking the instruction and sometimes “sees the grange like ‘Little House on the Prairie’—one big happy family.” She was especially impressed with the depth of knowledge the degree work demonstrated and how “people helped each other” both in the kitchen and the hall.
Chaplain Clyde Berry attended as a representative of State Grange noting that “people are joining local granges because they want to get in on those local granges are doing in the community,” explaining that there is a great diversity in our organization. “What works in one grange might not work in another.”
Reports from Granges in attendance reinforced this as reported activities included “bookworming” with kids, weekly bingo, benefit meals, community service awards, yard sale, and work projects… a list of activities demonstrating busy grange members and the diversity of our organization.
In other work, CWA Chair Terry Wilson announced that Sally Nuite and Jerome Moores (both of South Sangerville Grange) were winners of the CWA Baking contest. Guy and Sally Elms of South Sangerville were honored for their 65th Wedding Anniversary and 55 years of grange membership prompting Chaplain Berry to observe that he is celebrating his 55th membership anniversary which is “pretty amazing considering I’m only 45 years old.” Our Chaplain’s wit prompted Guy to respond that he wasn’t sure what he and Nancy would do to celebrate this anniversary but at their age it might be more of a case of “trying to do something.”
The evening was marked by comfortable smiles and laughter as well as growth both for individuals and our organization. When the “labors of the day” were complete, you could almost hear folks calling to each other in the parking lot.
“Good Night, Grange Boy!”
“Good Night, Grange Girl!”
It’s too bad this “Green Granger Summit” is in Oregon, it sounds like a great program! I thought I’d share it here as a “Quick Tip” as an idea for a program… a scaled down version might be very possible. Another thought would be for several Granges (or a Pomona) to combine resources to sponsor one…
