Category: President’s Perspective

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

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Hug your family and friends. Help someone every day.

Our 150th State Grange Session went well. Thank you to the Officers, Delegates, Members, Deputies, Directors, and Committee members who attended. I appreciate your participation and input during the business and activities. A wonderful banquet & luncheon were shared, awards were presented, Juniors participated, and a heartfelt Memorial Service was held; Barbara Foster was pleased to be with us. We elected Carolyn Van Horn to the Executive Committee and welcomed five new State Grange members who received the Sixth degree.

The new Department Program Books and Annual Reports were given to the Delegates for your Grange. If you did not have delegates at session, you may download the programs and reports from the web under “Program Books” or if you want a printed copy, email or call the office or myself and we will send them to you. You may request all or just select certain ones. Agricultural Scholarship, Educational Aid & Howes Nurses Scholarship requirements and applications can also be found on the website or requested from the office. Grange Enterprise Award information and the application can be found there too or requested.

Deputy School was held on Nov 2 with several State Officers & Committee people also attending. Paperwork was passed out, we covered Opening & Closing — Opening the Bible, Presenting the Flag, Introducing Honored Guests, balloting, and discussed other Grange business.

I would like to do instruction meetings in your areas again this year. Think about setting something up in the spring with me. I would prefer a Saturday meeting during the day but could do an evening if requested. We will be covering the same as above. Everyone is invited to attend.

Contact the office or myself if you would like to have any of the following materials:

1. Expectations of State Officers and Deputies
2. Visitation reports — Subordinate and Pomona
3. Maine State Grange Guidelines, Information, and Instructions.
4. Hello Worthy Master and Members (information regarding closing/consolidation of Granges)
5. Maine State Grange Ritual Handbook
6. Suggestions and Instructions for Grange Procedure
7. Code Book with instructions on Grange Ritual
8. Official Obligation Ceremony
9. New Member Welcoming Ceremony
10. Official Fifth Degree Obligation Ceremony
11. By-Laws of the Maine State Grange (newly revised edition)
12. Officers, Deputies, and Directors List 2025. The complete roster will be available soon. Additional materials are listed in the book.
13. Maine State Grange Leadership Directory from Webmaster.
14. Maine Granges, Town, and Contact Brochure (many changes included)
15. Subordinate/Community Manual Edition 2023 (printed on regular-size Paper)
16. Manual of Pomona Granges 2017* (printed on regular-size paper)

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

Fellow Grangers,  I would like to strongly encourage our Granges and Grangers to do whatever they can to help our southern Grange families and friends. The note below is from National Grange President Chris Hamp.

Brothers and Sisters,

In the past few days, I have received many emails, texts, and phone calls asking how Granges can help with recovery in North Carolina following the devastation left behind in the wake of Hurricane Helene over the weekend.

Please see the email sent from Jimmy Gentry, President of NC State Grange, with information on how to support their Granges.

I encourage Granges at all levels to support your Brothers and Sisters in their time of need, as they, in turn, help their communities recover.

In addition to North Carolina, we have also heard that Goodwill Grange, Virginia, and the surrounding communities received damage and are also in recovery. Goodwill Grange is known by its community for being an internet center, a vital need in rural southwestern Virginia.

We are working with the Virginia State Grange and will disseminate information on how to help Goodwill Grange as soon as it is available.

Please support these Granges and their communities in whatever ways you can.

Thank you,

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

The Deputy School will be held on November 2, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at State HQ. We will cover ritual, floorwork, salutation, and other related Grange items.

Congratulations and welcome to all the Officers & Members, new and seasoned and I wish you all much success for the coming year.  September is the time of new Grange year beginnings with installations, making plans for the coming year and setting goals. This is also the time for year-end wrap-ups such as your annual audit, reports to be submitted, (to your Grange, Pomona and State), and a time to evaluate last year’s activities, events and goals, what was successful and what was lacking. There are very few Installation Teams or Installing Officers traveling, so I encourage each Grange to do their own Installation. There is an Alternative Installation Ceremony  (half the words) in the new Manual which can be read with one or two people in charge and working with the members present. It is impressive to have it memorized however many people, like myself, cannot memorize charges any longer. By reading it with appropriate feeling and enunciation, it comes across very nicely. The original ceremony in also still in the manual if you are so inclined. We have manuals at the office for sale or get it on line from National Grange at sales@nationalgrange.org

Another reminder or nag, less than half of you have provided your 2025 Roster information.  Even if there were no changes, a report or email needs to be sent.  During the order of business, the Master asks, “Have the reports to the Pomona and State Granges been duly and promptly made?” This includes this and any request for information. If you are changing the time or day you meet, this is a By-Law change and is required to be voted on in a regular Grange meeting and approved by the State Master before it can officially take effect!  Do we have a copy of your By-Laws at the office? 

I am still working on getting the new database completed. I am typing in all the information for our 80 Granges, 2,200+,  names, addresses and other information into a more user friendly format that can be accessed without internet. I have not heard anything at all from many Granges, where are your lists?   

The National Grange and the Northeast Region will be holding a Covid-19 and Influenza free immunization clinic at the New England Grange Building at the Big-E Fair in Springfield, MA in September. 

The Annual Maine State Grange is a month and a half away, October 18 & 19.  Our National Representative will be Barbara Foster, Pomona of the National Grange and President of the West Virginia State Grange, long time Grange member and she is looking forward to being  with us.  Information about our guests can be found on our website under State Session along with other session information such as schedule and meal registration form.

Meal tickets are to be purchased in advance, form and money are due by Oct. 5.

Remember, if your Subordinate and/or Pomona Grange plans to or wants to have 2 voting delegates at State Session:

1. Your Grange MUST vote by name on the people to be delegates and alternates at a regular meeting prior to session. Two delegates and two alternates are to be selected.
2. Delegates must be members or affiliate members of your Grange. You may only represent the Subordinate or Pomona Grange where you are a member. 
3. You may represent your Subordinate and Pomona Grange and have one vote for each.
4. You may NOT represent 2 Subordinate Granges or 2 Pomona Granges.
5. Register that person or persons using the Delegate form provided to your Secretary.
6. The form must be signed by the Master or Secretary of the Grange
7. Your Grange’s quarterly dues must be paid up to date or brought with you to registration to be eligible to vote
8. You can’t just show up expecting to vote on the resolutions, elections, or any other business without the proper paperwork being submitted. NO exceptions.
9. Anyone may attend the session just are not allowed to vote, but may participate in discussions. You may pick your program books for your Grange if there is not a delegate.

The National Grange annual session will be November in Bettendorf, Iowa hosted by the Mid-west Region of States.  All are welcome to attend.

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

State Session is October   in Auburn. All paperwork and information has been mailed to the Secretaries and is posted on the website under “Program books and Information”. Remember, each Grange may have 2 delegates (they must be voted as delegates in your Grange meeting), and the quarterly Grange dues MUST be paid up to date for them to be able to vote. Any 4th-degree member may attend the session even if you are not a voting delegate. Our National Grange representative will be Barbara Foster, Pomona of the National Grange & Master/President of the West Virginia State Grange. 

Reports – Reports – Reports. That’s right, ALL Reports are due Individual, Subordinate, and Pomona:

Lecturer’s report and Book Reading lists to Melissa Baldwin. 

Community Service reports and books to Brenda Dyer.

Family Health & Hearing reports due to Brenda Dyer.

CWA reports to Margaret Henderson.

Pomona and Subordinate Roster information to the State Office was due by July 15th. Thank you to those who have submitted them — where are the rest of yours? Even if you had no changes, the report is to be sent in. We ask you to provide the Grange name & number, the physical street address and town of the Grange hall, which day or days and time. Let us know if there are refreshments or supper and that time. Also, the name, postal address, phone, cell phone (if they want it posted), and email (if applicable) of the Master, Lecturer, Secretary, and CWA (Committee of Women’s Activity) chair. Additional committee chairs may also be included on the back or a separate sheet for Agriculture, Legislative, Community Service, Family Health & Hearing, Junior, Youth, and Education. 

State Officers and Deputy’s Visitation reports are due to the State Master (standard mail or emailed) or get them to the office. 

State Officers — Lecturer, Chaplain, Treasurer and Secretary are expected to present a written report by Oct 1.  

Committee Chairs/Directors — Agriculture, Committee of Women’s Activities, Communications, Community Service, Family Health & Hearing, Educational Aid & Howes Nursing Scholarship, Fundraising, Junior, Legislative, and Membership are required to give a written report on your actives for the year, submitted to ME, State Master, by standard mail or email (email is easier for me, I can copy into the book). All of these reports will be compiled together and printed for approval by the delegates at the State Session. 

Directors, I need your 2025 Program Books, so those can be printed to be passed out at State Session. 

While I am talking about reports. I am still missing many updated membership lists. Please get them corrected and sent in. 

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

Richard and I had a good time as part of the Maine group that attended the NE Lecturers Conference in CT. A variety of workshops were presented, activities, entertainment, tours, food, and friends.

The 150^th Anniversary was a success, with about 55 Grangers and 10 Juniors attending. Thank you for coming, and thanks to all who helped in any way: cleaning, changing light bulbs, setting up tables, bringing food, setting up, taking part in the program, clearing away, and saving me some goodies. Thank you, Juniors, for weeding and sprucing up the memorial garden as a Community Service activity. It was a very casual afternoon with lots of visiting, reminiscing, hugs, and a wide variety of yummy, yummy sweets & snacks! Everything was done downstairs throughout the house (the chairlift was out of order). Souvenir 150^th booklets were printed for our guests to take, listing all 593 Maine Granges, when they were organized & closure dates; all State Officers & dates they served; Annual State Sessions dates & places; National Sessions in Maine; and Maine Grangers who served as National Grange Officers; and assorted moments in State Grange history. Special 150^th pads of paper were also passed out.  I would like to do the same thing in the north or Downeast.

There were posters, memorabilia, assorted photo albums, and other unique items to look at. The attendees participated in a meet the officers scavenger hunt to fill in a questionnaire with the name of a different officer for each question. Richard and I were very disappointed we couldn’t be there because we had been exposed to Covid on Wednesday.

Mike Griffin was MC for the program which consisted of a welcome by Darrell Huff, Moments in History by Missy Baldwin., membership information by Sharon Morton. Jim Owens. talked about the officers albums he has custody of, the Juniors performed a song, the officer questionnaire was reviewed with much laughter, several folks gave some of their experiences, door prizes were drawn and “It’s A Good Thing To Be A Granger” was sung by all. Thanks for making the day a success.

Since we are already in the middle of July, it’s time to start mentioning the State Grange session. One final reminder: You have less than one month to get your resolutions into the office by August 15 by standard mail and/or email. Resolutions must be read and voted on in your Grange before submitting them to the State for consideration.  

The 150^th Annual State Grange Session is Oct. 18 & 19 at the Auburn Masonic Hall, 1021 Turner St, Auburn. Delegate registration, full schedule, meal, and motel information will be sent to the Granges soon. The Residence Inn (207-777-3400) in Auburn has agreed to give us a discount this year. You must ask for the Maine State Grange Annual Session group rate.

Friday, October 18 – 1:00 p.m. opening & business. 2:00 State Master’s Address.  2:45 Memorial Service,  3:45  Resolutions and National Grange Rep. guest speaker,  6:00 p.m. Banquet by Pine Cone Eastern Star Chapter here in the Masonic Hall – tickets purchased in advance. Awards will be presented upstairs after the banquet:  Junior Presentation, Community Service, Family Health & Hearing, Membership, Educational Aid and Howe’s Nurses Scholarships, CWA and other awards.

Saturday, October 19– 9:00 a.m. opening, acceptance of budget, election of officer(s), resolutions and reports mixed in with election as needed & installation of officers, 12:00 Ag Luncheon – tickets purchased in advance. 1:30 Call back to order – business continues. Saturday Oct 19 — 2:30 p.m. Conferral of the Sixth Degree($10 fee for 6^th Degree candidates) (must have had the 5^th Degree or 5^th Degree Obligation to take the 6^th Degree).

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

June 29,2024 is our 150th Anniversary Celebration from 1 to 4 pm at our HQ home/office at 146 State Street in Augusta. Refreshments will be available all afternoon. We will have historical photo albums of Past State Masters to look through, Dot Brown’s Youth Department photo albums, memorabilia to see, lists of all the Granges organized in Maine over the past 150 years, other items to share, and a “Meet Our State Officers” game for all to participate in if you wish. We will have a short program at 2:30. All are welcome to attend. We do have a chair lift. Casual attire.

I’m very pleased to announce we cleared over $500 at our recent fundraiser event June 1^st, with Visa gift card raffles, t-shirt sales, other Grange items and 50/50. THANK YOU to the many supporters and helpers, Granges and individuals selling and buying tickets. Each of the $100 gift cards were won by Grange members Gailene of Golden Harvest Grange in Carmel and Karen of Danville Junction in Danville. The 50/50 was won by someone in Vienna.

June is the time for election of officers. As soon after the election has been held, the elected Master/President selects 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; they will take over their term at installation. 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. Other Committees may be named as needed and specific to your Grange. Special Committees are set up as required for a special event or activity. Please tell your secretary who will be the chairmen so she/he can report the roster information to the office.

It is important to provide the following information to us for each Grange for the 2025 Roster: Grange Name and number; street address and town of Grange Hall; meeting day(s) 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.) Include if you havesupper or refreshments and time.

Plus we need the following information for the Officers and chairmen.

• Master/President: name; address; phone; (cell if they want it listed) and e-mail address.
• Lecturer: name: 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: n name; address; phone; (cell if they want it listed) and e-mail address.

If you want to type the information out separately and mail or email it to us, that would be fine. We will be sending the 2025 Roster information forms to the Grange Secretaries. Please fill them out legibly and return them to the office as soon as possible.  

I know I am repeating myself again, but remember Resolutions are due in the office by August 15^th. Every resolution must have a title already named by the presenting Grange and must be voted in the affirmative in that Grange, in a regular meeting opened in full form. 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 written out in full.

 Another reminder I have not mentioned for a while. I have only received 45 updated membership lists of the 80 Subordinate Granges. Obviously, I am still looking for the rest of them! Please get them updated and sent to the office or emailed to me.

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

WELCOME to our 37 new members who received their degrees at last month’s Degree Days. The first held at North Scarborough Grange conferring all four degrees on ten candidates from North Scarborough, Deering, St. George, Hollis and White Rock. Thank you, officers from Cumberland and Androscoggin Pomonas for filling the chairs, nice job everyone. Thank you, Yvonne Johnson for putting things together. The second held on Maine State Grange’s 150^th Anniversary April 21 at the State Grange Home in Augusta. Candidates were from Danville Junction, Excelsior, Mill Stream, Farmington, Androscoggin, Cambridge Valley, St. George, Victor, and Merriconeag. Thank you to the officers from Androscoggin and Cumberland Pomonas for taking the office parts, super job everyone. Thank you to Maynard Chapman, Chief Deputy for getting things organized. Thank you to the folks who attended the two meetings just to view the Degrees.

Reminder dates:
June 1, 2024 Maine State Grange Yard Sale at Manchester Grange
June 21 -23, 2024 North East Lecturers Conference hosted in Norwich, Connecticut

RESOLUTIONS are due to the State Grange office by August 15 — email or standard mail. 

MAINE STATE GRANGE ANNUAL SESSION dates set for October 18 and 19 at the Auburn Masonic Lodge in Auburn.  Details coming out soon.

PROCEDURE FOR ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Maine still uses paper ballots for each officer and should be held in June. The committees are named by the elected Master ASAP after elections.

1. The Master will appoint tellers to count the ballots.
2. Master will say:  “The Chair awaits presentations of names for the office of…..”  and will repeat the name presented and ask, “Are there any others?,” asking a total of three times, repeating the list of names for that office each time. A person may decline or withdraw their name for the office, if they wish to, at the time their name is presented and does not have to give a reason for declining.
3. The Master will repeat the names and say “You will prepare your ballots for the office of ….” After a brief pause, the Master will instruct the Assistants to collect the ballots and may excuse the Assistants from carrying their staves. You do not have to ballot if you do not wish to.  If you want to cast your ballot, but do not want to vote for one of those names presented or any other name,  you must write the word “Blank” on the ballot to be counted in the total.
4. After the Assistants have collected the ballots, the Master will declare the ballot closed. The ballot is then given to the tellers and the Assistants return to their seats.
5. The tellers will count the ballots and make the report to the Master. 
6. The final choice is announced by the Master, “By your ballot, you have elected ___________ to the office of ____________.” and the results are recorded. Once a majority has been reached,  the Master will  ask the person “Brother or Sister ____________, do you accept the office of ______________.   If they decline or if there is no majority of the ballots cast, the Master will say, “Since we have no majority, you will prepare your ballot for the office of _____________,” repeating all names listed. You will proceed to ballot once again on the same office until a majority is reached.  The ballots are then thrown away after the result is given by the Master.  The same procedure is followed for each office.
7. Upon completion of the election, the tellers are excused with thanks.  
8. After the election of the Subordinate or Pomona Grange, the Secretary will provide Roster info for the meeting day and time, the Grange address, and name, address, phone & email for the Master, Lecturer, Secretary & CWA Chairman to the State Grange as soon as possible.      

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

Richard asked me to say “thank you” for the cards, calls, prayers and words of encouragement after his recent colon surgery. He is mending well, getting about more and more and eating whatever takes his fancy  and appreciates your support.

State of Maine Corporation Fillings: The State Grange office has been printing and sending the annual corporation forms for your Granges. Granges are required by law to be incorporated. These forms are to be made out and returned with the $35 filing fee to the Secretary of State, which is a State of Maine Government Agency. Please be sure to send the form and fee together to the proper address.

Reading and Adopting Minutes: Records from the meeting are required to be read aloud at least one time during the meeting which must be open in full form to adopt them. The previous minutes are to be read as the third order of business and may be adopted at that time or read for reference. The records may be read and adopted at the end of the current meeting, just before closing, but must be read and adopted during the business of the Grange one place or the other in the order of business. You may read both previous and current during the order of business where prescribed.

Election of Officers:  Full elections are required in each Grange and yes, we use paper ballots for each officer.  After election the reelected or newly elected Master will appoint and give the names of the committee chairmen to the Secretary asap after election, so the Subordinate or Pomona Secretary can provide the info to the office. I have included written procedure to follow for election. 

Resolutions:  These are due by Aug 15 to the Maine State Grange office by email or standard mail. Resolutions must have a title on the resolution provided by the Grange presenting them; we cannot give it a title, and the entire resolution must be written out in full. 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.

Spring in Maine, even with the surprises Mother Nature throws our way,  its nice to see the green shoots of the jonquils, daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths, the variety of colors in the crocus beds and patches of green grass showing up here and there, even though those little shoots may still be shivering during the chilly nights, and buried under more than a foot of snow, the sun is warming them more and more. With spring comes reopening. Spring is also clean-up time outside and inside for our own yards, but this should also include our Grange halls.  Get the gravel raked off the lawns, pick up the branches and trash lying around, clip the grass and bushes around the steps and foundation, get the tattered plastic off the windows, and maybe even wash the reachable ones.  In another month, get some new plants in the window boxes and garden.  Repaint your sign, the steps, railings, and even the door.  We all need an occasional facelift, and get ready to provide a welcoming place for your neighbors to come and trade seeds, and starter plants, and get gardening advice.

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

HAPPY 150^TH ANNIVERSARY. “Six months after the first Subordinate Grange was organized in Maine, twenty men met in Lewiston at the GAR Hall on April 21, 1874, to found the Maine State Grange. Seventeen of the twenty were Masters of Subordinate Granges in Maine; one was a Subordinate Secretary. Also present was the Master of the New Hampshire State Grange, Dudley T. Chase, and a General Deputy of the National Grange, O.D. Hinkley.  Nelson Ham of Lewiston was elected State Master at this session.

In December 1874, the State Grange met for its first Annual Session in Lewiston. By this time, the organization had grown from 18 to 64 Granges with about 2000 members.”

(Excerpt From A Fair Field And No Favor—A Concise History of the Maine State Grange by Stanley Howe)

The first Grange in Maine, Eastern Star #1 in Hampden, was organized October 20, 1873. Six of those 18 early organized Granges are still continuing their positive impact in their communities. 

• Excelsior #5 in Poland organized 3/5/1874
• Androscoggin #8 in Greene organized 3/24/1874
• Harraseeket #9 in Freeport organized 3/24/1874
• North Jay #10 in North Jay organized 3/27/1874
• Farmington #11 (N. Farmington) in West Farmington organized 4/3/1874
• Somerset #18 in Norridgewock organized 4/20/1874

HAPPY 150^TH ANNIVERSARY to each of you, we wish you continued success.

The following Degree Days have been set up, and they will be conferring all 4 Degrees on the same day. (The word Degree refers to a level of the Grange, the first Four Degrees brings you into Subordinate or Community membership.)  Degree Days are open to all candidates who must have been voted into membership in a Subordinate Grange to receive the degrees. Please bring the application for membership with you.  If you have already received the Obligation Ceremony or the Welcome Ceremony, you are welcome to come and view these instructive beautiful degrees, or any current members are eligible to attend. Current members will be required to provide the annual password that you are entitled to receive from your Subordinate Master if your dues are up to date.

• April 14 at North Scarboro Grange; 74 County Rd., Scarborough. Contact Mike Griffin, Master, for information and to let him know how many will be coming. Meeting starting at 1:00pm.
• April 21 at State Grange HQ, 146 State Street, Augusta. Contact Maynard Chapman, Chief Deputy, for information and to let him know how many will be coming.  Meeting starting at 1:00pm.

While on the subject of membership eligibility. As the prospective candidate/member, you must submit an application with a fee to a Subordinate Grange, the application must be voted on by the membership in a regular meeting with a quorum present, then you must receive the conferral of the 4 Degrees, the Obligation Ceremony or the Welcome Ceremony to become a member.  Only then are you entitled to vote on issues, elections or business in that Grange. You are able to visit a Grange meeting, but to have a vote in the business you must become a member by one of the prescribed methods above found in the Grange Manual.  Maine uses the ballot box with balls and cubes for membership applications.

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

The password ciphers were sent to the Grange Secretaries when the December Quarterly Report Forms were mailed. The keys to the password will only be mailed to the master’s when all dues are paid up to date, including the December 2023 Quarter. If you have not received your key, check with your secretary or our office to confirm your dues are paid in full. Sharon did tell me recently that not all dues are up to date. 

I must remind everyone of your Obligation to the Grange you took when you joined. It states in part, “ I will not knowingly wrong or defraud a brother or sister of the Order or allow it to be done by another if within my power to prevent it. I will endeavor to be a true and faithful Patron of Husbandry… Should I knowingly or willfully violate this pledge, I will invoke upon myself suspension or expulsion from the Order.”  I have had several calls from members in different areas to complain about the use of profanity during meetings and public events. There is no place in the Grange for the use of foul language, no matter what you feel the circumstances are. Whether in a meeting or around the kitchen, whether guests, new members, or non-members are present or not, it is not acceptable behavior. Maybe you normally talk that way; you feel it is just words, but it is offensive to others.  If you feel the need to talk like that, I would suggest you go to the bar or sporting event where you will fit right in. But even those places have rules and limits, and even those places where that talk is common, you would be asked to leave! I am sorry if you are offended by this message, but it needed to be said. Sadly, those who do the cursing won’t be the ones to acknowledge.    

After four years off, the Northeast Leaders Conference held in January was a big success, with 87 enthusiastic members attending. Introductions by State Masters/Presidents of those attending from their respective states. Maine was represented by Mike Griffin, MSG Overseer; Missy Baldwin, MSG Lecturer; Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service & Family Health & Hearing Director; Brenda’s husband, Joe Fallo; and me. The Northeast State Masters/Presidents & Overseers/Vice Presidents (the Northeast Connection group) and New England Grange Building Trustees. Everyone attending could sit in on whichever meeting or break-out group they chose. 

The State Lecturers made plans for the Northeast Lecturers Conference, to be held June 21 – 23 at the Holiday Inn in Norwich, CT. This event is for all, not just Lecturers. Let’s support our State Lecturers and plan to attend. Details will be forthcoming.

The State Youth Directors started their plans for the NE Youth Conference hosted in NY July 19 – 21. I will share details when available.

 The NE Chaplains group decided to return to the Regional Church Sunday, similar to the ones in the past. This year, it will be held on July 27 at the VT Grange Camp, with family activities, games, and a potluck lunch. All are invited. Plans will be finalized soon.

The State Junior Directors and interested members met to discuss the craft for display at the Big-E in Sept at the New England Grange Building. The Junior craft for 2024 will be Crayola Model Magic.  The craft for 2025 will be Egg Carton Craft.

The Community Service, Family Activities, Women’s Activities, and others met as a large group, having good discussions on activities for their states and ideas all could try. Agriculture, Membership, Information/IT, and others also met during the weekend.

As the weekend progressed, interesting and helpful workshops were presented to the entire group: Harnessing AI to Our Advantage, Promoting the Grange in all Media, Leadership and Conflict Resolution, and Grant Writing.