Category: Junior Department

Maine Granger Appointed National Junior Director

MSG News Desk
Reprinted with permission from the January 10, 2025 edition of Grange Today!

The National Grange is thrilled to announce Rebekah Hodgson as the new Junior Grange Director. A dedicated Jonesboro Grange #357 member in Jonesboro, Maine, Hodgson brings a deep appreciation of Grange values and a passion for community service to her new role. Rebekah’s journey with the Grange began with her grandparents, Helen and Edward Brooks, who
were active members of Robbinston Grange in Robbinston, Maine. Her own involvement took root about six years ago when she joined Jonesboro
Grange to help save it from closure, inspired by her father’s determination to preserve its legacy.

Since then, Rebekah has been an enthusiastic advocate for Grange activities, making her mark through projects like the Crush Cancer Lobster Crawl 5k, Candyland, the free 10,000 Easter Egg Hunt, and Grinch at the Grange.

Hodgdson Family

Outside of her work with the Grange, Rebekah is a K3 preschool teacher and K4 preschool assistant, a Girl Scout leader, and a licensed commercial lobster
fisher—a skill she’s honed since age 10. She currently lives in Illinois with her husband Garrett, an active duty Coast Guard Chief, and their two children, Jase
(7) and Kennedy (5). Her family shares her passion for the outdoors and community engagement.

As Junior Grange Director, Rebekah has ambitious plans for the year ahead. She aims to foster stronger bonds between Junior and more senior members,
spark interest in new Junior Grange chapters, and deepen young members’ love for the Grange through creative, engaging programming. Inspired by her
connection to the ocean, she plans to incorporate aquatic-themed activities into Junior programming, especially at this year’s National Convention aboard
the Carnival Horizon.

Rebekah’s vision for the Junior department centers on empowering young members to be future leaders of the Grange. “Junior members are the voice
of tomorrow,” she said. “By utilizing their energy, passion, and eagerness to learn, they can create meaningful change and preserve the traditions
that connect us all.”

Her advice to those hoping to engage more young people in the Grange? “Find out what interests them and incorporate that into your Junior Grange! Show them the joy and sense of family that comes with being part of the Grange through welcoming, free events and fun-filled meetings.”

National Grange President Christine Hamp is confident that Hodgson’s creativity, leadership, and dedication will inspire the next generation of Grange members, ensuring the organization’s legacy continues to thrive.

“Rebekah’s engaging energy and excitement are exactly what we need to create meaningful experiences for our youngest members,” said Hamp. “I can’t wait to see the positive impact she and her team bring to our Junior Grange Program.”

Hodgson will be assisted by the Junior Advisory Team, consisting of Emily Hartsell (NC), Makayla Piers (RI), and Gayle Reyburn (PA). Email junior@nationalgrange.org for more information.

Junior Report — October 2024

By Betty Young
207 786-2120
Terry LaCombe Stevens,
207 356-2492
Co-directors

It seems hard to believe that we have almost finished another year of Junior Grange.  We look forward to seeing all of you at State Grange. We hope to meet our plus-one members. Stop by our table and purchase a ticket to win one of our fabulous prizes. Our Junior Grange Convention Schedule is:

Thursday, October 17TH

Rest/committee meeting for 2024/2025 to discuss Program Book. We are gathering national information, Big E, and state contests before we print them. We are in hopes of making a one-sheet page to follow throughout the year. We also are going to wait until after the Junior Director is appointed to finalize our 2025 year. Thursday night is not mandatory but we would be delighted if you would like to join us. Send Co-Director Terry dates your Grange would like to host Juniors. We will meet quarterly.

Friday, October 18TH

Breakfast, then head over to set up. PLEASE LET CO Director Terry know if you plan on helping set table and Junior items up. EARLY LUNCH- on our own together downstairs as we will need to take care of our table on shifts. Friday night banquet and late afternoon practice song if Kary feels it is needed. We may have time to rest late afternoon before dinner. Ages 5 to 14 wear red and Youth ages 14 up wear green. (Think about the drill we could do with our color scheme)

Saturday, October 19TH

Breakfast at hotel before our early birds open the table at convention. LUNCH, Ag Luncheon,  resolutions continued, and  6th Degree. We will also draw 50/50 and announce Raffle prizes. I’m not sure of the exact time so we will be flexible. Bird House pickup and Art/Photos will need to be taken home. We will all have dinner and a swim party. As you know the swim will be on your own as we don’t have a lifeguard so that we could make it a Junior Grange Event.  Dinner will be whatever you all agree on and this will be decided. Friday night at banquet.

Sunday, October 20th

Breakfast and leave for home until our next Junior Grange adventure/meeting. Watch for an email in late November after National Grange Convention.

Banquet tickets closed on October 5th. If you would like to help at our Junior/Youth Grange table or join us for Saturday night’s dinner, please let one of the committee members know. If you are interested in joining or being a Director, contact the State Grange Master/President for details.

Thank you all for the pleasure of being your 2023/2024 Junior Co-Directors.

Junior Report — August 2024

By Betty Young
207 786-2120
Terry LaCombe Stevens,
207 356-2492
Co-directors

Our juniors recently had a camp at Highland Lake Grange. We were ably hosted by committee member Kathy Gowen, who arranged great activities, including games, a fire pit for roasting hotdogs, and marshmallows for s’mores. We also visited the nearby MSSPA in Windham, a rescue facility primarily for horses. We also made air-dried clay sculptures for the Big-E.

Our display at the Topsham Fair received a perfect score.

IMPORTANT—I need a list of your +1 junior members for my report to National Grange! Please send names either to Sharon or me as soon as possible. If you have junior-age youth (5-14) and want more information, let me know. Thank you.

Junior Report — July 2024

By Betty Young
207 786-2120
Terry LaCombe Stevens,
207 356-2492
Co-directors

Maine State Junior Grange met at Headquarters in Augusta during the Sesquicentennial Celebration. It was a busy day of birdhouse crafting, pizza, chocolate, singing, and working on the Jr Garden. Thank you to our Junior Grange Alumnus William for the chocolate and helping supervise. (We have an open spot at camp if you are available.) We plan on continuing the
garden work in September.

We had planned on meeting at Tranquility Grange in July, but members will go to Enterprise. Members who are able to volunteer at Enterprise Grange on July 20th should contact Junior Committee Member Marilyn Stinson. Enterprise Grange has a fun day planned for the community and would welcome adult and Junior volunteers or game participants.

Highland Lake Grange is hosting the 2024 Junior Grange Overnight Camp on August 3rd-5th! Kathy Gowen is a past Junior Director and does a fantastic job planning and making Junior Grange fun. If you are interested in helping, enrolling a child, or donating to our camp, contact a co-director, Kathy Gowen, or Maine State Grange. Our 2024 Junior Grange camp is free and open to all children.

Next Year, the Maine State Junior Grange has plans to meet quarterly instead of every month and will include a Youth Grange member age14+. They will meet at the same time as the Junior Grange; however, they will have the Youth Grange Program and work with two leaders autonomously. Contact co-director Betty or Terry with any questions, concerns, or comments. We are always looking for new Junior members and committee members. We use Safe Gatherings Background Checks for adults working with our Juniors/Youth. If you would like to host JR/ Youth Grange next year, please contact us. We will help you plan the event and arrange all the details, or you can plan the day. We will enjoy the time at your Grange, with or without new children. Our team would enjoy installing your Jr Plus One(s) and Youth.

Stay cool and safe, and don’t forget to like our Facebook page.

Junior Grangers get some work done and participate in the Sesquicentennial Celebration

Junior Report – June 2024

By Betty Young
Terry LaCombe
MSG Junior Co-Directors

Thank you all for the cards, prayers, and get-well wishes. I took my rest seriously, and I am slowly getting back into the swing of things.

Maine State Junior Grange will meet at Headquarters in Augusta on the 29th of June, 2024 to celebrate Maine State Grange’s 150th Sesquicentennial. (1874-2024) We all look forward to participating. If you have a Junior Member and are interested in joining us on this day, please contact someone on our committee. Please find our schedule below.

  • 11:30 am Leaders will arrive. Set up, photo releases, discuss July and get ready for noon.
  • 12:00 pm Pizza lunch for Junior’s and families. Refreshments will be available between 1 pm and 4 pm. Many thanks in advance to the 150th Sesquicentennial Committee.
  • 12:30 pm Go upstairs, practice song, and check for Junior seats.
  • 1 pm Rest/Craft/Discuss July’s meeting.
  • 1:30 pm Outside to practice song/yard game before going upstairs. The bank will be closed. However, we will need to proceed with caution and depends on weather.
  • 2:00 pm Start heading upstairs for the program.
  • 2:30 pm Program starts. You can leave anytime after we sing or stay to visit.

*PLEASE NOTE: This schedule will be followed as closely as possible but may be altered if needed.

We have a fun summer and fall planned:

July- “fun in the sun” and we won’t forget the sunscreen! We will discuss this during the June meeting.

August 3rd-5th – Jr Grange Camp will be in the southern part of the beautiful state of Maine.

You don’t have to be a Junior Grange member to attend. We will teach you all about Junior Grange. Parents are welcome/encouraged to stay with your children if you would like. A background check is necessary. Big E Craft.

Sept 21st- Headquarters (Get ready for State session)

Oct- Meeting is State Session.

We will send the song and other details to each Junior family via email. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you.

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Junior Grange December Meeting Held

By Marilyn Stinson

Maine State Junior Grange #17 met at Danville Junction on December 16, 2023, for their monthly meeting and to work on a Community Service Project.

The Junior Salutation is: “Junior Grange Members will be true to each other and keep their pledge.”

Committee members helped fill the chairs as they opened the meeting the traditional way, then worked through the order of business, stopping now and then to explain or discuss a procedure for new people, and closed with the alternative way. The alternative is a shorter form.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, the kids learned that there is no punctuation between “one nation” and “under God.” It is all one phrase, and we shouldn’t pause at that point when we are saying it. Anyone having difficulty using God’s name can just omit it.

Many thanks to Kathy Gowen for helping us with our Junior Salutation. She remembers the hand clasp and crossing the arms and hands over our chests for it. Since we seldom say or do it, we have difficulty remembering it.

In 2023, we earned $547.00 in Fair Premiums (used for the trip to Niagara) and discussed possible themes for the coming year. The National Junior Grange theme for the coming year is ‘Corn,’ and we can do some crafts and print our learning experiences for displays. Maine State Lecturer’s Theme is ‘Hands,’ and we can easily follow that theme. We use the fair displays to explain and promote Juniors and our activities and give the kids an opportunity to show off their art and craft talents. Any poetry they’ve written goes to the State Lecturer by March 1st.

Director Betty brought material home from the National Session and, during the Lecturer’s Program, shared information with us. Also, for the Lecturer’s Program, Edith recited a poem she memorized called “Dragonette Prophesy” and sang a dragon song. The kids attending the meeting shared their “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” poster and song while Director Betty signed it. Ta Da!!! Good for them!

After closing, we went downstairs to make fleece scarves for the Lewiston Homeless. Other Juniors around the state can get together in their Granges and make similar scarves for the cold in their areas. Because we are so spread out, helping their local Community Granges with their services seems the easiest way to work out that problem. 

Our meetings are scheduled for the 3rd Saturday monthly, and our January meeting will be at MSG Headquarters in Augusta on January 20th.

Please let the Junior committee know about any +1 Juniors your subordinates have accepted. We need their contact information!

Junior Report – December 2023

By Betty Young
Terry LaCombe
MSG Junior Co-Directors

The Maine State Junior Grange took the “Junior Grangemobile” which is a nine-passenger van, to National Grange in Niagara Falls. We apologize to our Navigation expert Caroline for having the middle hump seat both ways. She has the great Grange attitude and did not complain about it once. One mother wasn’t feeling well during the trip. We all brought food and snacks to share. They enjoyed many fun activities and events. Please find the list below. This is just a few of the many noted features.

  1. We enjoyed a Junior Activities Day with other Junior Grangers from around the US. Maine Junior Grange sang their Reuse, Reduce and Recycle song and Co-Director Betty signed it.
  2. We helped with the Dictionary Project.
  3. Went to the Underground Railroad Center.
  4. Went to an Escape Room.
  5. Went swimming (this was not a Grange event)
  6. Made many new friends.
  7. Saw Niagara Falls and State Park.
  8. Saw Rainbow Bridge.
  9. Enjoyed an elevator ride to Cave of the Winds.
  10. Lunched, saw movies and many activities at the Power Station. We learned so much about power.
  11. Utilized and enjoyed many meals/treats in the Hospitality Room. Thank you to the Northeast for such an EXCELLENT job.
  12. Wore our new Junior Grange Polo shirts to the “Fancy Nancy” National Grange Banquet.
  13. Marched with the Junior Grange Ambassadors after Youth opened National Grange.
  14. Thank you, Master/President Harriman, for our new Junior Pin! We will wear it with pride.
  15. The kids took great pictures, stayed at La Quinta Inn on the way and the Sheraton Inn in Niagara during convention.

We received the 2024 Junior and Youth National Grange Program Book. If you would like more information on how to become a Maine State Grange Junior or Youth, please contact us. This year’s Junior theme is CORN. The Youth age has changed and will roll out in the next 2 years. Current Youth ages 14 to 20 will remain the same, but Grange Youth Adult will be ages 21-30 until until November 2025. Starting November 2025, the age will be 21-25, over 25 should be stepping into the role of a Grange mentor as they make the transitions into full adulthood. The Grangemobile hopes to be able to attend the Legislative Experience in Washington DC, as this is such a fun way to learn our history, but we will have to wait and see when the Northeast Conference is going to be. We are trying to coordinate the Junior and Youth Conference at the same time as the Northeast Leadership Conference. Possibly, having our contest as entertainment. We all enjoyed the Northeast Youth Conferences (NEYC) in July. However, we are trying to reduce costs, work and for many conferences a reduction in attendance is an issue. Being in the summer, it was a fun opportunity for many Junior and Youth to attend NEYC camp.

Would your Grange like to host Junior Grange? We will visit you at your Grange and include you and your child or grandchild. Our next Maine State Junior Grange meeting will be December 16th at Danville Junction! The children will work on a Christmas or Holiday Craft.

Maine State Junior Grange may not be the largest, but we truly have the “BEST” group of kids. We hope the others who aren’t homeschooled have the opportunity to attend a National Event soon.

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Junior Report – November 2023

By Betty Young
Terry LaCombe
MSG Junior Co-Directors

We are excited to share current Junior Director news with all. Terry LaCombe will be added as the Co Junior Director for the 2023/24 Grange Year. Marilyn Stinson has agreed to stay on our committee but is very active with her local Grange. We have parents who will continue as members and two longtime
members of Grange who will help when they can. Co-Director Betty Young and Terry are inviting Grange Members (who must be willing and able to pass a background check) who would like to work with our children. Please let us know. Junior Grangers live around Maine and may be unable to attend all meetings, and we are willing to visit you and your Grange. This is an excellent opportunity for grandparents to give parents a break or for parents to join other parents. Your “Plus One” Junior Grangers deserve a day at your
Grange that is just for them. Let us know if you are interested in joining us. A reminder that Junior Grangers(Plus Ones) are also invited to participate in many State and National Grange Contests.

If you haven’t received your Junior Grange Program Book by January 1st and you have Plus One Grangers, PLEASE contact Terry at terryllacombe@gmail.com or call/ text me at 207 356 2492. Betty can be reached but does not “hang out” with her phone or iPad, although she appears to be using them more.

We look forward to “Growing Junior Grange” this year and preserving Grange for years to come. Do your part as “Many hands make light work,“ apparently. Youth will find time to help with a specific task if you ask, and it doesn’t take all day, so engage your youth family as well. Please do what you can and let us know if we can help in any way.

Our next meeting is December 16th in Danville at 11 am and is a Christmas Craft. Call or email for more information or to share your Junior’s Holiday Craft if you cannot attend.

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Junior Report – October 2023

By Betty Young
MSG Junior Director

Some of the Junior Grangers will be attending the State Session and will be presenting a short program on reducing, reusing, and recycling, concluding with a song. We are slowly adding new members. Remember, the State Junior Grange is open to any child or grandchild of a subordinate member. Currently, we only have one Junior Grange for the state, so I try to plan meetings in central locations with a few farther North and some farther South. Wouldn’t it be great to have enough to have a northern and a southern Junior Grange?

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Junior Report – September 2023

By Betty Young
MSG Junior Director

The Junior Grange exhibited at four fairs this year: Pittston, Topsham, Windsor, and Litchfield. As the only Junior Grange, we got first place. However, the score sheet from Windham gave us 590 out of a possible 600. With positive comments on being welcoming, showing Grange as fun and giving a good understanding of what the Grange can offer. We were not able to do Grange Camp but will come to the State Session and plan to bring a group to the National Convention. Remember that as a State Junior Grange, we accept any child or grandchild of a Grange member. We also participate in the Plus One. So, if you know of any eligible child between 5 and 14, please let me know.

Thanks to committee members Caroline Coffin and Marilyn Stinson and her daughter CJ, who put up the booths and helped take them down. Marilyn also found the fairs and registered for them. I certainly could not have done it without them.

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