Category: Exciting Granges

Mill Stream Grange Makes Annual Donation

Mill Stream Grange made its annual Thanksgiving donation to the Mt. Vernon Area Food Bank on Nov. 16.  The makings for 50 pumpkin pies and 50 cans of cranberry sauce were delivered to the Food Bank to be used for Thanksgiving baskets for area families. Pictured are Lisa Goucher, Ceres, on the left, and Jill Sampson, Master.

Jefferson Historical Society presented Spirit of America Award by Willow Grange

by Paula Roberts, LCN
reprinted with permission

Willow Grange #366 of Jefferson presented the Jefferson Historical Society with a Spirit of America Award on Thursday, Sept. 12.

Willow Grange Master Sharon Morton presents a Spirit of America Award to Jefferson Historical Society President Marilyn Bond. From left: Henry Morton, Sharon Morton, Deborah Willette, and Marilyn Bond. (Paula Roberts photo)

The historical society has spent years archiving early photos of Jefferson, gathering history, and preserving early artifacts of the town. One of the group’s more recent projects was gathering pictures of older families in Jefferson.

Members have printed a couple of histories of Jefferson and annually make a calendar with historic photos. They also hold open houses each year to display Jefferson’s historic artifacts.

There were 34 members of the historical society present at the ceremony, including 16 who are also Grange members. President Marilyn Speckman accepted the award on behalf of the Jefferson Historical Society from Willow Grange Master Sharon Morton.

The evening’s program was on the history of the Grange, including its set of five stage curtains. The curtains were a gift in 1906 from Grange member Charles M. Davis. The curtains were made by the renowned L.L. Graham, of Brooklyn, N.Y. The grand drape is a scene of Venice, and the other four curtains include a street scene, a kitchen, a parlor, and a nature scene. The stage also has reversible ears for the wings.

The curtains were restored in 2012.

Members of the Jefferson Historical Society pose for a photo after they were presented a Spirit of American Award from Willow Grange. The program for the evening was the history of Willow Grange, including the history of the 1906 complete set of five stage curtains. (Paula Roberts photo)

Tidbits from National Convention

Rebekah Hodgkins from Jonesboro Grange attended the National Grange Convention this year and is now a Seventh Degree Member. She also reports that she won Third Place in the Fair Category of the National Grange Photo Contest, and Kennedy won First and Third Place in the Pet Category.

“The folks I connected with were wonderful humans… it was so nice to be with other Grangers and I felt ‘at home.'”

Rebeka

Excelsior Grange Christmas Craft Fair

November 30, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

CRAFTERS – DOOR PRIZES – RAFFLES – WREATHS AND SWAGS

Chili, chowder, beef stew, and dessert will be available for lunch for $5.00

Excelsior Grange is located at 446 Harris Hill Road in Poland, Maine.

40th Annual St George Grange Christmas Fair

Saturday, December 7, 2024
9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Crafts – Raffles – Food

Enjoy great food, including fresh-baked muffins, cinnamon rolls, and free coffee. Please stop by for lunch when we are serving soups, biscuits, hot dogs, and drinks.

4:45 p.m. Live Nativity

5:00 p.m. Public Supper

Enjoy homemade food with family, friends, and neighbors. Adults are $10, Kids are $5, and children under 10 eat free!

Valley Grange Presents Dictionaries

Watch the story Here!

Please note that there is one correction to the story–The Dictionary Project has actually distributed 37,000,000 dictionaries in total!

Valley Grange Updates “TelaGranger”

By Walter Boomsma, Valley Grange Program Director

TelaGranger Masthead

The most recent issue has just been released! Articles include:

  • Veteran’s Day 2024
  • Meeting Friday, November 15, 2024
  • Knitters Kneeded!
  • Members Are Stars
  • Dictionary Days Update
  • Facebook Forward
  • Another Dues Reminder
  • Did Ya Know?
  • Area Grange Events
  • Valley Grange Contacts and Resources

You can read the entire issue here!

A recent review of our subscriber list shows we’ve lost some folks due to automation. Our program automatically stops sending issues if your email address doesn’t work. (The most common reason for this seems to be full mailboxes. Check your email and keep it clean!) Once the program stops sending to your address, we cannot override and resubscribe you. But you should be able to re-subscribe!

Subscribe to Valley’s Newsletter

Mill Stream Grangers at State Session

Mill Stream Grange #574 members and delegates to the 2024 Maine State Grange Convention.   Front from left:  Jill Sampson (Master); Judy Dunn (Chaplain); David Dunn. Back row from left: Paul Lavender (Assistant Steward); Debbie Lavender (Treasurer); Laurie Cunningham (Secretary)

Brownville Students Gain Words!

Valley Grange is located in Guilford, Maine

BROWNVILLE — Grade 3 students at the Brownville Elementary School now have thousands of words and accompanying definitions at their fingertips, along with other assorted facts. The pupils do not need to worry about charged laptops or cellphones to access this information, as each of the nearly 50 youngsters now has their very own dictionary thanks to Valley Grange No. 144 of Guilford...

Check out this amazing article in the Piscataquis Observer about the words for Thirds Dictionary Day in Brownville Elementary School!