Patrons of Husbandry – a website dedicated to the Granges located in Maine
On February 18, 2023, Winthrop Grange will sponsor a craft-making fundraiser. Attendees will make a silverware windchime. The $25 fee includes instruction and all materials. Proceeds will benefit Winthrop Grange. The event will be held at the Pond Town Pub, 7 Union Street in Winthrop.
Contact Dot St Hilaire to reserve a spot. Text 207-242-7251 or send an email.
By Larry Bailey, Master
Because of the really cold weather, we have some time to think about and plan for our upcoming year. You, as Grange members, can help our Grange by providing all of us with ideas and suggestions relating to:
Suppers etc. – Should we plan suppers? lunches? or brunches this year? While I find that the Bean Suppers are so characteristic of Granges all over, it might be good to change things up a bit. It is my opinion that, while we make some money at such activities, it is not the money that makes us do it. The real community gatherings and family friendship we see at these functions are worth more than money.
Community Help – I hope we can get back on the Road Clean-up program this year. It is one of those labors of love in which we can all participate. Why does this matter? Well, we help clean up the community roads, we get some good exercise while doing it, and we enjoy all the company of our fellow members and friends who come out to help. The question is…what else is there that we can lend our services to help our community. Think about it.
Let us plan to get back to upkeeping/repairing the Grange. We can, finish the paint job, clean the windows, and, one day, we can get someone in a hazmat suit to clean the attic at the Grange. Our windows need some attention; Let’s look at them and decide what needs to be done.
Would it be prudent to buy an inexpensive lawn mower and rotate members to mow our grass? Just food for thought?
We need to restart the Words for Thirds Program. I have a box of dictionaries here. If anyone is interested in helping with this, just let me know.
It was suggested by one of our members last year that we print the article entitled – “Maine History Trail – Ocean View Grange, Martinsville Maine” and distribute it to every visitor to our Grange. It provides a good history of the Ocean View Grange and might help with membership recruiting. We will need someone to be in charge of this.
What do we do with the Stair Lift? It has been a dismal failure since we bought it. Do we just dump it? Do we move our meetings to the first floor? Do we buy a new Stair Lift? This is an item for discussion. We will need a Grange member to look into this.
Bathroom toilet. Much like the Stair Lift and the kitchen sink, the leaky bathroom toilet is a failure and needs repair or replacement.
What other programs can we provide? For example, I would be willing to put on a watercolor painting class. What can you provide? Cooking class, Poetry session, etc, provide help with PC’s electronic problems, dance lessons, etc.?
These are just a few items that occurred to me. I know you have some thoughts and ideas too. Don’t think that one, two, or three members should jump in to do all of the repairs and upgrades for the foregoing. This is a group effort, and everybody needs to lend a hand and come up with thoughts and solutions. Let’s all join together and make our Grange a better, safer, and happier place than it has been!!!
Larry also distributed an Ocean View Grange Roster, requesting members make sure their information is accurate and updated.. There are some great ideas on this list. I’m sure Ocean View won’t mind if some other Granges “steal” them!
Enterprise Grange – April 26, 2023
Sagadahoc Pomona will host the Fifth Degree at Enterprise Grange #48, 15 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond, on April 26, 2023. Pot Luck Supper at 6:00 with host Grange furnishing beverages and dessert and other Granges providing a hot dish or salad. Hall is in town, the street across from the library & firehouse. (15 Alexander Reed Road). We do need help with anyone who knows the parts, please. Meeting at 7:00. If candidates are attending from another Pomona, please remember to have the application signed by the M/P or Sec of your home Grange.
For additional information, contact Marilyn Stinson or Ben Edgerly.
Highland Lake Grange is proud to support the Westbrook Police Department K-9 unit. Joann Levesque, our Community Service chair, presented Officer Colby Clarke and Tony with items purchased by the Grange for the K-9 unit. Many more items are on the way! The success of our turkey supper fundraisers helped finance this project. Colby and Tony attended our meeting and educated our members about K-9!
Check out the front page article in the Machias Valley News Observer!
Visit their Candy Land on February 11, 2023
Fairview Grange #342 was pleased to be able to put together needed items for the Veterans at Togus VA again this season. We had gathered needed items for several years before the China Virus but couldn’t for two years as they were not accepting donations over concerns of spreading the virus.
This year they had a continued need, and Grange members and some from the community stepped up!
We donated some winter coats, warm socks, and underwear, personal care items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, nail clippers, and body wash as well as a little sugar-free candy as a treat. Thank you to all who helped.
By Marilyn Stinson, Enterprise Grange
As the Community Service Coordinator for Enterprise Grange #48, I’m challenging ALL Granges, Grangers, and Friends to consider their local food pantries for the 12 Days of Christmas which starts on Christmas Day, using the song as a guideline. Let’s see what innovative items people can come up with. Let’s fill Community Service Reports with pictures of what they came up with.
For a previous year, the reasoning was:
Day 1. Pear Tree = can of pears.
Day 2. Turtle Doves = ??? turtles are in the sea and so is tuna, so Chicken of the Sea Tuna.
Day 3. French Hens = French cut green beans. (add a can of mushroom soup for a casserole)
Day 4. Calling Birds = oatmeal or dry cereal to call them with?? Birds like uncooked cereals.
Day 5, Five Gold Rings = rings of canned pineapple. Or spaghetti-O’s.
Day 6, Geese-a-laying = I had hens laying eggs so I shared. This year, I’ll use cans of corn to feed the geese.
Day 7, Swans a-swimming = chicken soup (swans taste like chicken??).
Day 8, Maids a-milking = cans of milk (put with the corn for corn chowder). Or the boxed regular milk.
Day 9, Ladies Dancing = Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix would be Swiss ladies dancing, I think.
Day 10, Lords-a-leaping is another challenge. I used baby wipes because once you open the package, the rest leap out at you. Tissues would do that, too. Maybe corn to pop??
Day 11, Pipers Piping = elbow macaroni looks like little elbow pipes and food pantries sometimes ask for pasta.
Day 12, Drummers Drumming = dry spaghetti for drumsticks, or frozen chicken drumsticks. Or isn’t there a snack cracker that is drumsticks?
(Donations of can openers would also be an extra item.)
The Twelve Days of Christmas start with Christmas Day and end with the eve of Epiphany on January 5th. The Twelve Days of Christmas dates back to English origins in the sixteenth century although the music is reputed to be French. The first publication date for The Twelve Days of Christmas (The 12 Days of Christmas) was 1780.
Please spend a couple of minutes enjoying this reminder that Granges in Maine are making a difference!