Category: Exciting Granges

Ocean View Grange Spreads More than Dictionaries

Ocean View Grange is located in St George (Port Clyde), Maine

When Ocean View Master Larry Bailey reported on their successful Dictionary Day, even he may not have realized the full impact. He subsequently received an email from one of the teachers with an invitation to attend a “Community Meeting” at the school hosted by the third grade. One of the items on the agenda was a “quick thank you for your dictionary donations.”

Obviously, he went!

He was happy to report, “I admit I was genuinely impressed by what I saw and felt. The energy and excitement were palpable, the kids were clearly happy to be part of the program, and the teachers handled the huge crowd perfectly. The young speakers/announcers were great, the music was certainly upbeat and well done. I was especially taken with the videos some of the students filmed. They were classics and made me laugh…especially the one number one winner. Creative is an understatement for all of them.”

School District Superintendent Mike replied, in part, “…thanks again to the entire Grange for supporting our 3rd graders and school!  The students and teachers once again did a wonderful job running the community meeting.  It’s incredible to see the work our students and staff are doing, often in partnership with community organizations like the Grange!”

These partnerships can indeed be incredible. They connect our Granges with our schools and communities in powerful ways with results that make a difference. Check out the Words for Thirds Resource Page. There’s still time to set up a Dictionary Day for a school near you during Grange Month (April), but you’ll need to get started soon. We’re here to help!

Mill Stream Grange Delivers

Mill Stream Grangers presenting check
Mill Stream Grange members Lisa Goucher (far left) and Jill Sampson (far right)  present the Grange’s annual Christmas donation to the Mt. Vernon area Food Bank. Accepting on behalf of the food bank are Nate Kane and Carol Fuller.  

Valley Grange Gets BIG Thanks

The picture doesn’t do it justice! It barely fit in the scanner. It came from fifth-grade students and teachers at Ridgeview Community School in Dexter. The inside was filled with signatures, hearts, and the message, “Thank you for donating warm gear for us to wear outside this winter.”

We love our kids!

And we thank our Blistered Finger Knitters for making it possible to do this in our area schools. Remember, you don’t have to be a Grange Member to help! We’ll even provide the yarn, thanks to the donations we’ve received from our supporters. Contact Mary Annis (564-0820) or Pat Engstrom (564-8290) for more information.

Visit the Valley Grange Website

Words for Thirds

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Our resource pages are officially available! We’d hoped to have an interview available but experienced some complications and didn’t want to wait!

There are still a few items we’re finishing up, but you’ll find plenty you can use. We have sample labels, helpful documents such as press releases and parent letters, emails you can use with teachers, and an easy way to get your customized Words for Thirds Logo.

Words for Thirds Resources

There’s still time! Ocean View Grange in Port Clyde is planning to visit their third graders next week! Master Larry Bailey and Chaplain Terry Bomba have the distinct honor of handing out the dictionaries and seeing the kids get “wound up.”

We’re working on more resources and ideas. If you need or want something that we haven’t thought of, let me know. I’d love to help your Grange put some dictionaries and all the words in them in the hands of your local third-graders!

Highland Lake 150th Anniversary

Highland Lake Grange No. 87 marked its 150th anniversary this month! To celebrate, eleven members enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Rustlers Steakhouse in Windham. The Grange is planning a public event for its 150th later in 2025. Details will be announced at a later date.

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!

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!

Last Call!

By Walter Boomsma

Well, at least for now! We still have some confirming to do, but it looks like at least ten Granges in Maine are participating in the Words for Thirds Program.

  • Chelsea Grange #215
  • East Madison Grange #228
  • Evening Star Grange #183
  • Farmington Grange #12
  • Hollis Grange #132
  • Maple Grave Grange #148
  • Mill Stream Grange #574
  • Old Town Riverside Grange #273 (unconfirmed)
  • Valley Grange #144
  • Waterford Grange #479

Thanks to the folks who have answered the call and provided information. If you still haven’t, just complete this simple form!

    Our resource page is shaping up nicely and should be ready to release in a week or so. It includes a customized logo for participating Granges, many sample documents such as a letter for parents, press releases, media advisories, and a sample presentation outline.

    We owe a special thanks to Mary French, Director of the Dictionary Project, for her enthusiasm and support of this effort!

    Valley Grange and Local Schools Celebrate Dictionary Day

    Guilford–A team of Valley Granger members led by Walter Boomsma is delivering nearly 250 dictionaries to local area schools during the next several weeks. “We have a lot to celebrate,” he noted, “third graders in the area are celebrating tools, words, and the importance of learning and getting their own dictionary to keep.”

    The Grange began its “Words for Thirds” Program in 2004 by giving a dictionary to every third-grader at the then-Guilford Primary School. Over the years, the program has expanded to include Piscataquis Community, SeDoMoCha, Brownville, Harmony, and Ridgeview Elementary Schools. Boomsma estimates the Grange has distributed nearly 4,000 dictionaries since. “But it’s really not about the numbers. One kid, one dictionary. The stories are many, but each one is personal. A dictionary can make a big difference in a child’s life.”

    Grangers visit schools to make the gift personal and emphasize the importance of people helping each other. Jim Annis, president of the local Grange, rarely misses a presentation. “I love how excited the kids get. These dictionaries are truly empowering, and the program has become a rite of passage. We’re glad we can continue the tradition.”

    Boomsma noted that these sorts of connections and cooperation within the community are exactly what the Grange hopes to facilitate. “We’re all about building strong kids and communities,” he said. “We’re also looking for people who share that passion, whether it’s working with the schools and children or seniors or other community organizations.” He cites the Grange’s Blistered Finger Knitters as an example. “As a result of their efforts, we distribute some knitted hats and mittens along with the dictionaries. These are usually given to the school nurse for kids needing little help staying warm.”

    “The kids get excited about the books, but I think for most, it’s about more than just getting a dictionary. It’s also about seeing that organizations and individuals in the community care for each of them and want them to succeed.”

    The Dictionary Project is based in North Carolina, making low-cost dictionaries available to organizations like the Grange to aid third-grade teachers in their goal to see all their students leave at the end of the year as good writers, active readers, and creative thinkers. Extra dictionaries are always available for new or home-schooled students or students transferring in during the school year. Parents of home-schooled third-graders are urged to call their local school for additional information. For information about the Grange and its many opportunities, call Walter Boomsma at 343-1842 or Mary Annis at 564-0820 or visit the Valley Grange Website (http://valleygrange.com) or Facebook Page.

    Fifth Degree Recipients

    L-R Brenda Foss of Androscoggin Grange #8 of Greene Kathleen Meade of Harraseeket Grange # 9

    Photo by David Colby Young

    Brenda Foss and Kathleen Mead took their Fifth Degree Court of Pomona @ the monthly meeting of Androscoggin Pomona Grange #1 held at Danville Junction Grange #65 of Auburn, Maine. They both plan on taking their Sixth Degree next week to be held in Auburn, Maine, and Kathleen plans on going to National Grange in Nov to take her Seventh Degree.