Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.
Promises of fast cash and low interest rates are a common tactic used in loan fraud. They post ads, or reach out to you directly, promising loan approvals with low rates and no credit checks. They may spoof their phone numbers to appear as legitimate lenders. To get the loan, they say you need to pay upfront for expenses like “processing,” “insurance,” or “application fees.” When they receive the payment, they disappear.
Legitimate lenders don’t charge upfront fees to secure a loan. Your best bet is to ignore unsolicited loan offers.
By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director 207 343-1842
Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Please send us your ideas and thoughts!
Lecturers’ Conference
The date of this year’s Lecturers’ Conference was originally submitted for the wrong month. The Maine State Grange Lecturers’ Conference will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 9:00 am until noon. The conference will include a workshop and distribution of the 2026-27 Program Booklet. It takes place at Maine State Grange Headquarters, 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330. Corrections have been made!
Deadlines
September 10, 2026, Deadline for claimingMemorial Bricks available from former headquarters. That’s today!
September 14, 2026, Bulletin Columns are due by the end of the day. That’s four days away!
September 15, 2026, Educational Aid Scholarships Deadline
September 15, 2026, Annual Officer and Department Reports are due.
October 1, 2026, Program Books are due. Please send a copy of Program Books to the webmaster.
October 1, 2026, Delegate Registration Forms are due.
October 10, 2026, Deadline for banquet reservations at State Grange Session.
Registered Maine voters may use this free service to request an absentee ballot for the November 03, 2026 General Election. Ballots must be received no later than 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Election Day.
Suicide prevention is not one moment or one person’s job. It lives in the relationships we build, the support we offer, and the communities we create together.
Week 1: Strengthen Suicide Prevention Together
The people in our lives can be a lifeline. Strong relationships and trusted connections help protect people when life gets hard.
Suicide prevention starts long before a crisis. Open conversations, shared resources, and visible awareness make a real difference.
Knowing the warning signs of suicide, in adults and in children and teens, means being able to recognize when someone needs support and connect them to help sooner.
Communities that talk openly about mental health and suicide help reduce the stigma that keeps people from asking for help.
Prevention is everyone’s responsibility, not just one organization’s. Families, schools, workplaces, faith communities, health systems, and individuals all have a role to play.
Small acts of connection, such as a check-in, a shared resource, a moment of genuine attention, are how communities take care of each other.
Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.
As food and product recalls continue to make headlines, criminals are following suit. They send texts, emails, or other messages claiming that a product you purchased has been recalled and that you’re entitled to a refund or free replacement.
The message may look legitimate, appearing to come from a retailer or manufacturer you trust. It urges you to act quickly and click a link to claim a refund or verify your account. But in reality, the link takes you to a fake website designed to steal your login credentials and personal or financial information.
If you receive a message like this, don’t click. Instead, go directly to the company’s official website or app to verify the recall and check your account. You can also confirm recalls through the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which maintain lists of recalled products at fda.gov/safety/recalls and cpsc.gov/recalls.
I’m working on a fully updated Communications Handbook to introduce for the 2026-27 Grange year. The business of communication continues to change rapidly, and it’s time to ensure the handbook meets the needs of our Granges and Grangers.
Like it or not, we must embrace technology. Studies show that over 80% of Maine citizens own a smartphone. Device ownership tracks closely with age demographics. In Maine households, roughly 93% of householders aged 15 to 34 own a smartphone, compared to only 49% of householders aged 65 or older.
If we are to remain relevant to our communities, our communication to those communities (and with each other) must also be relevant. We face a real challenge here. Our handbook will attempt to be a relevant resource. (I do love alliteration!) The current handbook shows how to format a press release document. The new handbook will address sending emails.
Relevant Resources
What would be helpful? If you have some thoughts, you can easily comment on this post. (Look to the left and click “Leave a Comment.”) Or, if you’d prefer, email me. My ambitious goal is to have this available at our State Convention in October, so don’t delay!
Communication Tips
We’ve got some, but we want more! What does your Grange do that works? I’m looking for creative ways we communicate internally (among members) and externally (with the public). Again, you can leave a comment or send an email.
The current handbook is available on the site for viewing and downloading: 2025-2026 Communications Handbook. It’s worth a look! And your ideas and tips are worthy considering for the updated version!
For 2026, the Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is inviting organizations, communities, farms, nonprofits, municipalities, and event organizers to submit public fall events for possible inclusion in Maine’s Weekly Foliage Reports.
DACF is looking for more activities that give residents and visitors another reason to get out and experience autumn in Maine, including:
Harvest festivals and agricultural fairs
Farm and food events
Outdoor recreation and nature-based activities
Arts and cultural events
Community festivals and celebrations
Other public events that complement the fall foliage experience
Events should take place during Maine’s fall foliage reporting season, generally mid-September through mid-October, and must be open to the public.
DACF will review events based on timing, location, relevance to the foliage season, and available space. Submitted information may be edited for length, clarity, and style.
Reprinted from an eNewsletter by Maine Senator Stacey Guerin, District 4.
The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (BHS) announced last week that Maine law enforcement will participate in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over High Visibility Enforcement Campaign.” Usually held in mid-August through Labor Day, which is September 7 this year, the campaign kicked off in earnest on August 19.
According to BHS, Maine State Police, county sheriff’s offices and local law enforcement will be participating in the three-week effort. Nine fatalities involving blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 grams per milliliter (the state’s legal limit) or greater were recorded in Maine over the past three summer campaigns.
There were 162 fatal crashes in the state in 2025, of which 27 involved alcohol or drug impairment, according to state data. In all, 173 people died on Maine’s roadways last year, and 29 of those were due to operating under the influence.
This data and program could be the basis of a Family Health and Hearing Report and, if promoted, qualify as Community Service.
The deadline for the September Bulletin is September 14, 2026. Janice and I are traveling in September and I’ll have limited availability–early submissions would be great! Recent issues of the Bulletin are available on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.
Submitting Events Is Easier
We now have a specific form for submitting events on the site, and it’s being used! You’ll be hearing more about it…
Deadlines
It’s the season of contest deadlines! Many are listed on the Grange Events Calendar. We’re also starting the countdown to State Session. Have you elected delegates and made your plans to attend?
Fair Season Is Upon Us!
Maine has some of the best agricultural fairs in New England. If you want to know more about Maine’s great agricultural fairs, go to the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs website for the latest news and information.
What’s Going On?
Don’t forget to submit your special events and programs for our event calendar! We want people to know the Grange is thriving! Try the new form. We’ve added more months to the online event calendar. You’re planning ahead, right?
To Ponder…
“If people stop going to the circus, the clowns go home.
Seth Godin
An Idea for Your Grange
I recently saw a video of “move-in day” at a college. The students who were already there were lined up holding welcome signs, jumping up and down, reaching out… could the gatekeeper (or greeter, if you prefer) organize something like that at your next event?
Remember, we don’t share your email address with anyone, and you get a weekly summary of what’s been posted. Subscribe here! Share that link with your members and Grange friends!
Online Directories Available 24-7
Thanks to those who help us keep these directories current by letting us know of changes!
The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct! Visitors to the site frequently consult these directories.
The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies, along with their contact information. Updated January 16, 2026.
