Category: Communication

MSG Website Outages

Maine State Grange Communications

We are aware that the MSG Website has recently experienced outages lasting from a few minutes to half an hour. Most seem to be happening overnight and early in the morning.

Our website host has announced a scheduled period of server updates between March 20 at 12:00 AM Eastern time and March 20 at 7:00 AM Eastern time. During this time, we may experience a brief loss of connectivity to our website hosting and associated services as our environment is being moved.

Hopefully, this move will resolve these temporary outages. We will continue to monitor the situation and take further action if necessary. Our apologies for any inconvenience, and thanks for your patience!

Communication Shorts 03-16-2026

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!

The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330.
 mainestategrange@gmail.com.

March Bulletin

The March Bulletin is now available! Recent issues of the Bulletin are available on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Grangers Helping Grangers

As you help us by submitting your news and events, the energy grows! Grange members are contacting other members with questions and suggestions. That’s one of the objectives we have for the MSG website. “We’re Grangers. We help each other.”

Seeking Someone?

Do you, your child, or your grandchild have some knowledge of WordPress? (For those unfamiliar, WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that allows users to create, manage, and customize websites without needing advanced coding knowledge. The Maine State Grange Website uses it.) If so, let’s connect and explore some opportunities. I could use a few hours of volunteer help occasionally.

Rapid Resource

We’re always seeking resources of potential interest to Grangers and Friends that are not necessarily specific to the Grange. These will be short and easy to digest. As an example, the first concerns finding and tracking scholarships. You can help! Let me know what you think and, by all means, submit ideas and suggestions.

What’s Going On?

Last call for Grange Month Events!

Don’t forget to submit your special events and programs for our event calendar! We want people to know the Grange is thriving! Surely, there are lots of Grange things happening in Maine.

To Ponder…

“You help people when they need help, not when you are ready to help them.”

James Clear

An Idea for Your Grange

How about a clothing swap offering children’s clothing, work attire, sports wear, seasonal wear, and gently worn shoes? Offer participants a sustainable way to repurpose their clothing within the community.

Subscribe!

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.

Communications Column – March 2026

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

AI-generated image

Grangers Helping Grangers

The idea of “Grangers helping Grangers” can take many forms. We often see it within our Granges. For example, a member of Valley Grange recently needed some work completed on their home. It was quite natural for them to ask other members for suggestions. A slightly different version happens in Granges like Ocean View #463 in Port Clyde. They accomplish many of their projects by helping each other with ideas, resources, and expertise. These sorts of things happen both formally and informally, and all it takes is a little communication.

In recent weeks, I’ve had the privilege of seeing examples of it with Grangers helping Grangers in other Granges. For example, a Grange considering a Book Exchange Program (Little Free Library) wants to connect with other Granges that have one. Once again, all it takes is a little communication to make that connection! The odds are pretty good that if a Grange is considering something, another Grange (or someone in it) has at least tried it—and more likely done it.

What we are describing here is the primary focus of the Communications Department and website—supporting local community Granges. The odds are pretty good that if a Grange is considering doing something, another Grange (or someone in it) has at least tried it—and more likely done it. All we have to do is find that resource and connect!

That’s where you come in. It sometimes feels like local Granges are among the best-kept secrets! Tell the world (including the Grange World) what you’re doing!

A recent Rapid Resource on fundraising (included as a bonus article in this issue) challenges the use of the word “donation” in fundraising. Instead of asking for a donation, we can think of ourselves as giving others an opportunity. A similar mindset applies to recruiting members. Instead of asking people to join, give them an opportunity to be part of something.

“A rising tide lifts all boats,” is an idiom that suggests all who participate in improvements benefit. In a simpler sense, Granges can rise together, especially when we realize that collectively we have much to offer. In practical terms, that includes the events we hold and the projects we undertake. Humility is often overvalued. Bragging can be a very effective leadership tool. Of course we must earn the right to brag. We can help each other do that. You’ll probably be amazed at what happens as a result.

FACT: In the past twelve months, nearly 9,000 people have visited the MSG website, an 11% increase over the previous year.

Grange Today! 3-13-2026

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Celebrating Agricultural Literacy Week: March 16–20, 2026
  • How Urban Hospitals Tap Rural Benefits – and Why It Matters
  • National Grange Releases New Report Examining Diversion of Rural Health Care Dollars to Urban Hospitals
  • Grange Heirloom for March
  • Support the Grange Foundation through the Common Routes Challenge
  • Grange Month is around the corner
  • Grange Store Notice
  • Hamp Watch: Where is our National Grange President?
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Grange Member Benefit: HarvestHosts
  • Grange Store: Guidelines for Grange Leaders 

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

Read the Current Issue

Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. To save server space, we only post the table of contents on the MSG Website.

Fraud Watch- New IRS Imposter Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

IRS impostor scams tend to spike during tax season, and a new change in how refunds are issued could create added confusion and opportunities for scammers.

Starting this year, the IRS will only issue tax refunds electronically as the federal government moves away from paper checks. Changes like this are often used by scammers to make their messages sound more believable.

Scammers impersonating the IRS may contact you claiming they need your banking information to “update your refund details” because of the new rule. Know that the IRS generally will not call, text, or email you. Rather, the agency will send a letter to the taxpayer’s last known address explaining next steps or requesting additional information.

If you’re unsure whether a message is legitimate, don’t engage. Instead, confirm your tax refund or payment status by contacting the IRS directly using a trusted phone number from an official IRS letter, or by logging in to your IRS Online Account if you have one.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Share this news!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Maple Weekend on Tap!

March 21-22, 2026

Reprinted from an enewsletter by Senator Stacey Guerin, Senate District 4.

The Maine Maple Producers Association has announced the 43rd annual Maine Maple Sunday weekend. Set for March 21-22, sugar houses across the state will offer events, games, activities, sugarbush tours, music and much more. 

Over 100 sugar houses, farms and orchards are participating in this year’s Maple Sunday weekend at locations across the state. This is a great way to celebrate our Maine maple producers while enjoying a sweet treat!

Some locations will be open for activities on both Saturday and Sunday while others will only be open one day so be sure to double check with each sugarhouse before heading out! For a list of participating locations, visit the Maine Maple Producers Association website. 

Fundraising Thinking…

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Some thoughts based on a recent post by Seth Godin.

How do you view fundraising on behalf of your Grange?

In a recent post, Seth Godin challenges us to wonder why we often use the word “donation” and how that might affect the value of what’s “given.”

That’s worthy of thought. Too often, fundraisers approach with an almost apologetic tone. But the best fundraising provides an opportunity. We can readily see this with public suppers. We’re offering our supporters an opportunity to have a great meal at an affordable price. Supporting the Grange is at least secondary, if it’s even a factor.

The approach focuses on what the donor gets, not what the fundraiser receives. It might be a subtle shift. If you’ve ever sold a raffle ticket to someone who wasn’t interested in winning, you’ve seen it in action.

By the way, the same thinking applies to recruiting members.

Read Seth’s post, “Confused about donations.”

Fraudulent Email

We’ve been through this before, but just to be on the safe side…

Ignore (delete) this email. Do not reply to or forward it.

Frankly, this is not something we can control. Be alert and a little suspicious!

Fraud Watch- How and When to Report

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

It’s National Consumer Protection Week, and while AARP works year‑round to help protect people from fraud, this is a good time to talk about how and why to report fraud.

Fraud is widely underreported in this country. Sometimes, people don’t realize that fraud is a crime. Other times, victims don’t report because of undeserved feelings of shame or embarrassment. The lack of a single, centralized reporting system may also deter reporting. Here is some guidance on where you can report.  

Your bank: If you recognize a scam right away and it involves your financial institution, contact them immediately. They may be able to stop or reverse transactions, or freeze your account to help prevent additional payments or withdrawals by scammers.

Local law enforcement: Filing a report creates an official record, which may be helpful for future restitution. Reporting also matters because the more people who come forward, the more information law enforcement has to identify patterns and catch criminals.

The feds: You can also report scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. While federal agencies don’t typically follow up on individual cases, these reports help them track trends and better understand the scope of the problem.

Lawmakers: Consider sharing your experience with lawmakers — including local legislators, your state attorney general and Members of Congress. The more they hear directly from constituents about fraud, the more likely they are to take action to address it.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Share this news!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Multiple Sclerosis Awarenss Month

Reprinted from an enewsletter by Maine Representative James White, District 30.

March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness of the current state of research on multiple sclerosis, including new ways to diagnose and treat the condition.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. MS damages or destroys the protective covering (known as myelin) surrounding the nerves of the CNS and can potentially injure the nerves as well. This damage causes reduced communication between the brain and nerve pathways. Common MS symptoms include visual problems, overwhelming fatigue, difficulty with balance and coordination, depression and cognitive issues, and various levels of impaired mobility. The prevalence of multiple sclerosis is estimated at nearly one million people nationwide and most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50. Researchers continue to learn more as they look for both a cause and a cure.

To learn more about MS and available support options for you or a loved one, please visit the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Web site.