Category: Communication

Communication Shorts 03-02-2026

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 deadline for the March Printed Bulletin is March 14. Recent issues of the Bulletin are available on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

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.

Journals of Proceedings

The 2024 Journal of Proceedings has been received and posted, a summary of State Session held in 2024. Note these are large files with many pages and photos.

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?

St Patrick’s Day and Grange Month programs and events needed now!

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…

“No idea is so antiquated that it was not once modern. No idea is so modern that it will not someday be antiquated.” 

attributed to Ellen Glasgow

An Idea for Your Grange

It’s a marriage made in heaven! There’s a consensus that food is an important component of events. How do you make that work for you?

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.

Grange Today! 2-27-2026

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • 2026–2027: A Year of Growth. A Year of Action. A Year for All of Us 
  • Apply for a Rural Life Initiative grant
  • Pioneer Grange launches community food pantry
  • View from the Hill 
  • Adam’s Story: Free rural mental health resources for Grange communities
  • Promote National Ag Day with your Grange
  • Support the Grange Foundation through the Common Routes Challenge
  •  Life Line Screening – A New Benefit from the National Grange
  • Save the Dates!
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Member Benefit: MemberDeals
  • Grange Store: Veteran Recognition Pin

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- Travel Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Planning a winter escape? Don’t let criminals ruin your trip with bogus deals, fake booking sites, or schemes designed to steal money or personal information.

Scammers create fake vacation rental listings, apply pressure to pay upfront through wire transfers, gift cards, or other hard-to-trace methods. If a host asks you to pay outside the official platform, it’s a scam.

Be cautious of steeply discounted offers and use a credit card whenever possible for added fraud protection. Before booking, verify the company or property. Search the name along with keywords like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review” to see if other travelers have reported issues.

Staying alert and taking a few extra steps can help ensure your winter getaway is safe, fun, and scam-free.

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.

I Doubt It!

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

I wonder if I’ll ever cease to be amazed by the number of scams being run on the Internet and Social Media. I can’t resist sharing this one because it might actually be considered funny.

So “Commander Kirkland” has reached out to “whom it may concern” with what might initially appear troubling news. He informs us “...you and your organization,  that the Federal Law Enforcement agencies of the United States of America in conjunction with Interpol, the World Security Council and the United Nations Amnesty International Program, are announcing a series of arrests and investigations concerning various Religious and Social organizations using a psychological torture, and brainwashing technique known as a ‘forgiveness tatoo’.

I’m reminded a bit of the old joke “You know it’s not going to be a good day when you find the Sixty Minute News Team waiting for you at the office.”

By the way, “forgiveness tattoos”(spelled correctly) are a real item readily found on the Internet. I don’t pretend to fully understand their value, but as far as I can see, they aren’t about brainwashing or torture.

“What is the scam?” you ask. I don’t know, I didn’t fall for it. But I suspect the first step was to get me to reply to the email. It’s interesting that a Federal Law Enforcement Commander is using a Gmail address. I’ll admit, I almost did reply out of curiosity.

You can fool some of the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.

Attributed to Abraham Lincoln.

The updated version is

You can fool enough people some of the time to make a decent living.

Unknown

Just don’t be one of those people. And, perhaps more importantly, don’t let these attempts get you down. Think of them as an opportunity to demonstrate how smart you are. Just slow down and think! Wouldn’t you think a high-ranking federal law enforcement official would (among other things):

  • know how to spell the “tattoos” he is investigating
  • have an email address associated with his agency (and identify it)

No worries. Now, if you see the CNN News Team standing in front of the Grange Hall…

Flying the Flag!

This section currently exists on the Program Books and Information Page:

How we display the flag communicates! You can check whether or not the U.S. Flag should be at half-mast and sign up for email alerts.

This is a guide to the Federal Law regarding displaying the American Flag: US Flag Code.

Learn more from the Department of Veterans Affairs about the rules and traditions for flying the flag at half-staff

As technology advances, here are a few more resources we’ll be adding soon:

  • The American Legion: Text “FLAG” to 35893 (or 534466) to receive text alerts on your mobile phone.
  • Flag Day – US Flag Alerts App (iOS): Sends alerts for federal, but not state, half-staff days to your mobile phone.
  • Service First: Flag Alerts (iOS/Android): Covers federal, state, and weather-related alerts to your mobile phone.

“I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty, and freedom. It is the history of our nation, and it’s marked by the blood of those who died defending it.”

John Thune

Thanks to Larry Bailey, Master of Ocean View Grange, for an “unintentional” reminder to update this resource!

Fraud Watch- Helpline Alert

Government Imposters Rampant

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) has seen a rise in impostors pretending to be government officials.

Scammers are calling people, making claims like there’s a warrant for their arrest, their identity was used to buy child pornography or launder money, or that the FBI needs their help to catch a thief. These criminals seek to get your money by wire transfer or crypto kiosks. Some even use the real names of FBI agents or sheriffs to appear legitimate when you search online.

Remember that government officials will never contact you unexpectedly to seek payment in any form. If you receive a contact like this, disengage, and if you’re worried there may be a problem, contact the agency at a number or web address you know to be legitimate.

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.

Communication Shorts 02-15-2026

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.

February Bulletin

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

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.

National Grange Notes

Remember, applications for National Grange Rural Life Initiative Grants are due by February 28, 2026. (You must submit through the online portal.)

Your Grange Presence

If your Grange has an active website or social media presence, please make sure to let us know! We maintain a list on the site and publicize them as a source of more information.

To ponder…

“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.”

attributed to Abraham LIncoln

An Idea for Your Grange

I recently stumbled upon an organization offering a free “How to Write an Obituary” workshop. It might sound unusual at first, but offering some legacy-planning information could be a valuable service. Hospice workers, funeral directors, financial planners, etc., could be included.

What’s Going On?

St Patrick’s Day and Grange Month programs and events needed now!

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.

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.

Grange Today! 2-13-2026

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Make a strong impression in your grant proposal
  • Apply for a Rural Life Initiative grant
  • Grange Heirloom for February
  • 2026 National Grange Programs now available online
  • Support the Grange Foundation through the Common Routes Challenge
  • Understanding Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: Numbers to Know in 2026
  • Apply for the Ernestine Keiser Memorial Scholarship
  • Hamp Watch: Where is our National Grange President?
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Member Benefit: Aflac
  • Grange Store: Veteran Recognition Pin

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- The Rise of Friendship Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

You don’t have to be looking for love to be targeted by a relationship scam. Increasingly, perpetrators take the friendship route, building deep connections over time, starting by claiming they share your interests, experiences, or struggles.

They may initiate contact by commenting on your social media posts, reaching out through direct messages, or even sending what seems like a text sent by mistake. Over time, they earn your trust before asking for money or pitching an investment opportunity.

Because these relationships appear platonic, they can be harder to recognize. Red flags include pressure to move conversations to encrypted apps and eventually urgent requests for money or encouragement to invest in cryptocurrency.

Make it a habit to talk to a friend or family member when new relationships bloom. Together, you may be able to see signs of a scam that you couldn’t see alone.

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.