This monthly newsletter written by Burton Eller, National Grange Legislative Director, covers “what’s happening” in Washington on various topics of interest to Grangers.
View from the Hill – March 2024
Category: National Grange Information
National Grange information, including National Convention.
Communication Shorts 03-24-2024
By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842
Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Send us your ideas and thoughts!
Happy Anniversary to Whom?
We’ve had a request for information regarding any 150th Anniversary Celebrations being planned. If it’s your Grange’s Year, let us know!
Save This Idea!
It’s too late for this year, but the town of Falmouth, Maine, is sponsoring an April Stools Day event (that’s not a typo). Volunteers will clear the Falmouth Community Park trails for spring (with special attention to dog waste). Trash bags and gloves will be available for participants. The event will have a party atmosphere and fun prizes.
Grange Rideshare–New England Lecturers’ Conference
We have at least one person seeking a ride to the NELC in June who is willing to share expenses. The conference is June 21-23 in Norwich, CT. If you are going and have some room, let’s see if we can create some connections!
Submit Events! Be “findable”
The MSG website is easy to find and gets a lot of use! In the last seven days, 132 people visited the site after searching on Google. It really does make sense to submit your events and make sure your information is correct in the online directory! We especially need working email addresses that are checked regularly!
Submit News! Be “famous”
Submitting news can be as simple as a photo and “cutline.” A cutline is a brief description–longer than a caption–to accompany the photo. Let’s prove that the Grange is alive and well in Maine! (Photos should be submitted as an attachment to an email.) We get inquiries from people looking for active Granges!
Online Directories Available 24-7
- The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies with contact information.
- The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct!
The Patrons Chain 3-22-2024
Articles in this edition include:
- Recap of the Virtual Legislative Fly-In
- Grange Month materials available
- Youth & Junior Director honored, thanked for service
- Photo spotlight: Leadership Team takes to Capitol Hill
- This week: Rural Minds and National Grange present webinar
- Duplicate Charter Application now available
- Grange Supply Store: Digital Downloads – vintage cookbooks
- Grange Supply Store: 4th Degree Pin
- Grange Member Benefit: Budget Rental Cars
Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!
Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.
Communication Shorts 03-15-2024
By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842
Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Send us your ideas and thoughts!
March Bulletin Now Available
Get it here! Remember, the past few Bulletins are available for downloading and printing on the Program Books and Information Page. We also occasionally accept “guest posts” on topics of interest to Grangers. See the guidelines!
Starling Hall Auction
Have you placed your bids yet? (There’s a copy of Exploring Traditions available and it benefits a good cause!)
Update on Subscription Feature
This isn’t going to be a quick fix! In the meantime, I’ve instituted a manual workaround and will be creating regular emails to subscribers. These won’t be daily and will be based on posting activity. Communication will not stop! It may be a little slower, though. Thanks for your patience.
Grange Month Resources Available
The traditional resources (proclamation, sample press release, posters, etc.) are now available on the National Grange Website.
Deering Grange Website
Check out the new Deering Grange Website! It’s great that another Grange now has an Internet presence.
Ideas for Granges
Is it time for some spring cleaning? Can your hall and grounds become a community effort? Is there a local garden club that might help with landscaping?
Thought for You…
“I find my greatest freedom on the farm. I can be a bad farmer or a lazy farmer and it’s my own business.”
Robert Frost
Do You Love the Grange?
The world wants to hear about it! Fill out the simple I Love the Grange Form… it only takes a couple of minutes! Thanks to all who have shared so far!
Online Directories Available 24-7
- The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies with contact information.
- The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct!
Do You Have FOMO?
“FOMO” is a Fear Of Missing Out. One strongly recommended treatment is to subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website. We’ll send you a daily summary whenever news and columns are posted, and we won’t share your email address with anyone!
The Patrons Chain 3-15-2024
Articles in this edition include:
- Legislative Fly-In puts focus on advocacy for all Americans
- USDA Finalizes Voluntary “Product of USA” Label Claim to Enhance Consumer Protection
- Grange Month materials available
- Save the Date: Rural Minds and National Grange to present webinar
- Join Membership Matters
- Grange Spotlight: White Clover Grange “Pie Day”
- 2024: The Road Ahead to Connect America
- Grange Supply Store: 4th Degree Pins
- Grange Supply Store: Community Citizen Awards
- Grange Member Benefit: Start Hearing
Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!
Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.
The Patrons Chain 3-08-2024
Articles in this edition include:
- Speak LIke a “CHAMP” by Christine Hamp
- March Heirloom
- Where can I find? by Philip Vonada
- Register for the Virtual Legislative Fly-in
- Opinion: Your Grange’s Position by Walter Bommsma
- Grange Month materials are available
- Save the Date: Rural Minds and National Grange to present webinar
- Commentary: Who Benefits from Daylight Savings Time
- Grange Supply Store: Seven-Sided Patches
- Grange Member Benefit: Avis
Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!
Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.
Communication Shorts 03-01-2024
By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842
Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Send us your ideas and thoughts!
March Bulletin Coming Soon!
Officers and directors are reminded that columns and posts for the March Bulletin are due March 14, 2024. Remember, the past few Bulletins are available for downloading and printing on the Program Books and Information Page. We also do occasionally accept “guest posts” on topics of interest to Grangers. See the guidelines!
Update on Subscription Feature
This isn’t going to be a quick fix! In the meantime, I’ve instituted a manual workaround and will be creating regular emails to subscribers. These won’t be daily and will be based on posting activity. Communication will not stop! It may be a little slower, though. Thanks for your patience.
Grange Month Resources Available
The traditional resources (proclamation, sample press release, posters, etc.) are now available on the National Grange Website.
Free Publicity
Do you have news to share about your Grange? A summary of a past event? Advertising of a future event? These are exciting and fun ways to attract new members. Submit the details for a website post and event calendar listing! This is not difficult, and you get lots of free publicity!
Ideas for Granges
This one comes from a local library that has set up a FIX-IT Cafe. I could see it being themed-the basic idea is bringing together hobbyists with repair skills and people who need things fixed. There are certainly some challenges, but it’s something to think about. One of the most popular posts in recent history was Mill Stream Grange’s “Tool Library.” Hmmm, makes me think…
Thought for You…
“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”
Aristotle
Do You Love the Grange?
The world wants to hear about it! Fill out the simple I Love the Grange Form… it only takes a couple of minutes! Thanks to all who have shared so far!
Online Directories Available 24-7
- The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies with contact information.
- The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct!
Do You Have FOMO?
“FOMO” is a Fear Of Missing Out. One strongly recommended treatment is to subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website. We’ll send you a daily summary whenever news and columns are posted, and we won’t share your email address with anyone!
Notes from National – February 2024
- March 18 – Join the National Grange Virtual Legislative Fly-In. Hear from Grange leaders, representatives from Congress, and issues partners about what the Grange is working on for all of rural America. Register at http://grange.biz/flyin2024
- Please subscribe to the National Grange’s Good Day! magazine. Just $16 a year gets you access to our print or digital subscription. Learn more about the magazine at http://www.nationalgrange.org/goodday or the digital issue at http://www.issuu.com/grangegoodday. The April issue will be here before you know it, so now is a great time to subscribe or double-check your subscription.
- Subscribe to the Patrons Chain and View from the Hill at http://www.nationalgrange.org/subscribe. These newsletters are released every Friday, containing information about National Grange programs, events, and more.
- Do you have a local member with an interesting story in the Grange who might be willing to be on our upcoming podcast? Please reach out to Communications Director Philip Vonada!
- Are there topics you would like to see covered in a future Zoom from a National Grange staff member, department, or officer? Please let us know! We’re always working to ensure our topics are in line with what our members want or need to hear from us.
- The National Grange Social Media Calendar is available. This is intended to be a guide for State and Community Granges of topics/events that may be used to enhance social media. By no means is it a suggestion to post ALL of these things, but if you’re looking to get out of a rut or expand your social media reach. This could also be a great resource for Grange Lecturers/Program Directors who are looking for new programming ideas.
- Many National Grange events have been recorded and archived – if there’s something you missed and would like to see, please visit the National Grange YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/nationalgrange.
- Follow National Grange on Social Media! We’re on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and more! By the end of March, the National Grange Lecturer, National Junior Grange, National Grange Chaplain, and National Grange Youth pages will all be merged into the National Grange Facebook page.
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
View from the Hill – February 2024
This monthly newsletter written by Burton Eller, National Grange Legislative Director, covers “what’s happening” in Washington on various topics of interest to Grangers.
The Patrons Chain 2-23-2024
Articles in this edition include:
- National Grange adopts new Mission Statement
- If we could do anything…
- Final Day to Order – Grange Strong Fundraiser
- Grange Foundation’s Ernestine Keiser Memorial Scholarship
- Register for the Virtual Legislative Fly-In
- Grange Month materials available
- Save the Date: Rural Minds and National Grange to present webinar
- Grange Supply Store: Vintage Grange Hall Dedication Plaques
- Grange Member Benefit: American Income Life Insurance
Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!
Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.