Category: Resources for Granges and Grangers

Communication Shorts 05-15-2024

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!

May Bulletin Is Now Available!

The May Bulletin is complete and available. You can find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

Take the National Grange Survey!

National Grange has announced a goal of increasing overall member satisfaction by 20% within the next year, as measured by an annual member feedback survey. They are asking members to complete a survey (about ten minutes of your time) regarding current feelings and attitudes toward the Grange. Please take the survey by June 30.

National Convention Registration Available

Registration for the 158th Annual National Grange Convention is now available. Register and submit your payment by July 31 and save $5 on registration.

Website Outages

We are getting reports of brief outages of the Maine State Grange Website. These usually only last a minute or two and are caused by the host server. We are monitoring their frequency and will request action if the situation doesn’t improve soon.

Consider this Idea!

Raise money on your anniversary? If you’re having an anniversary celebration, could you do a fundraiser and raise money based on the number of years?

Think about this!

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”Online Grange Directory CHANGE?

Maya Angelou

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!

Communications Column – May 2024

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

Our April Column discussed “boosting” the Grange. One obvious way of doing that is to promote your events thoroughly. Since I’ve recently had some questions about posting events on the website and in the calendar, let’s continue the theme!

When you submit information about an event…

For example, the deadline for the May Bulletin was May 14th.  As long as space permits, I include the entire website calendar (the following month [June] through December) in that (and every) Bulletin. I usually complete the Bulletin a day or two after the deadline and post the PDF on the website. I also send it to MSG Headquarters for them to print and snail mail a copy to all Subordinate Grange Secretaries. The way the local secretary handles it is very individualistic. Many bring it to their next meeting. That’s where it gets tricky. Using Valley Grange as an example, we’ll be meeting on June 19th, so you can see how most of the June events in that Bulletin will be over by the time it reaches some people.

For the website, I usually post events within 24-48 hours of receiving them. I probably should note that we don’t post “regular” meetings. I love to create an individual post for events when there’s sufficient information. If you use the submission form on the website, it prompts you for what to include. If sending an email is easier, by all means do so—if you send an email, you can attach a copy of any flyers or other visuals. Visuals help me create an actual post for the event!

Once your event is posted on the MSG Website, it’s easy-peasy to share that post to Facebook–or lots of other places! Go to the bottom of the post and click the button!

Find the button representing how and where you want to share a post.

Hopefully, this shows the value of posting your events to the website:

  • Your event information is posted and available almost immediately after submitting it;
  • Your event may include illustration–for example, we have standard logos for events such as public suppers and yard sales;
  • Your event information is easily discovered by people searching for Grange activities;
  • Your event is easily shared by anyone on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, etc.;
  • Your repeating events are listed as such on the MSG Event Calendar;
  • Your event gets statewide and national exposure.

To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time.

Leonard Bernstein
Tell us why you love the grange
Submit an Event or News

► FACT: So far this year, nearly 3,000 people have visited the MSG Website!

UMaine Offers Free Summer Courses

Reprinted with permission from an enewsletter published by Maine Senator Stacey Guerin.

The University of Maine’s Early College summer course registration is still open with over 75 tuition-free online courses available to high school students. Early College students have access to world-class faculty at Maine’s flagship university and the only Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution in Maine.

Qualified high school students can earn up to 12 college credits per year at UMaine and its regional campus in Machias. Live and online classes run from May 6 until Aug. 16. UMaine’s flexible summer schedule includes online and live courses and several unique on-site experiences. Students and parents can visit the program’s website to learn more about the program and eligibility. Those who are ready to apply can do so directly via the Early College portal here. Applications are due one week prior to the course start dates. Seniors graduating in 2024 will not be eligible to participate in Summer 2024 Early College courses. For a complete list of courses and locations, download the program’s online guide.

Note: The online guide can easily be printed for your Grange’s Bulletin Board.

Communication Shorts 04-30-2024

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!

May Bulletin Coming soon!

The deadline for the May Bulletin is Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Keep those cards and letters coming in! You can find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

This Might Be Ironic

A recent “Word of the Day” in The Dictionary Project Newsletter was hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. No, it’s not a fear of hippotamus. It’s a fear of long words!

Katherine Rhoda Concerts

You may have received an offer from Katherine to perform a Grange-themed concert at your location. For those planning an anniversary celebration or open house, this could be a good fit! For more information, contact Katherine through her website.

Consider this Idea!

There appears to be a growing trend towards informal social events. For example, in Abbot a group of people meet weekly to play board and card games. There’s not a lot structure and work involved. Sometimes, the best ideas are the simplest.

Under Consideration – Online Grange Directory

We are considering a change to the online Grange Directory. Instead of listing one contact, we may include two: the master and the secretary. This will double the odds of interested people reaching someone and getting a response. If you have any thoughts about this, let me know!

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!

Another Scam Alert!

I’m still working on this one… an email came through the website containing the following:

I am having my party in May, I want it to be held at your venue, with 50 guests invited. I’m flexible with the date. Before we proceed with our request, please
answer the following question below;

  1. Do you accept credit cards or check payment?
  2. Can you work with our official band performing for the event regarding payment to them?

Those with a dose of caution will immediately note several red flags:

  • No venue is given–where do they intend to have it?
  • No information is offered about the host or the nature of the party.
  • The only questions are regarding payment. No questions regarding the facilities?
  • While I didn’t include it, the end of the email suggested urgency due to the fast-approaching date.

Mostly out of curiosity, I replied to the email requesting more information, noting that the Grange does not assume financial responsibility for providers at events. I’ll be surprised if I hear from “Kirk” again.

I’ve shared this to alert Granges who are renting their halls to be cautious when making financial arrangements. Doing your diligence is the mark of a good steward!

View from the Hill – April 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.

View Updates

Communication Shorts 04-16-2024

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!

April Bulletin Available

The April Bulletin is now available for downloading and printing! You can find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

Staying Safe

Just another reminder not to automatically respond to email or text messages that “don’t sound right.”

National 9-1-1 Education Month

April is being observed as National 9-1-1 Education Month, an observance designed to ensure that the public is ready to access help during emergencies.

NHTSA: National 911 Program and Know 911

This is also an excellent time to make sure you know the 911 address for your Grange Hall–it’s usually also the GPS address. Post in around the hall so if there’s an emergency, you can provide it to the dispatcher!

Consider this Idea!

Discussion Groups! We recently learned of a local Council on Aging sponsoring General Quarters!, a monthly roundtable discussion group focusing on military topics. What a great name! But almost any topic could work. It wouldn’t have to include a formalized program–just an opportunity for people to come together and discuss a mutually interesting topic. Gardening, cooking, reading… use your hall!

Fraternal Announcement

Since some may have participated in a card shower for Basil Clement, it is my sad duty to inform you that he passed away on Easter Sunday, just 21 days short of his 95th birthday. His niece and hospice nurse have both expressed much appreciation to the Grange for making his final days happy and for providing companionship.

Bangor Savings Bank Community Matters More 2024

Recipients of the Community Matters More Grants have been announced! See the list here!

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!

Communications Column – April 2024

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

Remember “Booster Nights?” I’m not sure there ever was a clear definition or description, but it would probably be fair to describe it as a recruiting effort to “boost” membership with an open house-themed meeting or program.

I’m not aware of any data, but I suspect you won’t find too many people who joined the Grange after attending a Booster Night in recent years–for one thing, they’ve gone out of fashion. But remembering them raises a question. In our efforts to grow our Granges, what are we boosting?

People join the Grange and maintain their membership for various reasons, which can be very diverse and individualistic. I haven’t kept track, but the most common explanation I’ve heard for joining is family tradition—”my parents and grandparents were members.” In “my” Grange, we have a few members who pay their dues but aren’t involved, don’t attend meetings, but maintain their membership status. No criticism is implied. It’s just a fact.

Does that mean we should be contacting all of our current members’ relatives?

If we are promoting the Grange, maybe so. In a somewhat desperate sense, any reason for joining is acceptable, right?

But the more important question arises. What are we boosting? Or, in a larger way, what are we communicating?

Within the context, it might be time to think about what the Grange does in addition to what it is.

It’s probably time to dust off the “Why I love the Grange” survey. If you read some of the reasons, you won’t see many, “I love the Grange because it is an organization with a long history and agricultural roots…” Most of the answers reflect what the Grange does and how those current members actually benefit. Those answers tell us what we should be communicating if we want to attract new members. We should be looking for “like-minded” people.

Many members mention “family” in explaining why they love the Grange. So, a simple example of what that might mean is we should include “family-friendly” when promoting events. (And we’d better mean it. Valley Grange has an “activity tote” and “book tote” that visiting kids are encouraged to use—and they get to take one home. If they bring it back, they can trade it for another or just keep it.)

In addition to “family-friendly,” it might make sense to use the word “community” when promoting your Grange’s activity. While not always aware of it on a conscious level, many people are searching for a sense of belonging to something. Maybe your “public supper” should be a “community supper.” It sounds too simple and almost trite, but words can mean a lot. I once had someone admit they would be more likely to attend a “Grange Program” than a “Grange Meeting.” Meetings are for members. Programs are for everyone.

What is your Grange doing these days? Boost that because your Grange is what it does.

Tell us why you love the grange
Submit an Event or News

► FACT: The website currently has 862 posts and 20 pages! That’s a lot of information!

Promoting Maine Farm Products

Reprinted with permission from an enewsletter published by UMaine Extension

Real Maine offers statewide promotions (print, radio, web, and news stories) to encourage visitors to meet participating members and support Maine agriculture year-round. There is no fee for farms to join Real Maine or the voluntary promotional opportunities. Members can refer to DACF’s agritourism resources to help their event planning. More information here.

Maine’s Open Farm Day happens, rain or shine, on the fourth Sunday in July. Save the date: The 35th event will occur on July 28, 2024.

Eclipse Day Update

Reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Maine Senator Stacey Guerin.

As we reported last month, millions of Americans will have an opportunity to see a total solar eclipse when the Moon’s shadow will sweep across the nation on April 8. The last time the U.S. saw a total solar eclipse was in 2017. However, this time the path of the eclipse will travel right through the heart of Maine.

Towns from Jackman and Greenville to Millinocket and Houlton are preparing for heavy traffic and thousands of tourists who will travel north to see the first total solar eclipse in Maine since July 1963. This year’s eclipse, or “path of totality,” will begin its North American journey in Mazatlan, Mexico, at 9:51 a.m. MST.

The first Maine town to see the partial eclipse will be Jackman beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. It will leave the U.S. through Houlton at 4:41 p.m. EDT. The total eclipse begins roughly 70 minutes after the onset of the partial eclipse.

According to recent news reports, some of those towns are depending upon eclipse tourists to salvage what has otherwise been a dismal snowmobiling season. The expected event turnout has even led to changes in school schedules, as some districts will release students early to allow them to watch it and address traffic safety concerns.

Schools in towns like Houlton and Jackman will be closed entirely. Both are directly centered in this year’s path.

Aside from its path, the major difference this year compared with the eclipse in 2017 is the size of the path of totality and the duration of the eclipse itself. According to NASA, this year’s path will be much larger than in 2017, ranging 108 to 122 miles wide since the Moon is closer to Earth.

That means the duration will be longer at about 4.5 minutes at its peak. When the total eclipse rolls through Houlton, it should last 3 minutes, 21 seconds. Totality lasted only 60 seconds in 1963.

For more information about this year’s total solar eclipse, visit NASA’s website.

Do NOT look at the sun/eclipse without protective eyewear! Please remind children – several times – of this!