Category: Resources for Granges and Grangers

Lyme Disease Awareness Poster Contest

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This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by UMaine Cooperative Extension

Each year, Maine CDC hosts an annual Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest for K-8th graders in Maine. Despite COVID-19, ticks and tickborne diseases are still a threat, especially among children in this age group. The topic of this year’s contest is “Tick Wise,” reminding everyone to be “tick wise” and take steps to prevent tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease.

The contest rules and release can be found under the “Lyme Disease Awareness Month” heading at www.maine.gov/lyme.

Posters will be accepted through Friday, April 29, 2022. Only one poster per participant will be accepted and posters must be accompanied by a signed release waiver. Winners in each category (K-1st grade, 2nd-3rd grade, 4th-5th grade, 6th-8th grade) receive a one-day park pass to any Maine State Park for their family and tick removal kits for their classroom. One grand prize-winning poster will be chosen to feature as the 2022 Lyme Disease Awareness poster for Maine CDC.

Please contact Maine CDC’s Vectorborne Disease Health Educator with any questions at megan.porter@maine.gov.

Androscoggin Pomona Celebrating Degree Day

Sunday, April 24, 2022, 4 PM at Danville Junction Grange

Androscoggin Pomona Grange #1 will be offering the first Four Degrees at Danville Jct. Grange #65 in Auburn on Sunday, April 24, 2022, starting at 4 PM.  At this point, we have candidates from three different Granges and expect more. 

We are also looking for people to be the officers for these degrees. If you or someone you know can help us on that day please call Maynard Chapman at (207) 312-5591.

A Note Regarding Zoom Accounts

by Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

As most of you know, I operate Abbot Village Press providing “books, blogs, and education.” The Zoom meeting platform has become an important tool for us!

For this reason, I recently received notice from Zoom Video Communications that included:

…As a result, effective on April 1, 2022, the purchase of video-conferencing and audio-conferencing services by residential and business customers with a sold to address in Maine will be subject to the Maine Service Provider Tax. Maine Revenue Services set the Service Provider Tax rate, which is 6%, and will adjust the percentage as needed. 

With the disclaimer that I am not a tax advisor, I can share that the state of Maine does provide an exemption for a number of different kinds of organizations and institutions, such as hospitals, schools, churches and libraries, etc. Obviously, personal accounts will not qualify for the exemption, but your Grange or other organization (including historical societies which appear to be eligible) might. To explore and apply, visit: https://www.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/sales-use-service-provider-tax/tax-exempt-organizations

For most organizations, the savings would not be significant, but most people I know do enjoy avoiding paying taxes!

What’s the Number for 2-1-1?

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This article is reprinted in part with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Stearns, State Representative for District 119.

February 2022 was officially recognized as 211 Month by the Maine Legislature, with the resolution passing in the Senate and House with bipartisan support. Finding help for complex needs like shelter, substance use, mental health, or food access can be hard for many Mainers. Fortunately, there is a Maine-based resource that can help.

In addition to helping Mainers connect to the spectrum of health and human services, 211 continues its involvement in specific initiatives, including Maine’s Opiate Helpline to provide confidential referrals to treatment options, fielding questions about prevention, treatment, and mitigation of browntail moth caterpillars and moths, answering the Maine Problem Gambling Helpline, and co-hosting the first Maine Virtual-

Veterans Experience Action Center (V-VEAC) with Veterans Affairs, Bureau of Veterans’ Services, and other partners.

Specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by texting a Maine zip code to 898-211 or by dialing 211. 211 Maine is a collaborative effort of the United Ways of Maine, the State of Maine, and The Opportunity Alliance as the Contact Center Partner.

Webmaster’s Note: Good information to include in your Family Health and Hearing Report?

Grange Heirloom Program Kicks Off

Resources for Granges

produced by the
Maine State Grange Communications Department

Warning! This is a long video! You may decide to watch it in stages or steps but you will definitely want to watch it. This is a truly amazing program that will end up spanning a five-year period and it’s been over 150 years in the making.

Important additional resources for you:

Check out:

  • More Resources for Granges — Program Information and Inspiration
  • Program Books and Information –Information arranged by committee and topic.

BioME Scholarships Available

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This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Stearns, State Representative for District 119.

The BioME Scholarship Program offers an opportunity for high school graduates, undergraduate and graduate students in the field of life sciences to realize and accomplish their academic goals. This program is available for Maine residents or students enrolled in Maine academic institutions only.

All four scholarship applications are now OPEN, and we would greatly appreciate your help in sharing this opportunity with your colleagues, friends, and families! Please note that application deadlines for the Academic Scholarship and Summer Internship Award are both in March.

BioME Academic Scholarship ($4,000)
Applications Open: February 1, 2022 – March 25, 2022

BioME Summer Internship Award ($4,000)
For undergraduate and graduate students who are interning at an unpaid or minimally funded internship with a Maine employer. Funding to cover costs associated with internship and additional room and board. Applications Open: February 1, 2022 – March 18, 2022

BioME Seed Grant (up to $5,000)

For undergraduate and graduate students conducting original life sciences research. Funding to cover costs associated with research-related expenses. Applications rolling. Reviewed on a quarterly basis.

BioME Travel/Conference Award (up to $2,000) 

For undergraduate and graduate students who have had their research accepted for presentation at a professional life sciences conference. Funding to cover costs associated with attendance. Applications rolling. Reviewed on a quarterly basis. Apply up to 90 days before or after attending the event.

For more information, please visit their website at BioME Scholarship Program: Awards & Grants (biomaine.org)

Resources to Help With Electric Bills

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This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Stearns, State Representative for District 119.

If you’re having difficulty managing your energy bills, there are free programs and services available to help you get caught up and manage your energy costs.

Below are just a few resources designed to help. For a full list of programs, please visit www.cmpco.com/helpwithbill or www.versantpower.com/residential/programs-and-services

  • If you rent your home and need assistance with your electric bill, funding is now available through Maine’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program. For more information about the program please visit: mainehousing.org.
  • The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federal grant program that helps income-eligible households pay for energy bills, repairs, and weatherization. Please contact your local Community Action Agency to apply for HEAP. Qualifying for HEAP is the first step to be eligible to apply for programs.
  • If you have fallen behind, call your electricity service provider. They have payment plans that will help you get back on track. In addition, the Electricity Lifeline Program offers eligible customers a credit on their electric bill. Arrearage Management Program helps eligible customers reduce their past due balance.

There’s Still Time!

Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Ritual and Declaration of Purposes.

The new Heirloom Program kicks off in March. If you haven’t heard about it yet, it’s an exciting program designed to remind seasoned members and introduce new members to the values and lessons of the Grange. National Membership and Leadership Development Director Amanda Brozana Rios is hosting several introductory Zoom meetings to provide more details about the program and its use, answer questions, and brainstorm how Granges may build from this great resource. Several sessions have been scheduled to ensure everyone who wants to attend can. Each of these sessions will cover the same material, so you need only attend one.

Each Grange that sends a representative to attend one of the meetings will receive a certificate of recognition and a prize. The State Grange with the highest percentage of Granges attending meetings AND with at least one of the following attending will also receive a prize (President; Lecturer; Secretary; State Communications Director or Newsletter Editor; State Membership Director). You can attend any of the scheduled meetings by clicking this link a few minutes before the meeting.

We’ll be adding a resource page to the Maine State Grange Website soon. It will include all of the information you need to take advantage of this great new program. We’ll also be posting a Grange Heirloom every month. Make sure every member in your Grange knows about this! It’s a great time to subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website!

Subscribe to the MSG Website — don’t miss a post!

Maine Legislative Memorial Scholarship now open

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This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Davis, State Senator for District 4.

The Maine Legislature annually recognizes one student from each county who is currently pursuing or planning to pursue education at a two- or four-year degree-granting Maine college or technical school. Through the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), these awards are given to Maine resident high school seniors or full- or part-time post-secondary students accepted to or enrolled in accredited Maine colleges for graduate or undergraduate degrees.

The 2022-2023 application cycle is now open and scholarship applications are being accepted until the deadline of May 1, 2022. Scholarship awards of $1,000 will be given to one student in each of Maine’s counties (16 total). Only complete applications will be considered, which should include the following:

  • A completed 2022-2023 Maine Legislative Memorial Scholarship application
  • An essay (make sure the applicant’s name appears on all pages)
  • Submission of transcripts, recommendations, and a 2022-2023 Student Aid Report (SAR)
  • College students should include both college and high school transcripts
  • All transcripts should also indicate graduation date or anticipated graduation date
  • A copy of a high school diploma or equivalent

Recipients selected from applications submitted by the May 1, 2022 deadline will be selected and notified in the fall. Notifications are not sent to those applicants not selected. It’s important that students submit the 2022-2023 free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in time to receive the Student Aid Report (SAR) back from the federal government. The SAR with Expected Family Contribution (EFC), income information, and the number of family members must be sent to FAME and postmarked by the deadline during the application period.

Communications Column — February 2022

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

Planning for Grange Month

It’s not too early! How are you going to create a stir in your community? For many Granges that should ask “How are you going to create a bigger stir in your community?” I recently had an exciting conversation with a member who described the overwhelming support their Grange is receiving because the community loves what they are doing and wants to keep things happening. I don’t think that’s a Grange that will need much help figuring out what to do during Grange Month!

National Grange has offered the theme “Raised Right Here” for this year. An interesting addition is a plan for a special “Grange Spirit Week” April 3 – 9, 2022. Each day of that week is dedicated to one particular aspect of the Grange.

If that feels overwhelming, think of it as an idea starter. Could, for example, your celebration of Grange Month include information about your Grange Friends? In addition to recognizing a “Community Citizen of the Year,” why not celebrate individuals and organizations who your Grange counts on for help when it’s needed? And, while you’re at it, how about a history of your Grange Hall that includes features available to those who use or rent it? Think about posters and displays. Can you enlist a member of the local media to write a series of articles? Are there organizations you could collaborate and partner with?

The idea is to overwhelm your community with awareness of the Grange. There’s not much time, so get on the phone, schedule a Zoom Meeting, or have an impromptu meeting at your Grange Hall. Throw out some ideas–the crazier the better! You may not do them all, but you just might be surprised at the energy you’ll generate.

Remember, we’re happy to post your events on the Maine State Grange Website–but you have to tell us about them!

If you are going to celebrate a Community Citizen of the Year, don’t forget to order that award from The National Grange Supply Store.

I’ll be updating the Grange Month section of the Program Books and Information Page over the next week or two as resources become available for National Grange. Don’t wait! Start planning the party now!

► FACT: The Maine State Grange Website was visited by over 600 people during the month of January 2022.

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website