National Grange Month 2023
Category: Grange News
Kennebec Valley Grange Lunch To Go
April 15, 2023, 11:30 – 1:00 (or until the food runs out)
Enjoy lunch to go from Kennebec Valley Grange! The menu includes smothered beef, mashed potatoes, peas & carrots, homemade biscuit, and peach cobbler. The cost is $10 per lunch.
Kennebec Valley Grange is located at 560 Main Street in Madison, Maine.
For more information, email Diane Pinkham or call 207 314-5135.
Grange Month Proclamation
National Grange Month Events
Notes from National – March 2023
Are you feeling disconnected from National Grange news?
Each Friday morning, an email arrives – your computer dings, your phone buzzes, a notification pops up on your computer screen. The email is from the National Grange – either the Patrons Chain or the once-a-month View from the Hill. Without fail, that email has come to you for years, and then you notice… it’s not coming anymore. It’s not in your junk or spam folders, you didn’t change your email address… where is it?
Scrolling emails on your phone, it’s really easy to accidentally unsubscribe, mark the email as spam, or remove yourself from our mailing list. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy for the National Grange staff to re-subscribe you. Because of the software used to send these emails, the only way to get back on the weekly email list is to sign up again – staff are unable to do it for you.
That’s why we tried to make it simple for you to get back on our email list! Visit www.nationalgrange.org/comeback to be added back to our mailing list through Constant Contact. On the form, check “Newsletter” to start getting our weekly Patrons Chain and View from the Hill emails again. Checking “General Interest” will also subscribe you to other communications through the National Grange emails. Don’t worry, we promise not to clutter your inbox.
If you haven’t subscribed to the newsletter before, this form will still work for you!
Here’s what you can expect by signing up:
- Each week includes columns from National Grange President Betsy Huber, one of our Department Directors, and information about what’s happening at the National Grange
- The Legislative Department includes two columns a month – one is the “Advocacy Playbook,” which picks a specific issue and helps Grange members know how to get involved; and the last Friday of the month is the “View from the Hill,” which gives a rundown on what’s happening on Capitol Hill and how it affects Grange policy.
So, if you’re feeling a little disconnected from National Grange news and information, be sure to update your subscription to the National Grange’s newsletters!
National Grange Heirloom Program
Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Ritual and Declaration of Purposes. Please share “success stories” about the use of the program with us or if you come up with other innovative ways to incorporate the Program in your Granges. Information and materials are now available on the National Grange Website.
“Notes from National” is based on a monthly email received from the National Grange Communications Department.
Sew Special at Highland Lake Grange
Millstream Grange Makes It Happen
Mill Stream Grange members Jill Sampson (l) and Lisa Goucher . 
Vernon Elementary School kids practice their sign language 
Cape Cod School kids get into their new dictionaries 
Front (l-r) Debbie Lavender (Treas.), Karla Arceneaux (Lect.), Laurie Cunningham (Chap.), David Varney (Stew.), Judy Dunn (Master), Ellie Andrews (pianist), Jill Sampson (Sec.), Ingrid Grenon (Gate.), Kristin Thompson (Ex. Com.) Back row (l-r) Paul Lavender (Ass’t. Stew.), Louise Kilponen (Flora), Barbara Gilman (L.A.S.), Allan Harville (Overseer), Marie Gajarski (Pom.), Lisa Goucher (Ceres), Richard Thompson (Ex. Comm.) Missing from photo: Rosemary Baker, Joe Lopez, Linda Stanton
Mill Stream Grange members Jill Sampson and Lisa Goucher presented dictionaries to the third graders at the Mt. Vernon Elementary School in January, and the Cape Cod Hill Elementary School in February. This was the first year since 2019 that an in-house presentation was allowed at the schools. It was a fun time at both schools, with very excited students and teachers. The students especially liked learning how to spell their names using the sign language pictures in the dictionary.
Jonesboro Grange Easter Celebration
Easter Basket Festival – March 31, 2023
Free 4,000 Easter Egg Hunt – April 1, 2023
Jonesboro Grange #357 will host a free 4,000 Egg hunt and Easter Basket Festival in Jonesboro, Maine. The Easter Basket Festival will be March 31 from 4-7 pm and April 1 from 9 am – 5 pm at the Jonesboro Grange on Route 1, Jonesboro. The 4,000 Easter Egg Hunt is April 1 from 11 am – 1 pm located at the Jonesboro Town Office. Free photos with the Easter Bunny! Jonesboro Grange is a 501(C)8 non-profit volunteer organization.
Tickets are required for Basket Festival and can be purchased at the door. Pre-registration is not required for the Festival. The Egg Hunt is free, and donations are appreciated.
Please visit the Jonesboro Grange Facebook Page for more information about the Jonesboro Grange and upcoming events.
Communication Shorts 3-16-2023
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
The March Bulletin is available for downloading! Remember, you can always find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.
Lecturer’s Program Helps
With thanks to MSG Lecturer Margaret, we’ve posted “Living in Harmony” on the Program Books and Information Page. It includes lots of program help for lecturers and some funny and fun stuff!
Grange Month Happiness
Don’t forget to tell us what happiness you experienced during Grange Month at your Grange. Use the Submissions Tab or send an email!
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!
Ideas for Granges
Simple social events are becoming increasingly popular. They can be based on crafts, games, book club discussions… what could your Grange host? A key to success seems to be doing it monthly–or at least on some consistent basis.
Thought for You…
“Blood is thicker than water, but maple syrup is thicker than blood. So technically, pancakes are more important than family.”
Unknown
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, of course, 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!
Parkman Grange Announces Spring Programs
The Parkman Grange will be starting their spring program with their 9th annual Daddy Daughter Dance on Saturday, April 15, 2023, from 6-8 PM. Young ladies are invited to come with their Daddy or an important adult in their life. DJ Steve Boddy will be spinning tunes and having dance contests, games, and giving away prizes. Keepsake photos will be taken to remember the evening. Light refreshments will be served. The cost is $5.00 per person and tickets will be available at the door.
The Mother’s Day Tea will be on Saturday, May 13, 2023, 10 AM to noon. The Guest of Honor this year is Kylee Coburn. She is always friendly and helpful to everyone who enters the town office. She also organized the very successful Parkman Bicentennial Celebration last year. The cost is $5.00 per person. Reservations are required for this very popular event and can be made by calling Sue at 207 277-3942.
Minnie Bridge Scholarship applications are now available at the Parkman Town Office. This $500 scholarship is for second-year higher education students in the SAD 4 area. The deadline is July 14, 2023.
The Parkman Grange is located at the corner of State Hwy 150 and North Dexter Road. For more information about the Grange and its programs, please call Sue Manchester at 207 277-3942