Category: Grange News

Communication Shorts 2-15-2025

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!

February Bulletin Is Available!

The February Bulletin is now available! Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Scholarship Updates

We have finished updating the Maine State Grange Scholarship Page! You can always add or change information by contacting us, but we won’t be nagging you for a while.

Online Directory of Granges

Our online directory of Granges has been updated based on the current roster. As time permits, we’ll be adding additional contact information. Our goal is to have at least two contacts available for every active Grange!

Words for Thirds

Congratulations to Ocean View Grange — what a fantastic success story goes with their recent Words for Thirds Project!

Consider this Idea!

At least one Grange in Maine has had great success with using a “sign up” system for keeping their hall plowed. They number storms and people with plows pick which storm number they will handle.

Think about this!

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”

Edith Sitwell

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! Visitors to the site consult these directories often.

Grange Today! 2-14-2025

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • New York Grange Youth educates about fire safety
  • Opinion: Congress Can Learn from Rural America
  • Collinsville Grange Installs Flag Disposal Box
  • Klickitat County Granges Hold Grand Event
  • Get On Board for an Unforgettable Convention
  • National Grange Roster Available
  • Grange Heirloom
  • Vaccines are the Best Protection Against Severe Illness This Respiratory Season
  • Grange Member Benefit: Start Hearing
  • Grange Store: Good Day! Magazine

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

Read THE Current Issue
Subscribe to Grange Today!

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.

Didja Miss US?

A Communications Bulletin

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Communications Logo

While most of us were sleeping, something happened to the websites I manage Tuesday morning at approximately 1:30. In short, they became inaccessible. I discovered it at 5:00 am and went to work on the problem, ultimately contacting the company that hosts the sites, including this one. I could probably bore you to tears with a step-by-step explanation. Suffice it to explain that after an hour plus, I was assured that everything would be fixed within 24 hours and, hopefully, sooner. (While they didn’t acknowledge it, the problem was created by something that happened with or at the hosting company.)

Then I received a text message from a thoughtful Granger letting me know about the problem. (She checks the site first thing every morning! Wow! I’m impressed.) This started me thinking about what to do next.

A few days ago, I left the house to do a few quick errands. I was several miles away when I realized I hadn’t picked up my cell phone on the way out. I confess that my first instinct was to call home so Janice would know I didn’t have my phone. I gave myself a slap on the forehead and a “duh” for that idea.

Probably because of that experience–and the fact that even I could not access the site–I didn’t long consider posting a message on the site explaining it wasn’t available. But it did occur to me that I could contact our website subscribers with an announcement and explanation. Yay! After doing that, I (we all, really) were at the mercy of the “team” at the responsible company. Fidgeting wasn’t going to be helpful, so I got back to my schedule for the day.

A bit to my surprise, the escalation team solved the problem fairly quickly and had the sites online at approximately 9:30 am. We were “down” for approximately eight hours–at least half of that in the middle of the night here in Maine.

First, sorry for the inconvenience if you were affected. “Uptime” is a key indicator in the website business, and we take it seriously.

Second, one thing this experience demonstrates is the value of subscribing to the website. When you subscribe, we’ll send you a weekly email (usually Sunday Morning) summarizing what’s been posted. But, more importantly, we can contact you by email on those rare occasions when something unusual or important happens. We don’t share subscribers’ email addresses or any personal information with anyone without your permission. And, of course, you can “unsubscribe” at any time! This truly is a “no risk”offer! Why not give it a try!

If you have any questions about the recent outage or subscribing, send an me email. My goal is to answer email within 24-48 hours.

Email the MSG Webmaster
Subscribe to the Website

Communication Shorts 2-1-2025

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!

February Bulletin Is Coming Soon!

The deadline for posts and columns is February 14. If you’re planning to spend that day romantically, submit early! Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Scholarship Updates

LAST CALL! If your Grange is offering a scholarship, please visit the page and make sure your information is correct. Send changes either by using the Submit Tab or sending an email. If your listing is clearly out of date, it will be removed soon.

Words for Thirds

Check out the Words for Thirds Resource Pages here. Grange Month in April would be a great time to sponsor a project, but you’ll need to get started soon! National Grange has not yet released any Grange Month material, but we can do a “Our Grange Celebrates Grange Month by Sponsoring a Dictionary Day!” feature!

Loving the Grange

One of my goals for this year is to post at least one reason to love the Grange each month in 2025. The easiest way for you to help make this happen is for you to fill out this simple form. You can answer more than once! Why do you love the Grange?

Community Matters More Voting

Bangor Savings just announced its grant program for this year. As a reminder, only 501(c)3 organizations are eligible. Subordinate Granges are, therefore, not eligible. It’s a great program but writing in a local Grange is a waste of your vote!

Form 5102 Scam

Farms and other businesses may receive an official-looking “Form 5102” requesting a $119.00 payment to register “Beneficial Ownership Interest.” This is a documented scam. (There are requirements regarding B.O.I, but this isn’t one.)

Consider this Idea!

We recently saw an organization announcing a “Muffin Morning.” (I love alliterations, if you haven’t noticed.) It sounded like fun and definitely an easy program because there is no program. All you need are muffins and drinks and give the opportunity for a Koffee Klatch. Simple!

Think about this!

Groundhog Day is the perfect instance of optimism — you either choose to believe the rodent or not. Both options can give you a fantastic outlook for the future.

Anonymous

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! Visitors to the site consult these directories often.

Membership Anniversaries

Information gleaned from the January 2025 Issue of Good Day!TM Magazine

75 years of membership

  • Ruth Hammond, Bauneg Beg #382
  • Carolyn Harper, Topsham #37
  • William Rust, White Rock #380

50 years of membership

  • Diane Qualey, Bauneg Beg #382
  • Martin Qualey, Bauneg Beg #382
  • Fred Roberts, Bauneg Beg #382
  • Leland Stevens, Bauneg Beg #382
  • Nancy Welch, Bauneg Beg # 382

Mill Stream Grange Delivers

Mill Stream Grangers presenting check
Mill Stream Grange members Lisa Goucher (far left) and Jill Sampson (far right)  present the Grange’s annual Christmas donation to the Mt. Vernon area Food Bank. Accepting on behalf of the food bank are Nate Kane and Carol Fuller.  

Grange Today! 1-24-2025

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Presidential Perspective: A Reminder…
  • Book Now to “Get On Board”
  • Share your Grange’s projects to help build Project Sustenance resource library
  • View from the Hill
  • Good Day! magazine
  • Grange Store: Guidelines for Grange Leaders
  • What to Know about Pneumococcal Vaccines
  • Doctor-Approved New Year’s Resolutions for Better Health in
  • Granges urged to participate in “Reaching Rural Surgical
  • Grange Member Benefit: Member Deals

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

Read THE Current Issue
Subscribe to Grange Today!

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.

Valley Grange Gets BIG Thanks

The picture doesn’t do it justice! It barely fit in the scanner. It came from fifth-grade students and teachers at Ridgeview Community School in Dexter. The inside was filled with signatures, hearts, and the message, “Thank you for donating warm gear for us to wear outside this winter.”

We love our kids!

And we thank our Blistered Finger Knitters for making it possible to do this in our area schools. Remember, you don’t have to be a Grange Member to help! We’ll even provide the yarn, thanks to the donations we’ve received from our supporters. Contact Mary Annis (564-0820) or Pat Engstrom (564-8290) for more information.

Visit the Valley Grange Website

Keeping ME Warm!

by Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Our state is in for some bitterly cold temperatures early next week. In some areas, wind chill factors will reach 20 – 30 degrees below zero. Stay safe!

If your Grange plans to open your hall as a warming center, PLEASE let us know. You can use the submit information tab on the website or send me an email. I will get the information posted quickly in a “Facebook Friendly” way that will make it easy for the information to be shared.

At a minimum, include your Grange’s name, location (street address and/or directions), and any details such as the hours open, etc.

Thanks!

Communication Shorts 1-16-2025

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!

January Bulletin Is Available!

The January Bulletin is now available for downloading. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Scholarship Updates

Last week, the Scholarship Page was the fourth most visited page on the site! It is that time of year. If your Grange is offering a scholarship, please visit the page and make sure your information is correct. Send changes either by using the Submit Tab or send an email.

Words for Thirds

Our official release date is January 18, 2025 but you can check out the Words for Thirds Resource Pages here. We’ve got some surprises coming! Stay tuned!

Loving the Grange

One of my goals for this year is to post at least one reason to love the Grange each month in 2025. The easiest way for you to help make this happen is for you to fill out this simple form. You can answer more than once! Why do you love the Grange?

Suspicious Submissions

I supposedly have received a submission through a company called “ShareFile.” Since it’s requiring me to log in and create an account, I haven’t. There are a couple of reasons I’m suspicious. If you’re “Tara White” and trying to reach me, you’ll have to be a bit more direct!

Consider this Idea!

The MSG Event Calendar for 2025 is still pretty bare at this point. Directors and Committee Chairs, please ensure your contest deadlines and events are listed! Granges, submit your programs and events! You are planning ahead, right?

Think about this!

“For in order that man may do well, whether in the works of the active life, or in those of the contemplative life, he needs the fellowship of friends.”

Thomas Aquinas

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! Visitors to the site consult these directories often.