Well, if you’ll forgive a play on words, we mean that Mill Stream Grane was featured in the April-May Issue of the Vienna Record. The Record is published by the Town of Vienna and includes all sorts of town business such as selectmen and town department minutes and news of town events. Mill Stream Dictionary Day was the lead article and a second article listed upcoming Mill Stream Grange events.
Notice the mention of Grange Month and the Open House on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Bring your old flags! What a great example of community relevance and publicity!
Valley Grange of Guilford is sponsoring a blanket-making event on Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. until noon and volunteers are needed! Organizer Pat Engstrom notes “no sewing skills are needed. If you can measure, cut a straight line with scissors and tie a simple knot you can become a ‘blanketeer’ and help support Project Linus.”
Project Linus, a non-profit organization, provides homemade blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. Similar events have resulted in dozens of blankets being made by a diverse group of volunteers. Engstrom hopes to see the number of blankets made increase.
“We have a great time doing this and truly just about anyone can help. We created quite a production line, and it sometimes gets competitive! It’s exciting to realize we’re providing love in the form of ‘blankies’ representing love, security, warmth, and comfort to kids.”
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.
On May 30, 2022, Memorial Day, at 3:00 pm at the bandstand in Ft. Allen Park on the Eastern Prom, Munjoy Hill, Portland, Mr. Brian Dewan will be giving a performance singing “Songs of the Patrons of Husbandry” and “Songs of Land & Sea,” accompanied by accordion and autoharp.
Some decades ago my family belonged to the Grange and 4-H and I was an officer in the Future Farmers of America. So I have a long-time appreciation of the music and the struggle.
I have heard Mr. Dewan, an “old” friend, perform and when he told me he was going to be passing through Portland after performing Down-east Memorial Day weekend for the Greenhorns it occurred to me the opportunity for this entertainment should be available to some Grange members in Southern Maine, as well as some of my neighbors who appreciate this kind of music.
Would you be so kind as to circulate this invitation in some fashion to your local membership? Attendees might want to bring a blanket or lawn chair as there is no built-in seating around the bandstand. If a hot day perhaps also a water bottle.
Article by R. John Wuesthoff
Webmaster’s note: With sincere appreciation to an anonymous benefactor, this event is being offered at no cost! Grangers! Since there are nearly two months until the concert, there’s time to purchase and wear Grange T-shirts (if your Grange doesn’t already have them)! Show your Grange pride and support! Bring friends! Spread the word to your members and other Granges.
“I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I sing.”
Remember that the Grange emblem is a registered trademark, so the full Grange emblem should always include the (R) symbol. Many publications and other locations only have the old TM included, which is no longer correct. To ensure that our trademark is protected, it’s important to get this updated on websites, social media, program guides, and more. Meanwhile, the Grange Youth and Junior Grange logos are only trademarked by the Grange, so only have the TM options. The current logos are available here.
Grange Month Calendar
As a reminder, the “Raised Right Here” theme lasts through 2023, so if you didn’t think about using the theme in this year’s Grange Month programming, be sure to start thinking about it for 2023!
National Grange Heirloom Program
The Grange Heirloom Program is underway–just in time for Grange Month! 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.
New Member Recognition in Good Day Magazine
Want to see your new members recognized in Good Day Magazine? Anyone who has not been recognized as a new member in the past year can be included. Use this link to share the news. The deadlines for each issue are:
April 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
August 30, 2022
November 30, 2022
156th National Grange Session is scheduled for November 15-19, 2022 in Sparks, NV
Parkman Grange is located at the four corners in Parkman, Maine!
The Parkman Grange is announcing plans to award 2022 Minnie Welts Bridge Memorial Scholarships to one or more deserving SAD 4 residents continuing their education beyond high school. If and when there will be a 2022 Memorial Grange Supper is yet to be determined. The last two Suppers were canceled because of the pandemic. The Grange last awarded $500 scholarships to David Hession and Bailey Woodard, both of Parkman, in 2020. No applications were received in 2021.
This is a call for qualified applicants for the 2022 Minnie Welts Bridge Memorial Scholarships. Applicants must be SAD 4 residents, must have successfully completed at least one term of post-high school education, and be enrolled for the upcoming term. Application packages may be picked up at any of the Parkman, Guilford, Sangerville, Abbot, Cambridge, and Wellington Town Offices. Completed applications must be submitted by June 30, 2022, with no exceptions. Winners will be announced in August.
Minnie Bridge (1909-2011) was a lifelong resident of Parkman, a retired schoolteacher, and a life member of the Parkman Grange. In her memory, the Grange established the Minnie Welts Bridge Memorial Scholarship Fund, originally to benefit deserving Parkman students continuing their education beyond high school. Due to a lack of Parkman applicants last year, the Grange has decided to expand eligibility to include all SAD 4 residents.
The Grange annually awards one or more scholarships funded through donations and the proceeds from an annual supper in Minnie’s name. To date, the Grange has awarded $12,000 in scholarships. For more information contact Sue Manchester, 277-3942.
Due to a scheduling conflict, the April Spring Challenge Meeting will be held on April 9, 2022, at Enterprise Grange from 9 am until 2 pm. This is an “in-person” meeting! For more information, contact one of the Junior Directors.
Grange Month Resources are now available on the National Grange Website! In addition to the traditional sample press release, proclamation, etc. there are a number of graphics including customizable posters! These are all free for downloading and use.
Please note that the June deadline is only true for certain, specific contests, including the Quilt Blocks, Photography, Publicity Items, and certain contests in the Junior and Youth Departments. Please consult the National Grange website or program guides for other deadlines. We will continue using social media and the Patrons Chain (as well as Good Day! magazine) to list upcoming deadlines.
National Grange Heirloom Program
The Grange Heirloom Program gets underway in March–just in time for Grange Month! 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
National Grange Rosters
This roster lists the state officers for every State… it’s available in booklet form (as a pdf) and as a spreadsheet.
New Member Recognition in Good Day Magazine
Want to see your new members recognized in Good Day Magazine? Anyone who has not been recognized as a new member in the past year can be included. Use this link to share the news. The deadlines for each issue are:
April 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
August 30, 2022
November 30, 2022
156th National Grange Session is scheduled for November 15-19, 2022 in Sparks, NV
On February 12, 2022, Jonesboro Grange #357 hosted the first Candyland event at the Grange. For $5, guests were given a box to fill with sweet Valentine’s Day treats.
The hall was decorated with candy decorations and transformed into a candy land. We had eight tables filled with Needhams, cookies, fudge, homemade chocolates, dessert bars, peanut butter balls, and more!
$1,200 was raised for the 2022 Grange budget. Grange members have been working hard to bring new and exciting opportunities to the community while raising funds to restore the historic building.
A table full of Valentine’s Day baskets was raffled off and two Candyland games were offered as door prizes.
