November 8, 2025 – 7 am until 10 am
The menu includes eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, homefries, and drinks, all for $12 a person. Come join us.
Winthrop Grange #209 is located at 598 Old Lewiston Road in Winthrop.
Winthrop Grange Hunters’ Breakfast
Category: Grange News
State Officer Elections
Delegates to the 151st Annual Maine State Grange Convention had a busy few days and a lot of work to do! We’ll be sharing a few highlights. For some, even more work starts now. We’ll be updating directories, but we can at least share this list of officers elected.
- Master/President, Sherry Harriman
- Overseer, Adrian Mike Griffin
- Lecturer, Melissa Baldwin
- Steward, Ben Edgerly
- Assistant Steward, Rick Grotton
- Last Assistant Steward, Roberta Meserve
- Chaplain, Christine Hebert
- Treasurer, Laurie McBurnie
- Secretary, Sharon Morton
- Gatekeeper, Peter Ivers
- Ceres, Judy Meserve
- Pomona, Tracey Small
- Flora, Debra Ivers
- Executive Committee, Dale Holst (3 year term)
Appointments will be updated and shared as they are made and confirmed.
151st State Convention Opens Today
This year’s convention opens at 11 am! Since most officers, directors, and deputies will be in attendance, communication may be challenging. In website terms, we’ll be checking email as time permits, and you can expect a reply within 24 hours. That’s always our goal, and we usually beat it!
Thanks for your patience and understanding! For information about the convention, check this page.
Communication Shorts 10-15-2025
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!
October Bulletin
Yes, there is an October Bulletin, although with the State Session, the mailing of the physical copy may be delayed a bit. The digital copy is available on the site. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.
National Grange Website Links
Some recent changes to the National Grange Website have resulted in some links not working. If you encounter broken links on the Maine State Grange website, please report them to Walter. If you encounter them on the National Grange website, report them to National Grange.
In case you missed it!
A comment made on the post about the recent degree day: “The Maine State Granges are evolving in amazing ways these days. Wonderful! Sharing ideas, working together to make friends, and getting to know each other is a joyful experience and an engaging way to connect with our communities. Thank you for the access and information about what being a friend or member means. All are welcome!
Annual Purge Continues
We’re removing dated information from the website. This includes documents, posts, and photos. While some things are considered timeless, a general policy is to remove items that are more than two years old. One of the significant challenges this time of year is updating online directories. Please make sure we have your current information!
Think About This!
“Being annoyed is the price you pay for community. It means having guests when you’d rather be alone. It means letting someone live with you even when they get on your nerves. It means showing up for events that you’d rather not go to. It means turning the other cheek.”
Divya Venn
An Idea for Your Grange
Your Grange Hall could include benches outside for resting, a bike rack, a bicycle repair station with essential tools and an air pump, an electronics charging station, outdoor restrooms, and an information board for local events and points of interest. Oh! Did we mention a Book Exchange Box?
Subscribe!
Remember, we don’t share your email address with anyone, and you get a weekly summary of what’s been posted. Subscribe here! Share that link with your members!
Online Directories Available 24-7
Thanks to those who help us keep these directories current by letting us know of changes!
- 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 frequently consult these directories.
- The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies, along with their contact information.
Highland Lake Grange Turkey Supper
Drive through, Roasted Turkey Dinner
Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 4-6 pm
There will be roasted turkey, vegetables, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread, cranberry sauce, and cake. The cost is $10.00 per person. Please have the exact price for the meal(s) you want. No substitutions, no pre-orders, you drive up, pay, and receive your meal.
The Grange is located on the corner of Route 302 and Hardy Road in Westbrook.
FMI Joann 207 233 7119
Grange Today! 10-10-2025
Articles in this edition include:
- National Grange Honors 48 Distinguished Granges for 2024–2025 Program Year
- Rural women are at a higher risk of violence − and less likely to get help
- Grange Heirloom for October
- Save the Date: National Grange Honors Night
- Volunteers needed for Rural Postpartum Advisory Committee
- Recipes from the Heartland
- Accepting Board of Directors Nominations
- Grange Member Benefit: MemberDeals
- Grange Store: Veteran Recognition Pin
Click the button below to read and/or 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.
Words for Thirds Recognition
The Dictionary Project recently recognized Valley Grange‘s Words for Thirds Project in their “Word of the Day” newsletter. The Word of the Day was “excel.” We strive to do so, and we encourage our students to do the same.
By the way, the dictionaries for this year are arriving today! Dictionary Days are coming soon to Brownville, Harmony, Piscataquis Community, Ridgeview, and SeDoMoCha Elementary Schools.
Photo and quotes from a WABI-TV 5 News Report.
Visit the MSG Words for Thirds Resource Page to learn how your Grange can do this!
St George Grange Craft Fair
Saturday, October 11, 2025, 9 am-2 pm
Featuring fresh baked goods, coffee, mulled cider, homemade jelly, jam, fudge, and canned goods. Lunch will be available: soup with biscuit, hot dogs, nd drinks. For information regarding table rentals, call 207 372-6424.
There will also be a public supper at 5 pm.
St George Grange is located at 32 Wiley’s Corner Road in St George, Maine.
Highland Lake Grange Turkey Supper
Drive through, Roasted Turkey Dinner
Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 4-6 pm
There will be roasted turkey, vegetables, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread, cranberry sauce, and cake. The cost is $10.00 per person. Please have the exact price for the meal(s) you want. No substitutions, no pre-orders, you drive up, pay, and receive your meal.
The Grange is located on the corner of Route 302 and Hardy Road in Westbrook.
FMI Joann 207 233 7119
Valley Grange News
This is a sample of our newsletter. You can subscribe here.
October Meeting, Date Change
Our October Meeting has been rescheduled to October 10, 2025, due to a conflict with the MSG Convention. Potluck at 6 pm, meeting at 7 pm. Grange Bees are Mary and Jim. Walter & Janice were elected delegates to the State Convention in Orono.
Sandwich Makings
A highlight of our September Meeting was the jars of PB & J that appeared as people arrived! We’ve delivered these to Bangor Savings Bank for their annual drive. You can also donate directly to any Branch before 9/30.
Dictionary Days
Members approved the purchase of dictionaries for this year’s program. We’ll be scheduling presentations and deliveries starting in mid-October. We need team members for these–it’s mostly a matter of carrying things and then helping the kids find words in their new dictionaries. Stay tuned for the schedule and consider lending a hand! Presentations are only about 45 minutes and will be held in Brownville, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Guilford, and Harmony. We’re checking with Athens and the Amish School in Corinth.
Blistered Finger Knitters Knote!
We deliver hats and mittens in conjunction with Dictionary Presentations. If you have completed items, we’d appreciate receiving them by October 15, although we collect year-round. Contact any member to arrange delivery! Thanks! Keep those kneedles clicking!
Grange Gossip
Walter continues to help the Abbot Historical Society with gravestone cleaning. We have a couple of weeks left this year… Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the old village cemetery across from the Town Hall is where and when. It’s easy and fun! Supplies and instruction are included.
Mary Annis is selling raffle tickets to benefit the DUV. She will humbly admit she made the first prize Afghan.
Pat and Steve will be doing some traveling soon… we wish them a safe trip to Texas and will miss them. When they return, Pat will be busy getting ready for Craft Fairs.
The Guilford Register Magazine September Issue featured an article by Walter, “Sticker! Sticker!” It’s about some kids at an Amish Farmstand in Corinth. The October Issue will include a story about the Dover Foxcroft Kiwanis Auction.
Area Grange Events
South Sangerville Grange is holding a Bean Hole Bean Supper on October 25, 2025, from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. More information is available here.
Remember, Valley Grange is happy to publicize your event, but we have to know about it! Submit it to the MSG Website and it’ll get state-wide publicity!
Valley Grange Contacts and Resources:
(Click names to send email.)
Jim Annis, Master/President – 207 564-0820 (home)
Mary Annis, Secretary – 207 564-0820 (home)
Walter Boomsma, Program Director/Treasurer – 207 343-1842 (cell)
Janice Boomsma, Chaplain – 207 343-1496 (cell)
Valley Grange Website
Valley Grange Facebook Page
Valley Grange Hall’s GPS Address is 172 Guilford Center Road, Guilford. (Do not send mail here!) The Hall is located at the corner of Guilford Center Road and Butter Street.