Category: Grange News

Communication Shorts 9-28-2025

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 will be an October Bulletin, although with the State Session, the mailing of the physical copy may be delayed a bit. The deadline for submission is October 14th. 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.

Dates and Deadlines

With the start of another Grange Fiscal Year, essential dates and deadlines abound!

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!

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”

Albert Camus

An Idea for Your Grange

At Valley Grange, we schedule meetings a full year in advance and assign “Grange Bees” – individuals responsible for tasks such as ensuring the hall is open and ready, as well as maintaining a supply of staples for potluck meals. It may not be a one-person job, but we want to be clear on who is responsible!

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.

October Maine Grange Events

Every Monday, Summer Music Monday at St George Grange, 7 – 9 pm. Free! See post FMI.
Every Tuesday, Coffee on the Porch at Vassalboro Grange, 8:30 am – 10 am. See post FMI.

  • October 5, 2025, Cider Pressing at Vassalboro Grange, 12 pm. See post FMI.
  • October 8, 2025, Fifth Degree Conferral at Danville Junction Grange. See post FMI.
  • October 11, 2025, Summer Public Supper at St George Grange, 5 pm. See post FMI.
  • October 11, 2025, Art/Antiques/Craft/Flea Market at Ocean View Grange in Port Clyde. See post FMI.
  • October 11, 2025, Turkey Supper at Highland Lake Grange in Westboro. Details TBA.
  • October 12, 2025, Philosophy Table at Vassalboro Grange, 5 – 7 pm. See post FMI
  • October 17-18, 2025, MSG 151st Annual Convention opens at 11 am on Friday.
  • October 18, 2025, Open Mic Night at Vassalboro Grange, 7 – 9 pm. See post FMI
  • October 18, 2025, Bean Supper at Ocean View Grange, 5 – 7 pm. Veterans eat free! See post FMI.
  • October 25, 2025, Penobscot Pomona meets at Old Town Riverside Grange at 11 am. FMI Call Master Sanda Moon at 207 827-3698.
  • October 25, 2025, South Sangerville Bean Supper, 4:30 – 6:00 pm. See post FMI.

Grange Today! 9-26-2025

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Make History Together: Host a Community Contest for America’s 250th 
  • Two State Granges Welcome new Presidents
  • Grange Foundation accepting Board of Directors nominations
  • View from the Hill 
  • How Technology Is Helping Older Adults Thrive in Rural America
  • 3 Things Every Older Adult Should Do for Their Health This Fall
  • Save the Date: National Grange Honors Night
  • Grange Member Benefit: Harvest Hosts
  • Have you Registered?
  • Hamp Watch: Where was our National Grange President This Month?
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Grange Store: Prepare for State Conventions

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

Read THE Current Issue

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.

Ocean View Grange Craft Sale

Ocean View Bean Supper

Communication Shorts 9-15-2025

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!

September Bulletin

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

An Annual Report?

It’s the end of the Grange Year. Certain State Officers and Directors are expected to file an annual report of their activities and accomplishments. (We’ll be publishing them on the site as they are received.) Have you considered putting one together for your Grange? You can think of your communities as your stockholders. Let them know what you have done this year!

Dates and Deadlines

Fall is coming. Some might say it’s already here. With the start of another Grange Fiscal Year, essential dates and deadlines abound! ODDs Note: Annual Reports are due today and Program Books by October 1, 2025!

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.

Think About This!

“A dull truth will not be looked at. An exciting lie will. That is what good, sincere people must understand. They must make their truth exciting and new, or their good works will be born dead.”

Bill Bernbach

An Idea for Your Grange

Last call! We’re almost finished with the BEB (Books Exchange Box) and LFL (Little Free Library) Resource Page. If your Grange has one or is interested in participating, please let us know.

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.

South Sangerville Grange Bean Hole Bean Supper

Oct 25, 2025, South Sangerville Grange will host a Bean Hole Bean Supper from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. It includes beans, hot dogs, ham, mac&cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, rolls, biscuits, and corn bread. Deserts include pies (raspberry, blueberry, apple, chocolate cream, along with ice cream. Drinks are coffee, water, and apple cider. $10 minimum donation.

South Sangerville Grange is located at 25 Grange Road in South Sangerville, Maine.

Coming Soon?

Maybe several things! One that we’re sure of is another resource page for Granges and Grangers. This time, we’ll be introducing an easy-peasy community service that’s already being offered in over 200,000 locations around the world.

The Grange has always emphasized education and literacy. One of our signature programs, Words for Thirds, is an example. Now, in addition to making dictionaries available to third graders, we’re looking at a way to make many books available to everyone through library boxes located at our Grange Halls.

While these libraries do not have to be part of the Little Free Library project, they do offer some great ideas and inspiration.

The resource page we’re building will be available soon. It will include information about several libraries located at Granges in Maine. If your Grange has one or would like, please tell us about it!

Grange Today! 9-12-2025

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Christmas in July at Big Knob Grange
  • 49 Distinguished Grange Applications Received
  • Grange Heirloom for September
  • Grange Foundation Awards Deaf Awareness Grant
  • Accepting Board of Directors Nominations
  • Register for National Grange Convention
  • Every Number Tells a Story
  • Hamp Watch: Where was our National Grange President last month?
  • Commentary: Food Near Me – The Ironic Tragedy of Rural Food Deserts
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Donate to the Grange Foundation for a special opportunity
  • Grange Member Benefit: Choice Hotels
  • Grange Store: #GrangeStrong Socks

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.

Vassalboro Grange Happenings

Vassalboro Grange is located at 351 Main Street in East Vassalboro, Maine

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: Vassalboro Grange has been recently awarded a grant with a membership bonus! Have you thought about becoming a Grange Member?  If you join before Sept 18th, 2025, our Grange receives additional funding for each member signed up.  FMI Holly weidnerholly@gmail.com

CAPOEIRA EVENT: Saturday, Sept 13, 10 am-3 pm Demo/lesson in Brazilian martial art dance.  Fun for many ages and abilities. FMI Molly Holliman molswald@aol.com

PHILOSOPHY TABLE: Sunday, Sept 14, 5 pm-7 pm. Potluck & Discussion of a philosophy topic.  This month, featuring Eric Austin’s Town Line article “Why humans and AI might be more alike than we care to admit!” FMI Matthew matthew.freytag@maine.edu

OPEN MIC & COFFEE HOUSE: Saturday, Sept 20th, 7-9 pm Come to enjoy, and if you like, come to play/perform. FMI Kala kwistar11@gmail.com

RECURRING WEEKLY EVENTS: 

COFFEE ON THE PORCH: Tuesdays 8:30 am-10 am. It is exactly what it sounds like.  FMI Marada 207-316-5321 maradacook@gmail.com  This event will welcome a new host for the 2026 season… might that be you?  Reach out to me… if someone (or several someones) takes on this event, I will start something new for the Grange.

ZUMBA:  Now Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 5:30 pm FMI Theresa Warren warrentheresa684@gmail.com

ART BY JACKSON GREGORY: Displayed in the community room/dining hall, open concurrently with other events. FMI jackson@jacksongregory.com

DON’T BLINK!  OCTOBER EVENTS ARE COMING:

Stay tuned for cider pressing week of 9/29 and/or 10/5, Folk Band Concert 10/10, Library Fundraiser event 10/25, along with our usual assortment of community-led, neighbor-rejoining, hall tromping fun!

Vassalboro Grange Facebook Group