Mill Stream Grange Gets the Word Out!
Category: Community Service
Community Service Committee and information
Valley Grange Seeks Blanketeers!
On March 22, 2025, volunteers will create blankets for children in need.
Guilford–Valley Grange of Guilford is sponsoring a blanket-making event on Saturday, March 22, 2025, 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, or tie a simple knot you can become a ‘blanketeer’ and help support Project Linus. We’ll show you how!”
Project Linus, a non-profit organization, provides homemade blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. Similar events in previous years 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 create quite a production line, and it sometimes gets quite competitive! It’s exciting to realize we’re providing love in the form of ‘blankies’ representing love, security, warmth, and comfort to kids. We consider them fabric hugs.”
While supplies will be provided, volunteers are encouraged to bring scissors, rulers, and masking tape. Light refreshments will be served.
For additional information, contact Pat Enstrom at 207 564-8290 or visit the Valley Grange Website at http://valleygrange.com. Valley Grange is located at 172 Guilford Center Road, at the corner of Butter Street.
Highland Lake Grange “protects”
Highland Lake Grange not serves their Westbrook Community, the “protect” those who protect it with “Survival Kits” for their law enforcement officers. Fifty kits containing a lot of goodies were recently delivered to the local officers.
The Survival Kit for Law Enforcement Officers includes:
- Gum -to get you out of sticky situations
- Lifesavers – because you are one!
- Chocolate kisses – to show you are appreciated
- Starburst – for an extra burst of energy
- Pencil – to keep you sharp, focused and for writing tickets
- Kit Kat – for when you need a break
- Snickers – to remind you to keep your humor
- Smarties- to give you wisdom for those split minute decisions
- Tootsie Roll – to help you roll with the punches
- Peppermint Patty – to help you keep your cool
- Doves – the symbol of peace, freedom and love
- Mounds- for the mounds of courage you show
- Candy Coins – you don’t get paid enough
“Thank you for all you do from Highland Lake Grange #87”
NOTE: This is an idea worth (shhhh!) “stealing” as a way of protecting and serving your community and its resources. Well done, HIghland Lake Grange!
Highland Lake Grange Serves
Highland Lake Grange provided a place for Westbrook City Councilor Jen Munroe to hold two community meetings to hear from residents of the district she represents (the Highland Lake Grange Hall is located in her district) and address concerns and issues.
Fraud Watch- Getting Help After a Scam
Dealing with fraud in the aftermath can be fraught – not knowing where or if you should report (you should – it’s a crime), feelings of shame (even though it’s not your fault – blame the perpetrator), and an often-overwhelming emotional toll – let alone the financial impact.
One resource is the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline. Every weekday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. EST, trained AARP volunteer fraud fighters are helping victims and their families understand what happened, report the crime, and plan next steps to put their lives back together. That number is 1-877-908-3360.
AARP also offers an online small group victim support program to help address the emotional harm fraud victimization causes. These conversations are completely confidential and are a wonderful way to receive support from others. Sign up for a session today at aarp.org/fraudsupport.
Experiencing a scam can be devastating, but it doesn’t have to define you. If you or someone you know has been the victim of fraud, make sure to file a report with local police; among other things, this may be useful in the event restitution becomes possible down the line.
Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
Fraud Watch- Gift Card Balance Scams
The holidays have passed, and for many, that means a stack of gift cards just waiting to be used. But before you check your balances online, beware of fake gift card balance-checking sites designed to steal both your post-holiday joy and your money.
Just because a website to check your gift card balance appears at the top of internet search results does not mean it’s legitimate. Search results can be filled with fraudulent gift card balance-checking sites, and scammers are constantly finding new ways to get their pages to show up at the top of results.
A safer way to check the balance of a gift card is to refer to the back of the card for a phone number or web address. If it’s not provided, proceed with caution. Avoid entering your gift card details into any search result labeled as “Sponsored” or “Ad.” In addition, be cautious of any site title that appears in wacky fonts or next to odd emojis; this is a common tactic scammers use to make their fraudulent web pages both visually pop and appear towards the top.
Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
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Future Farmers Visit the Grange
by Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director
Haley and Mia stopped by during the Ag Expo in Augusta to dispense some enthusiasm and explore the mutual interests between the Future Farmers of America and the Granges in Maine. Their interest in agriculture and farming is almost obvious, but the FFA is also interested in communities, leadership development, and education.
During our brief conversation, I learned a lot about FFA. They’ve been around since 1928 (not Haley and Mia, obviously!) and are very much youth/student-driven. Did you know they have over one million student members nationally? Their focus on Agricultural Education is terrific. (We made sure they left with the MSG Ag Scholarship information!)
In what is surely a strange coincidence, this is National FFA Week— ” a time to share what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day.”
But wait, there’s more! We have a Zoom Meeting scheduled to explore ways the Grange and FFA might connect and benefit by knowing more about each other. Stay tuned! The best is yet to come!
Fraud Watch- Crypto Romance Scams
In recent years, cryptocurrency scams have surged, with billions stolen annually. One of the biggest drivers of this trend? Romance scams. By building trust and forging deep emotional connections, scammers can manipulate their victims into making financial decisions they would not normally consider.
If someone you’ve only met online claims they are making money with crypto and offers to help you do the same, it’s a scam – full stop. It does not matter how genuine they seem or what “proof” they attempt to show you; encouraging you to invest and claiming that you can make extraordinary returns in cryptocurrency is one of the surest signs of a modern-day romance scam.
These criminals often pressure you to act fast, making it seem like you are about to miss out on a golden opportunity – another big red flag. The safest way to invest is to research opportunities to ensure they are legitimate and that you understand the risk as well as the potential. A good place to start is at the SEC’s site, www.investor.gov.
Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
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Community Service/FHH – February 2025
By Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service/FHH Director
(207) 608-9193
I am still waiting on information from National Grange on the updated changes to the Community Service Program. National Grange stated it is posted on the website, but I have not found anything. The Community Service Committee realizes that the books you submit are your yearbooks, and your Grange keeps them for open houses and anniversary celebrations. Keep working on your projects, make your notebooks and it will be much easier to pick the projects to submit. There are so many Community Service Projects that can be done this time of year.
Family Health and Hearing
This is a great time of the year to enjoy indoor and outdoor family time. Outdoor festivals, sliding parties, skating, making snow people, animals or sculptors, hockey games, basketball, making crafts, playing games, working on Grange contests, and enjoying a movie are just a few suggestions.
Please make sure you are hydrated, staying rested, and eating healthy.
Make sure you are bundled up properly for school, work, or just running errands. It is important to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Most of all, enjoy the many things in life that make memories and keep us safe and healthy.
I will update you as soon as I receive the information. Happy February!
Fraud Watch- Our Information Is Already Out There
If we really want to keep ourselves – and our money – safe from fraud, we must all come to terms with one thing: our personal information is likely already out there. In a time where data breaches are increasingly common, safeguarding yourself from fraud has become more important than ever. Here are three steps to help protect yourself from the risks associated with data breaches and other identity fraud risks:
- Place a security freeze on your credit accounts with the three big agencies (Experian, Equifax and Transunion) so no one can open a new credit line in your name.
- Establish online access to your financial accounts and monitor regularly (you can set up text alerts for activity on these accounts as well).
- Use strong and unique passwords for every online account; consider using a password manager that creates complex passwords and stores them securely.
Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
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