Category: Community Service

Community Service Committee and information

Fraud Watch- Our Information Is Already Out There

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Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Establish online access to your financial accounts and monitor regularly (you can set up text alerts for activity on these accounts as well).
  3. 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.

More Topic Resources

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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Fraud Watch- Don’t Answer Calls from Unknown Numbers

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Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Receiving a call from an unknown number may seem harmless, but it could be the start a scam. Criminals are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive you into revealing personal information or making payments. Here are three tips to protect yourself from unknown callers.

  1. Let it ring. The easiest thing to do is not answer the call. If it is important, the caller will leave a message or call back again.
  2. Let the caller speak first. Most scammers use an auto dialer – an automated system that calls a bunch of random numbers at the same time and connects to a live person when someone answers the phone. That brief pause or delay before the caller speaks is a red flag that the call could be a scam.
  3. Block suspicious calls. Check with your service provider to learn about options to block spam and scam calls.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

More Topic Resources

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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Ocean View Grange Words for Thirds!

By Larry Bailey, Master

It gives me a great amount of pleasure to tell you that Terry Bomba and I had a very enjoyable and rewarding trip to third-grade classrooms at St George School to present dictionaries to the students. Both rooms combined, and thus, we had 24 students to present the books to.  This presentation of dictionaries is our annual Words for Thirds program. As in the past, the students seemed anxious to find out what we had to offer and really appeared to be very happy to get the books. After briefly explaining what the Grange is and what we do for our community, they asked some good questions.

One of the young girls said, “My grandmother works at the Grange.” I asked who is her grandmother and she said “Brenda Armstrong.” Brenda, while not a Grange member, has been voluntarily tending the trimming of the grass and weeds around the Grange and the beautiful flowers in the front of the Grange Hall for years. She is a gem.

I want to thank the two third-grade teachers, Lauren Wilgus and Sierra Beal, for arranging the gathering along with Mr. Felton, the School Superintendent. We hope to be there every year in the future.

Larry and Terry also received this note and permission to share it from Superintendent Felton:

I want to thank both of you for visiting the school and providing the 3rd graders with dictionaries.  You all did a great job sharing the Grange’s mission and work – the kids were engaged and curious throughout your visit.  And they were certainly excited about the dictionaries!  

Thank you for offering this program and all you do to support our students.  As a school district, our mission is to do whatever it takes to ensure that every single student thrives and to contribute to the vitality and resiliency of our town.  The only way we can realize this mission is with the support of our community, of organizations like the Grange.

With sincere thanks,
Mike, Superintendent, MSAD 50

For more information about the Words for Thirds Program and how your Grange, community, students, and teachers can reap these benefits, visit the Words for Thirds Resource Page.

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.  

Fraud Watch- Concert Ticket Scams

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Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Getting tickets to top concerts is tough – don’t let scammers make it harder. With most concert venues switching to digital tickets only and concert demand through the roof, criminals are producing more counterfeit tickets than ever. Here are three tips to avoid buying a fake ticket.

  1. Stick to known ticket sales sites or visit the National Association of Ticket Brokers (natb.org) to ensure that you are dealing with a verified reseller. Always type the web address of the site you want to visit into your browser rather than clicking on a link that could take you to a copycat site.
  2. Beware of offers on social media and online marketplaces, where this scam thrives. These platforms are a hotspot for fraudulent ticket sales.
  3. Never pay with a peer-to-peer payment app unless you are getting tickets from someone you know. You don’t have the same consumer protections with these payment methods that you have with a credit card.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

More Topic Resources

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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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!

Fraud Watch-Utility Scams

MSG Communications Resources Logo
Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

With temperatures dropping in many states, scammers are turning up the heat on their deceptive tactics. Each winter, criminals pose as utility company representatives, claiming a missed payment and threatening to shut off service unless payment is immediate.

If you get a surprise call from the “utility company” threatening to shut off your service, hang up the phone. The goal of these scammers is to create a sense of panic, making it harder to think logically and verify their claims. Their hope is that we stay in that state of panic long enough to complete a payment.
To verify the status of your utility payments, contact your provider using the customer service number on a recent bill (or log into their website or app if that’s an option). Chances are you will find out your payments are up to date.

To verify the status of your utility payments, contact your provider using the customer service number on a recent bill (or log into their website or app if that’s an option). Chances are you will find out your payments are up to date.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

More Topic Resources

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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Community Service/FHH – January 2025

By Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service/FHH Director
(207) 608-9193

Happy 2025! Attending the 2025 Northeast Leaders Conference was very informative and educational. There are some changes being made to the Community Service Notebooks for this year.

  • Notebooks will be a maximum of ten pages. This means five sheets of paper double-sided.
  • Pages 1&2 Grange picture and Grange #, brief description of Community Service
  • Pages 3&4, 5&6 will include the top three projects
  • Pages 7&8, 9 are included if needed
  • Page 10 should be a summary page.

Remember, only five pages total. Use both sides. Less pages is fine. Use both sides. Judging is on content, not appearance.

The National Grange Community Service Project is Conservation. More information, including ideas for projects, will be coming soon!

Fraud Watch-Credit Repair Scams

MSG Communications Resources Logo
Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Overwhelmed by holiday bills? You’re not alone — and you don’t have to face your debt alone either. The New Year is the perfect time to take control of your finances — but beware of criminal scammers offering quick fixes that are too good to be true.

Scammers often exploit financial stress by promising instant relief or quick results to become debt-free. These schemes typically involve up-front fees, bad advice like avoiding your creditors, or vague claims about what services they actually provide.

Before committing to a debt relief service and providing your sensitive personal information, research reviews and check for complaints with organizations like the Better Business Bureau to ensure their credibility. If you need help getting out of debt, turn to an organization like the Nonprofit National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

More Topic Resources

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Click below to share this post