By Walter Boomsma, Program Director
It’s an exciting and busy time of year! I won’t be able to cover everything in this letter, so make sure you visit our website and/or Facebook Page. Are you receiving Valley Grange Grams by email? If you’re not on that list, send me your email address, and I’ll get you added!
First, make sure you add at least one jar of peanut butter and one jar of jelly to your shopping list. We are collecting on behalf of the Bangor Savings Bank PB & J Drive. Bring your donation to our next meeting on September 16, 2022 (potluck supper at 6 pm, meeting at 7 pm). There’s also a tote on the Grange Hall porch—you can leave donations there. Since this promotion only runs through September, please have your donations turned in by Monday, September 26!
We kicked off our Meat or Heat Raffle at River Festival but need to sell more tickets, so we’ve enclosed two books for you to sell or buy. (Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.) If you’d like more tickets to sell, contact Janice Boomsma (343-1496) or Pat Engstrom (564-8290). We’ll draw the winning tickets at our November 16th meeting, so please have all money and tickets turned in before then! You can mail tickets and checks to Janice at the address above.
Most have probably heard that Garland Grange has closed and returned its charter. While there aren’t too many, Valley Grange is inviting Garland Members to move their membership to us. While we certainly have our challenges, we continue to serve our communities and hope to keep our hall open through the winter months. Once we know who may join us from Garland, we will update our membership directory and make it available. Please make sure we have current information about you!
Dictionary Days are coming soon! We’ll soon be contacting the schools for third-grade census numbers so we can order dictionaries! It’s still a bit early to predict how deliveries will be accomplished this year—we’re hoping to be able to return to field trips to the hall and personal visits to the schools. I’d estimate that we’ll need at least nine cases of dictionaries this year. We all are familiar with inflation, so it’s not a surprise that the price has increased again this year, and we will likely need over $800 to continue the program. As a reminder, we typically supply over 200 third graders in Guilford, Harmony, Dexter, Dover Foxcroft, and Brownville.
Of course, in conjunction with delivering dictionaries, our Blistered Finger Knitters make hats and mittens, and we will continue the “Sock it to Us” program we started last year.
I’ve had several inquiries about our Bookworming Program at Piscataquis Community School in Guilford. We’re hopeful, but it’s too early to declare whether or not we’ll be able to schedule those important visits with second and third-graders.
They don’t mail well, but I hope you have your “I love Valley Grange” pin! Between River Festival and our booth at the Piscataquis Valley Fair, we don’t have a lot left! People do love Valley Grange, and that’s one reason we’re able to support our communities! While some of our programs have been temporarily suspended due to COVID mandates and restrictions, many continue, and we always seek opportunities to serve.
Please consider a pledge to attend at least one Valley Grange event or meeting before the calendar year-end. While we have financial challenges, our greatest need is participation in our events and meetings. Here are some potential opportunities. More may be added.
Friday, September 16, 2022, potluck supper at 6 pm and meeting/program at 7 pm. Don’t forget to bring PB & J. (I thought about PB & J sandwiches instead of a potluck, but we’ll want to get as much as possible for Bangor Savings Bank. By the way, the Bank matches donations, so for every jar we donate, they add one!) Our program this night will include a discussion of resolutions to be considered at the state session in October.
Thursday, October 6, 2022, Piscataquis Pomona Meeting at 7 pm. We’ve discontinued the meal, but snacks and desserts are provided! You do not need to be a Pomona Member to attend… Pomona Lecturer Dave Pearson always has an interesting and fun program to offer!
Friday, October 21, 2022, potluck supper at 6 pm and meeting/program at 7 pm. Program to be announced, but we usually hear a short report of what happened at the MSG Convention, including new programs and contests.
Friday, November 16, 2022, potluck supper at 6 pm and meeting/program at 7 pm. Last chance to purchase raffle tickets (be sure to bring any you’ve sold to the meeting)! While plans are still being made, this will include something special in the form of an “open house” or the old-fashioned “booster night” when we celebrate the existence of our Grange! We also tend to extend a special invitation to the families of children receiving dictionaries.
Friday, December 2, 2022, fellowship breakfast for supper at 6 pm, holiday program at 7 pm. Neighboring Granges and friends are invited to join us for a warm evening of breakfast and fellowship. You can come in your jammies if you’d like!
And, by the way, dues are due in December! As postage costs continue to increase, reducing mailings becomes just one of the ways we try to be good stewards. Please ensure we have up-to-date contact information for you—especially an email address if you are actively using it!
As most of you know, I also serve as Communications Director for the Maine State Grange. I recently kicked off a program at the state level that collects “testimonials”— one or two sentences about why members love the Grange. If you’d like to participate, just go to the Maine State Grange website. There’s a link (red button) near the top that opens a simple form to collect your contribution. You actually don’t have to be a member to love the Grange!
However you’ve chosen to help Valley Grange and our communities, thank you! As always, if you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please let us know. Don’t underestimate your role and contribution. Everything and everyone helps!