By Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange President/Master
207 490-1029
March 11, 2023. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. You are all invited to attend an Instruction / Information meeting at Norway Grange #45, 15 Whitman St., Norway (weather permitting). Norway Grange will provide lunch at noon, their Subordinate meeting will be at 1:00, and the instruction meeting will start at 2:00 pm. Contact Christine Hebert, Master (207-595-6007 or mail: christinehebert@outlook.com) to let her know how many will be attending the lunch. Weather cancelation date will be March 18, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Everyone is invited to attend. Those attending will be the ones practicing the work, by volunteer, also switching around–it will not just be State Officers and Deputies. We will cover the following:
- Ritualistic floor work, opening & closing (opening the Bible, presenting the flag, introducing honored guests)
- How to properly make the Salutation
- Balloting procedure
- Election procedure
- How to handle motions and following through
- The State Secretary will cover reporting, records, funds, and ordering certificates
- Other suggested Grange business and discussion
I will also be holding this same workshop/meeting around the State starting in the spring, please invite me to your area or Grange, I would prefer a Saturday meeting during the day but could accommodate an evening if requested.
- Instruction/Information: Arbutus has invited us to come on Apr 22 (tentative date)
- Instruction/Information: Jonesboro would like us to come in warmer weather
- Instruction/Information: Granite in Searsport is having us on June 13 at 1:00 pm.
April 23 Degree Day 1:30pm at Maine State Grange HQ, 146 State Street Augusta. All Four Degrees will be conferred. Let Maynard Chapman, Chief Deputy (207-312-9661 or email him at mgcgmc@fairpoint.net) know if you have candidates. The candidates should bring their applications for membership with them.
With spring comes reopening. It’s almost time to get back in the swing of in-person meetings.
Spring is also clean-up time outside and inside for our own yards, but this should also include our halls. Get the lawn raked up, clip the grass and bushes around the steps and foundation, pick up the branches and trash lying around, get the tattered plastic off the windows, and maybe even wash the reachable ones. Get some new plants in the window boxes and garden. Repaint your sign, the steps, railings, and even the door. We all need an occasional facelift.
It doesn’t feel like it, but here we are a little over a month away from Grange Month, a time of year we honor our community members and promote our Grange. Congratulations to those who have made plans for something special at this time. You can plan your event honoring your community later in the year. Nothing says it can only be done in April, honoring someone special or a special activity can happen anytime, it’s the result that really matters. You can buy or make up your own certificates, plaques, etc. for honoring an individual or group or items may be purchased from National Grange. Whether you order on your own or from National Grange, remember to allow lots of time to get the items back, especially if you are getting it by mail or shipped. We have lots of informational brochures as handouts in your halls available on request at the office.
I want to remind you, the State Grange office does have an answering machine to leave questions, requests, and information at 207-623-3421. Please leave a clear name, phone number, and brief message, to return your calls. We are in the office a couple of days a week. We also have an email address that is on our outgoing message: mainestategrange@myfairpoint.net. My cell & home phone and Sharon’s numbers are both on the outgoing message, also. Our personal numbers, home, and email addresses are in the roster that each Grange Secretary received. The State Grange Website is valuable and can provide information, the webmaster is very helpful, however, some of your questions should be directed to the State Grange Secretary or me personally by email or phone. Until we can be together again, take care of yourselves.