By Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange President/Master
207 490-1029
I participated in the annual informative and helpful State Presidents/Masters Conference via zoom on February 17 and 18. Discussions, Presentations, and Workshops included: Show and Tell– Sharing personal Grange “ephemera“ (memorabilia); National Convention Reimagined—and Better than Ever!; Communications Dept.; It’s Not Your Property; Discover Your Website; Why Can’t We Just Get Along?; Juniors + Youth = Growth; Membership Department and Wrap-up. Much of the information covered can be found on the National Grange website which will require the annual password to access some of the information and much of the information is also provided in the web posts sent from National. I will be sharing some of it from time to time with you.
GOALS. From time to time, I have mentioned goal setting for your Granges. Here are some of my general goals that should be applied in our Granges as well.
** Strengthen and improve the Granges we already have, increasing membership and increasing the number of active Granges. Working to improve its individual members and the good of all. Including community concerns, family and good ritualistic work for opening and degree. Working together as one unit showing mutual concern and respect for others. Providing programs and projects that keep in step with our changing world and the interests of our members.
** Improve leadership skills of the Leaders and the members. Provide workshops on what is required as a Grange Leader, goal setting, how and what to plan for activities and programs including but not limited to fun things, on the local and state level. Give basic guidelines and suggestions to our Granges for program planning and development. Provide, print and distribute leadership & resource materials and training for all Grangers. Continue with good ritualistic work. Assist in developing programs, contests and activities specifically needed and designed for their individual Granges.
** Identify key individuals to assist with specific activities, programs, projects, rides, and other. Utilizing key people for their skills and knowledge to assist with training others, in a variety of subjects. Identifying these key people in a resource list for all to refer to, on local and state levels.
** More cooperation and people support is needed for the Junior Granger Leaders and Members, so they don’t feel so alone at the meetings and activities. Subordinate members work more closely with Juniors on all activities to make Juniors and Subordinate members more familiar with each other as a group and as individuals which will help make the transition between Junior and Subordinate easier, if they already know each other. Give mutual respect to each other