Tag: Grange Communication

President’s Perspective – July 2025

By Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange President/Master
207 490-1029

STATE GRANGE SESSION

Here it is July already, that means three months away from the 2025 State Grange Session, Friday, Oct 17, and Saturday, Oct 18, at the Black Bear Inn, 4 Godfrey Dr., Orono. This year will also be a full State Grange election. The schedule and information have been mailed and posted on the website and will be remailed after August 15.

The Conferral of the 6th Degree will be on Saturday, October 18, at 1:45 p.m. You must have had your Pomona 5th Degree to move up to the State or 6th Degree level. There is a $10.00 one-time per candidate fee.

Due to circumstances beyond MSG’s control, one major change that occurred this week: There will be NO lunches provided by the hotel on Friday at noon or Saturday at noon either; lunches will be on your own. There are plenty of restaurants, fast food, delivery, convenience, and grocery stores close by, or bring your own. 

We will still have the Buffet Banquet on Friday night at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $40 each, reserved and paid in advance. The deadline is October 1, 2025, and must be received by the office; no exceptions will be made. New forms will be mailed in August, or you may use the one we have already mailed, but please note that no lunches are included.

I am very pleased to announce our National Representative at State Session will be Kathy Gibson, Lady Assistant Steward of the National Grange and her husband Glenn Gibson, Past Master/President of the Massachusetts State Grange and past voting delegate of the National Grange, I know you will give them both a very warm welcome.

As we are already in the middle of July, I would like to issue one final reminder: there is less than one month to submit your resolutions to the office by August 15, via standard mail and/or email. Each Resolution is required to have a Title when it is submitted to the office. I cannot give them a title; your Grange must come up with one.  The Title explains what the resolution is about or trying to accomplish.  The Whereas section or sections of the resolution give the WHY reason(s) and give facts about the resolution. The Resolution is the final paragraph that states what you want to happen.  Every Resolution must be read and voted on in your Subordinate or Pomona Grange before submitting it by August 15 to the State for consideration.

Grange Store by Monroe Classic

Grange Logo Apparel ships in 24 to 48 hours when in stock. This includes embroidered and screen-printed caps, jaclets, t-shirts, and more.

Grange Store by Monroe Classic, Inc. wearables

To see all our Grange Items, click on the link below.

Grange Store by Monroe Classic, Inc.

MONROE CLASSIC INC., a licensed supplier of the National Grange
800.868.2330 or 760.231-1020 or email sales@monroeclassic.com

FFA Flash Flood Relief Efforts

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or stranded on a space station, you must be aware of the devastation in Texas. The National FFA Organization recently shared, “Our hearts are with everyone impacted by the devastating flash floods in Texas. The road to recovery will take time, but the FFA community stands ready to support and serve. Together, we can lift up our communities and help them rebuild stronger than ever.”

For specific information regarding the needs and opportunities to help, visit this Texas FFA webpage. There are many ways to support and assist!

Learn more about FFA

Summer Events at Vassalboro Grange

A few updates on July Events from Vassalboro Grange are below, as well as our posters (click the event link) – it helps us A LOT if you print a few posters and put them up around the area.  Lots of our new Coffee on the Porchers come from Winslow, Benton, and Waterville!

Recurring Events:

  • Coffee on the Porch, Tuesdays from 8:30 – 10:00 am
  • Philosophy Table, second Sunday of the month, potluck and discussion 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
  • Zumba, Tuesdays at 7 am, starts July 15, 2025
  • Zumba, Thursdays at 5:30 pm, starts July 17, 2025

Scheduled Events:

Vassalboro Grange is located at 353 Main Street in Vassalboro, Maine

https://www.facebook.com/VassalboroGrange

Instagram photos and videos

National Grange Apparel Sale

National Grange Apparel Sale

The National Grange is launching a limited-time apparel sale through CustomInk. We have chosen “business apparel” – as requested – in a few different styles.

Button-down shirts in both long-sleeve and short-sleeve, in men’s and women’s cuts, and a polo shirt (also in men’s and women’s cuts). Each will have the Grange emblem embroidered in the pocket area. (Actual placement may be slightly different than pictured). This sale is only available in adult sizes. (Sorry!)

Access the apparel sale at https://grange.biz/apparel or http://customink.com/fundraising/ng-apparel . 

Fraud Watch- Travel Scams

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

Travel scams are heating up just in time for summer, from bogus deals to fake booking sites and other schemes. Here is how to spot some of the most popular vacation scams.

Scammers often create fake vacation rental listings, then pressure you to pay upfront through wire transfers, gift cards, or other hard-to-trace methods. If a host asks you to pay outside the platform, it’s a scam.

Be skeptical of steeply discounted offers and use a credit card for stronger fraud protection. If something feels off, take the time to verify before making any payments. Also, learn about any new-to-you travel site before booking by searching the company’s name along with the word “scam” or “complaint” or “review” to read about other people’s experiences.

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

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

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.

National Grange Launches Rural Life Initiative Grants

The National Grange is doubling down on its commitment to revitalizing rural communities with the launch of two new competitive grant opportunities through the Rural Life Initiative.

On June 24, during the “GPS to Success” webinar, National Grange President Christine Hamp announced the launch of two new grant opportunities as part of the expansion of the Rural Life Initiative (RLI), a program designed in partnership with Grange Advocacy to strengthen rural communities through health, wellness, agriculture, and community projects and events.

If you missed the webinar, it is available to watch on the National Grange YouTube channel.

Following the 2024 successes of programs in seven pilot states and nearly 25 Granges that received mini-grants for holiday events, the National Grange is expanding the RLI program and eligibility for all Granges.

Successful examples of past projects include senior fitness classes, building Grange awareness at a community zucchini race event, vaccination and wellness clinics, a cancer research fundraising 5K, and more.

The grant opportunities are as follows:

$1,000 Summer Grants (30 available)

  • Projects must be completed and report submitted by September 30, 2025
  • Applications reviewed as received. Must apply by July 31, 2025.

$5,000 Long-Term Grants (2 available)

  • Projects must be completed and report submitted by December 31, 2025
  • Applications are due by July 31, 2025, with notification of grant winners on August 8, 2025.

Both grant opportunities are open to either local or State Granges.

While the main grant amounts are fixed, there are additional incentives available for completing projects and submitting reports on time, and for each new member gained through your project.

What are the grant requirements?

Because RLI aims to build stronger communities across the country, there are three main components to the grants:

  • You must include at least one partner organization beyond your Grange.
  • You must submit a current membership list with the application proposal.
  • You have the flexibility to choose topics based on local needs, but:
    • Projects cannot involve building improvements or equipment purchases. Projects must focus on recruiting and engaging new members.

“We are excited to see what Granges will create for their communities,” said Hamp. “The flexibility of this grant cycle encourages Granges to truly think outside of the box and the Grange ‘norms.’ I look forward to seeing the dynamic events and powerful programs that this grant helps make possible.”

During the June 24 webinar, presenters Beth Westbrook and Nona Bear offered guidance on how local Granges can apply for these grants, develop project ideas that align with the program’s mission, and measure community impact. Participants were encouraged to think creatively and collaboratively in identifying rural needs and proposing solutions.

The tips and tricks presented also encouraged Granges to go after other community-based grants, always aiming for success.

“These grants are about investing in the people, traditions, and future of rural America,” said webinar leader Beth Westbrook, a member of the Grange Advocacy Board of Directors. “By empowering Granges to take action on local priorities—from health to heritage—we’re building stronger, more connected communities.”

To watch the full announcement, visit the National Grange YouTube channel and view the full grant requirements and submit your applications at the Rural Life Initiative page on the National Grange website.

Murphy’s Law?

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Edward A. Murphy, Jr.

This was the week for it! As some of you probably know, the MSG website was “down” (unavailable) for a while, starting sometime on Saturday until this morning.

I should have received a notification by email. For some reason, that didn’t work.

In short, this was caused by some changes in how security certificates are handled. I should have been warned of the changes. I wasn’t. You don’t want to know all the details.

Anyway, this has been resolved. Sorry for any inconvenience! I’m assured it will not happen again. It could be a lesson in communication for the providers, but I’m not optimistic.

And, since I’m whining, I’ll share that I have had not one, but two credit cards violated last week. The good news is that both were caught quickly by the card providers, and no charges were successfully made to either account. But both cards need to be replaced, an action that takes “seven to ten days.” Perfect timing since we’ll be traveling without them.

It’s tempting to think Murphy was an optimist. However, the real lessons to be learned from this are the importance of effective communication and the need to remain vigilant.

Hope and persevere!

Fraud Watch- Medicare Fraud

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

To protect yourself, protect your Medicare number. Don’t share it with anyone who contacts you out of the blue. Be wary of offers for free medical equipment or services that you are told Medicare will cover. The only equipment or services Medicare will cover are those that are prescribed by your doctor.

Review your Medicare statements regularly and report anything suspicious to your medical provider. If your concern persists, contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE.

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

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

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.

Communication Shorts 6-16-2025

By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842

Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Please send us your ideas and thoughts!

June Bulletin

June Bulletin is available for download and will be mailed soon. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Email, Deputy Dave Gowen

Please note that Cumberland Deputy Dave Gowen and Master of Highland Lake Grange has a new email address: davegowen84@gmail.com.

Think About This!

“There is no reward equal to that of doing the most good to the most people in the most need.”

Evangeline Booth

An Idea for Your Grange

Does your Grange have a membership directory–even just a simple one you can easily share with each other? Since we’re all electing officers this month, they could be identified in it.

Subscribe!

Remember, we don’t share your email address with anyone, and you get a weekly summary of what’s been posted. Subscribe here! Share that link with your members!

Online Directories Available 24-7

Thanks to those who help us keep these directories current by letting us know of changes! With the election of officers coming up, don’t forget!

  • The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct! Visitors to the site consult these directories often.
  • The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies with contact information.