Tag: Grange News

Grange Today! 10-24-2025

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • National Grange President to Join National Panel on Rural Women’s Health
  •  Prepare to celebrate National Rural Health Day
  •  Save the Date: National Grange Honors Night
  •  National Ag in the Classroom Grants and Scholarships Cycle Open
  •  Grange Member Benefit: SingleCare / GoodRx
  •  View from the Hill
  •  Home Fire Prevention Tips
  •  We need Red, White, and YOU!
  •  Recipes from the Heartland
  •  Grange Store: #GrangeStrong Socks & 60-year membership pin 

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

Read THE Current Issue

Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. To save server space, we only post the table of contents on the MSG Website.

State Officer Elections

Delegates to the 151st Annual Maine State Grange Convention had a busy few days and a lot of work to do! We’ll be sharing a few highlights. For some, even more work starts now. We’ll be updating directories, but we can at least share this list of officers elected.

  • Master/President, Sherry Harriman
  • Overseer, Adrian Mike Griffin
  • Lecturer, Melissa Baldwin
  • Steward, Ben Edgerly
  • Assistant Steward, Rick Grotton
  • Last Assistant Steward, Roberta Meserve
  • Chaplain, Christine Hebert
  • Treasurer, Laurie McBurnie
  • Secretary, Sharon Morton
  • Gatekeeper, Peter Ivers
  • Ceres, Judy Meserve
  • Pomona, Tracey Small
  • Flora, Debra Ivers
  • Executive Committee, Dale Holst (3 year term)

Appointments will be updated and shared as they are made and confirmed.

151st State Convention Opens Today

This year’s convention opens at 11 am! Since most officers, directors, and deputies will be in attendance, communication may be challenging. In website terms, we’ll be checking email as time permits, and you can expect a reply within 24 hours. That’s always our goal, and we usually beat it!

Thanks for your patience and understanding! For information about the convention, check this page.

Grange Libraries Take Different Forms

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Did you know that for many years, Granges often maintained a library of books available to members? I suspect some still do! Well, here are some ideas that will drive traffic to your Grange Hall and, more importantly, make your Grange more relevant to your community.

Little Fee Libraries (LFL)

The first is inspired by Caroline Heck, Junior Granger from Mill Stream Grange #574. Caroline is working on her Girl Scout Silver Award to raise awareness of the importance of childhood literacy. Her project includes building and placing a Little Fee Library™ (LFL) at the Grange and informing the community of the importance of access to books in early childhood. Master Jill Sampson is her Project Advisor. She has already collected 203 books, a mix of board books, picture books, early chapter books, and middle-grade novels, all donated by the local community. She’s scouted a location at the hall for placement: out front at the edge of the flower bed where it meets the parking lot, so it will be safe from the plow but always accessible.

Book Exchange Boxes (BEB)

Ocean View Grange’s “Book Exchange Box” is ready for action.

Ocean View Grange in Port Clyde went from an idea to completion quickly. The idea came from someone who has a bit of a hobby of filling area libraries, and she suggested the Grange would make a great location! The idea truly took on a life of its own. Interestingly, much of the work that went into the project was completed by folks who are not Grange members. Yet. The entire project was accomplished from start to finish in a matter of weeks!

(Just to clarify, an outside library cannot be considered an LFL until registered and assigned someone–a steward–to monitor and maintain the box.)

Granges in Maine Book Exchange Program

Several other Granges have different programs and approaches, and the MSG Communications Department wants to help! We’re pleased to announce that we’ve created a BEB Resource Section on the website for Granges who are interested in or operating a Book Exchange Program.

The section includes more information on creating a Little Fee Library™ or Book Exchange Box, a comprehensive list of potential sources of free books, document templates… it will always be under construction, so please share your ideas and experiences. And let us know how we can help!

Words for Thirds Recognition

The Dictionary Project recently recognized Valley Grange‘s Words for Thirds Project in their “Word of the Day” newsletter. The Word of the Day was “excel.” We strive to do so, and we encourage our students to do the same.

By the way, the dictionaries for this year are arriving today! Dictionary Days are coming soon to Brownville, Harmony, Piscataquis Community, Ridgeview, and SeDoMoCha Elementary Schools.

Photo and quotes from a WABI-TV 5 News Report.

Visit the MSG Words for Thirds Resource Page to learn how your Grange can do this!

Annual Report Status

The State Convention Page and Program Books and Information Pages have been updated to reflect documents recently received.

Coming Soon?

Maybe several things! One that we’re sure of is another resource page for Granges and Grangers. This time, we’ll be introducing an easy-peasy community service that’s already being offered in over 200,000 locations around the world.

The Grange has always emphasized education and literacy. One of our signature programs, Words for Thirds, is an example. Now, in addition to making dictionaries available to third graders, we’re looking at a way to make many books available to everyone through library boxes located at our Grange Halls.

While these libraries do not have to be part of the Little Free Library project, they do offer some great ideas and inspiration.

The resource page we’re building will be available soon. It will include information about several libraries located at Granges in Maine. If your Grange has one or would like, please tell us about it!

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.

Community Service/FHH – May 2025

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

This is the time of year to start gathering items to display at the local fair. What a great way to show the community what the Grange does. This could lead to canning classes, craft sessions, quilting, plant and gardening care, woodworking, art and photography, soil types, bugs and their contributions to agriculture, and education in general. The projects can be simple or challenging, and the list is endless. The MAAF (Maine Agricultural Association of Fairs) theme this year is “Be A Farmer.” You do not have to use this as your Grange exhibit theme, but you may.

I would like feedback on what Community Service means to your Grange, members and non-members. Please respond by June 30, 2025, to:

Brenda Dyer
MSG Community Service Director
9 Marial Ave
Biddeford, ME 04005

Continue to work on reports and enjoy spring!

Family Health & Hearing

May is Mental Awareness Month. Do something for yourself. Read a book, listen to music, go to the beach, watch a movie, take a walk, go bowling, go to the garden, do a puzzle, etc., which are a few suggestions for having time for YOU. Also, checking on neighbors, volunteering, visiting family and/or friends, etc., can be mentally motivating to others’ mental health.

Degree Day Celebration April 2025

Several dozen candidates completed the Four Degrees at MSG Headquarters. Candidates came from Vassalboro, Union Harvest, Manchester, Androscoggin, Victor, Danville Junction, Lamoine, Winthrop, and Huntoon Hill Granges. In addition, Excelsior, Hollis, Chelsea, Willow, East Madison, Valley, Alexander and Halcyon Granges were represented, more than doubling the total attendance!

Lots of new members! As you might suspect, the altar circle was a challenge! Welcome to our Order!
Photo by David Colby Young.
Serving as Degree Masters were Bridget McKeen, Roberta Meserve, and Lynne Pomerleau.
Photo by David Colby Young.

The day was organized by Maynard Chapman and members of Androscoggin Pomona with assistance from other Granges around the state. It was great to see so many Grangers in one place–and many young faces. Thanks go to the many people who made this day possible.

Harvest Marchers are ready to go!
Photo by David Colby Young.

Special thanks go to Norma Meserve and Steve Verrill for their assistance gathering information for this post!