Tag: Grange Activities

President’s Perspective – September 2025

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

The full election of officers for the Maine State Grange will take place on Saturday, October 18.

Any Grange member in good standing may be elected to a State Office. Your dues must be paid up to date in your own Subordinate Grange and Pomona Grange.

During the election process, one of the voting delegates must present the name of the prospective person for that particular office. You may not present your own name, and there will be no speeches or campaigning. The voting delegates then vote on their choice, by written ballot, from the names presented, or by writing another name on the ballot; the majority of the ballots cast elects the officer. If your name is presented for an office, you may decline without giving a reason if you choose to.

Who may vote at the Annual State Grange Session?

The Delegates are those members selected by the vote of their Subordinate or Pomona Granges to represent their Grange and vote on issues and elections. The Grange dues must be paid up to date at the time of the State session in order for your delegates to be entitled to vote. Each Grange may send two members as delegates and may select two alternates as well. The names of the two delegates and two alternates must be registered with the State Grange Secretary on a form provided. No other persons may be substituted to vote as delegates if they are not on the registration form. (Emergency changes may be made by phone or email prior to opening of the session.) A member may only represent one Subordinate Grange and/or one Pomona Grange.

Custodial Accounts held by Maine State Grange

We are holding funds for several Granges with our State Grange accounts. Also, several Granges have merged over the past few years, and the NET proceeds from the sale of the closed property are held in a “Custodial Account” on behalf of the consolidated Grange for their use for repairs and upgrades to their present hall and property. To get these funds for use, you must submit written estimates from a contractor, on their letterhead or billing invoice: describing the work to be done, listing materials, estimated hours, and terms of the contract – including deposit amount, payment expectations, and expected work dates, etc. This written estimate and information must be sent to the Maine State Grange office, either by email or standard mail, for my review and acceptance. Then it will be passed on to the State Treasurer for issue of the check(s). The check(s) will be made out to the contractor and mailed to the Secretary of the Grange or other designated person of the Grange. Upon completion of the work, the payment request must go through the Maine State Grange in the same manner. Each time you need more funds for repairs or work to be done, the same process must be followed. If these funds are in a CD, there may be a fee to withdraw funds before the maturity date of the CD.    Net Proceeds: After the sale of property there are charges taken out of the gross or total sale price: Realtor Commission(s) vary according to the contract; State closing costs; Attorney fees for deed transfers and other pertinent paperwork; State Corporation fees; insurance coverage; utilities, if applicable and any other costs associated with the property before and after the final sale. The Maine State Grange does not use your money except as it is associated with the property. Maine State Grange does not charge a custodial fee – even though we could. We are not trying to keep you from your funds, but ensuring they are used as intended and in accordance with the By-Laws of the National and State Granges.

Valley Grange September Meeting to include PB &J

Friday, September 19, 2025
A potluck supper will take place at 6:00 pm. Our meeting follows at 7 pm

Valley Grange is located at 172 Guilford Center Road in Guilford, Maine.

No, we won’t be having sandwiches for supper. Again this year, we are supporting Bangor Savings Bank’s PB & J Drive. Since 2012, the Bangor Savings Bank Peanut Butter & Jelly Drive has collected more than 146,000 jars and donated them to local food insecurity programs. That’s nearly 2.5 million peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for children, families, and individuals. That’s the power of community!

Please bring your donations to the meeting on Friday, September 19th, or drop them off at the Hall. Note that we must receive donations by September 25th. You can also drop off donations at any Bangor Savings Branch until September 30th. Tell ’em we sent you!

Communication Shorts 9-1-2025

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!

September Bulletin

Deadline for this month’s Bulletin is September 14th. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

An Annual Report?

It’s the end of the Grange Year. Certain State Officers and Directors are expected to file an annual report of their activities and accomplishments. (We’ll be publishing them on the site as they are received.) Have you considered putting one together for your Grange? You can think of your communities as your stockholders. Let them know what you have done this year!

Dates and Deadlines

Fall is coming. Some might say it’s already here. With the start of another Grange Fiscal Year, essential dates and deadlines abound! ODDs Note: Annual Reports and Program Books are due soon!

Annual Purge Continues

We’re removing dated information from the website. This includes documents, posts, and photos. While some things are considered timeless, a general policy is to remove items that are more than two years old.

Think About This!

“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.”

Richard Bach

An Idea for Your Grange

It’s time to start thinking about Words for Thirds! And it’s not too early to think about Holiday Craft Fairs.

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!

  • 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 frequently consult these directories.
  • The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies, along with their contact information.

September Grange Events

September 2025

Every Monday, Summer Music Monday at St George Grange, 7 – 9 pm. Free! See post FMI.
Every Tuesday, Coffee on the Porch at Vassalboro Grange, 8:30 am – 10 am. See post FMI.

  • September 1, 2025, Deadline for MSG Community Service Application
  • September 1, 2025, Skit and Poetry Writing entries due to the MSG Lecturer.
  • September 1, 2025, Book Reading entries due to MSG Lecturer
  • September 5 -7, 2025, Vermont State Grange Fall Festival. See post FMI.
  • September 6, 2025, Pie Sale on the Porch at Vassalboro Grange, 1 pm – 2 pm. See post FMI.
  • September 13, 2025, MSG Lecturers’ Conference, 9 am -12 pm at Manchester Grange. FMI contact the MSG Lecturer.
  • September 13, 2025, Summer Public Supper at St George Grange, 5 pm. See post FMI.
  • September 13, 2025, Winthrop Grange Flea Market. 8 am -2 pm, contact Kathy at 207 500-9864 FMI.
  • September 14, 2025, Philosophy Table at Vassalboro Grange, 5 – 7 pm. See post FMI
  • September 14, 2025, MSG Bulletin Deadline
  • September 15, 2025, Officer and Department Annual Reports are due.
  • September 15, 2025, Deadline for Educational Ad Scholarship Applications. Send, to arrive by this date, to Nancy Farrington, Sec/Treas, 317 Holman Day Road, Vassalboro, ME 04989. Information and application are available here.
  • September 20, 2025, Open Mic Night at Vassalboro Grange, 7 – 9 pm. See post FMI
  • September 27, 2025, Penobscot Pomona meets at Old Town Riverside Grange at 11 am. FMI Call Master Sanda Moon at 207 827-3698.

Winthrop Grange Flea Market

September 13, 2025

person standing in front of brown crate
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Pexels.com

Winthrop Grange is having a flea market on September 13, 2025, from 8 to 2. Tables are available outside for $10 and inside for $15. Contact Kathy at 207-500-9864 if interested.

Winthrop Grange is located at 598 Old Lewiston Road in Winthrop, Maine.

Trenton Grange Bean Suppah

Communication Shorts 8-16-2025

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!

August Bulletin

The August Bulletin is finished and will be mailed soon. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Having a Raffle?

Raffles (gambling) are heavily regulated, and licensing is required! That’s easy to forget when fundraising because Granges usually fall under some exceptions provided in Maine Law. One exception is raffles where the prizes are less than $2,500. A second exception involves “certain organizations,” including “an agricultural society.” It can get complicated, particularly if the raffle is conducted as an “internet raffle.” While we, MSG, will promote your raffle, we are not assuming responsibility for meeting these legal requirements.

Dates and Deadlines

Fall is coming. Some might say it’s already here. With the start of another Grange Fiscal Year, essential dates and deadlines abound! Just one example is that roster information is now due!

Annual Purge Begins

We’ve already started removing dated information from the website. This includes documents, posts, and photos. While some things are considered timeless, a general policy is to remove items that are more than two years old.

Think About This!

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”

William James

An Idea for Your Grange

We are currently drafting a resource and information page about establishing Little Free Libraries at Grange Halls. If you have one or are interested, please let us know!

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!

  • 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.

Mill Stream Juniors Cleanup!

Maine participates in the National Grange Junior 1+ Program. If your Subordinate Grange has Junior 1+ members, please advise Maine State Grange.

    Exploring Traditions – August, 2025

    Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

    By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

    Let’s Take a Class

    If you’ve been following this column, you know that I’ve been “sort of” reading Charles Gardeners book Friend of the Farmer 1867-1947. I confess that it probably doesn’t qualify as a page turner, but it is a fascinating read.

    In the past, I’ve raised a question about how we describe the action of new members and the degrees. Most of the current common language is quite passive. I often hear that new members should “take,” “get,” or “receive” the degrees. Of course, as a writer, I find that it feels incomplete and maybe an opportunity. Could the reader form a mental picture of a new member being handed something labeled “degrees” and then wondering where to put it and what to do with it. Wouldn’t that make a great editorial cartoon for a Grange publication? It might also lead to questions like, “Can I get the degrees online?”

    That could lead to yet another discussion around the question of how engaged the candidates should be while “getting” the degrees. Are they available in the Grange Store? I can order my groceries online and pick them up without even getting out of the car. Is that possible with the Grange Degrees?

    A few years ago, I made a plea for us to consider celebrating the degrees. They are worthy of celebration. But it seems that the founders (as is often the case) had an even more straightforward and accurate approach. According to Gardner’s book, they referred to the degrees as “classes.”

    We could certainly discuss whether the lessons offered in the degrees are taught effectively when we “do” the ritual. One of the reasons for these columns and my resulting book is to increase the effectiveness of the lessons of the degrees. Studying those lessons can be revealing and thought-provoking.

    We can also consider the impact of the Grange Heirlooms. Created by the National Grange from the degree work and other sources, these snippets offer bits of wisdom that are no less applicable than they were 150+ years ago. In today’s vocabulary, these might be thought of as “micro learning.” I don’t think it would hurt us if the Grange became known as an organization based on learning and discovery.

    It’s an interesting distinction. What would happen if we stopped telling new members, “You should get the degrees?” How about instead, “Just wait until you learn the degrees?”

    Yes, there will be a test. Life gives it.

    ***

    The Kindle Edition of  “Friend of the Farmer” is available from Amazon, currently priced at $2.99.

    Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.

    Membership Moments – August 2025

    By Rick Grotton,
    Membership Committee Director
    207 582-5915

    There are many active Granges doing many events, which are well-advertised and appealing to the public. What a great way to attract new members. I know of a few that have done so successfully. This is probably the easiest way to attract new members. Keep in mind that any public or community event is also a membership drive, not just a fundraising event. Take advantage of this opportunity.

    When speaking to interested parties, be prepared to answer their questions. Subjects in which they are interested include the following:

    • The history of the Grange.
    • What is the Grange?
    • What does the Grange do?
    • Rituals and traditions.
    • What has the Grange done to affect our lives now and in the past?
    • Is the Grange just for farmers?
    • Is it family-friendly?
    • Meeting times and dues.
    • Why did you join?
    • Benefits (insurance, discounts (for example car rentals)

    If you are unsure of the answer of any of these questions, we have literature that explains and covers these areas. Give them contact names and numbers,  and make sure they are not confused when you end your conversation.  The Grange is a great organization and an opportunity to change one’s life for the better. There are many people out there who are waiting for you to ask or invite them to become a member. Do your best to encourage them into membership. Open up a new world for them; one of knowledge, history, and helping fellow community members. Make this world a better place in your little corner of it. Get out there and recruit!