Grange Communication – Page 17

President’s Perspective – February 2023

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.

Communication Shorts 2-5-2023

By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842

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

February Bulletin

The deadline for the February Bulletin is February 14, 2023–that’s only nine days away! Remember, you can always find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

Didja Notice?

We’ve added a “subscribe” menu item–if you aren’t receiving email from us, check it out!

Congratulations!

Congratulations, Mr. Walter Boomsma, on receiving the Cultivator Award. Happy to read about it in the Jan 2023 issue of the Good Day. Well deserved.
Ed and Jane McCall
Bingham Grange #237

Grange Month Is Coming!

What’s the plan? How will your Grange celebrate? Don’t forget to submit your plans and events to the website!

Pine Grove Grange #233, Brewer

We’ve had an inquiry regarding this Grange… from a woman in Oregon who has some information (dues receipts, diaries, etc.) that might be of interest to a historical society or museum. We’re suggesting the Brewer Historical Society. If you have any information that might help, email Mary Gobet or let me know!

Do You Love the Grange?

The world wants to hear about it! Fill out the simple I Love the Grange Form… it only takes a couple of minutes! Thanks to all who have shared so far!

Ideas for Granges

Is it too early to start planning spring cleaning at the Grange?

Thought for You…

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”
Joseph Addison

Online Directories Available 24-7

The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies with contact information.
The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct!

Do You Have FOMO?

“FOMO” is, of course, a Fear Of Missing Out. One strongly recommended treatment is to subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website. We’ll send you a daily summary whenever news and columns are posted, and we won’t share your email address with anyone!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Ocean View Grange News

Ocean View Grange is located at 435 Port Clyde Road in St George Maine

By Larry Bailey, Master

Because of the really cold weather, we have some time to think about and plan for our upcoming year. You, as Grange members, can help our Grange by providing all of us with ideas and suggestions relating to:

Suppers etc. – Should we plan suppers? lunches? or brunches this year? While I find that the Bean Suppers are so characteristic of Granges all over, it might be good to change things up a bit. It is my opinion that, while we make some money at such activities, it is not the money that makes us do it. The real community gatherings and family friendship we see at these functions are worth more than money.

Community Help – I hope we can get back on the Road Clean-up program this year. It is one of those labors of love in which we can all participate. Why does this matter? Well, we help clean up the community roads, we get some good exercise while doing it, and we enjoy all the company of our fellow members and friends who come out to help. The question is…what else is there that we can lend our services to help our community. Think about it.

Let us plan to get back to upkeeping/repairing the Grange. We can, finish the paint job, clean the windows, and, one day, we can get someone in a hazmat suit to clean the attic at the Grange. Our windows need some attention; Let’s look at them and decide what needs to be done.

Would it be prudent to buy an inexpensive lawn mower and rotate members to mow our grass? Just food for thought?

We need to restart the Words for Thirds Program. I have a box of dictionaries here. If anyone is interested in helping with this, just let me know.

It was suggested by one of our members last year that we print the article entitled – “Maine History Trail – Ocean View Grange, Martinsville Maine” and distribute it to every visitor to our Grange. It provides a good history of the Ocean View Grange and might help with membership recruiting. We will need someone to be in charge of this.

What do we do with the Stair Lift? It has been a dismal failure since we bought it. Do we just dump it? Do we move our meetings to the first floor? Do we buy a new Stair Lift? This is an item for discussion. We will need a Grange member to look into this.

Bathroom toilet. Much like the Stair Lift and the kitchen sink, the leaky bathroom toilet is a failure and needs repair or replacement.

What other programs can we provide? For example, I would be willing to put on a watercolor painting class. What can you provide? Cooking class, Poetry session, etc, provide help with PC’s electronic problems, dance lessons, etc.?

These are just a few items that occurred to me. I know you have some thoughts and ideas too. Don’t think that one, two, or three members should jump in to do all of the repairs and upgrades for the foregoing. This is a group effort, and everybody needs to lend a hand and come up with thoughts and solutions. Let’s all join together and make our Grange a better, safer, and happier place than it has been!!!

Larry also distributed an Ocean View Grange Roster, requesting members make sure their information is accurate and updated.. There are some great ideas on this list. I’m sure Ocean View won’t mind if some other Granges “steal” them!

Amazon Smile Becomes Amazon Frown

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Amazon recently announced that they are “winding down” the Amazon Smiles Program. In short, that means they are discontinuing it, effective February 20, 2023.

According to their announcement, over 1 million organizations were participating. “Amazon can have a more significant and lasting impact if we invest in specific areas and focus our philanthropic efforts in the communities where our employees live and work.”

That’s actually logical. The program’s benefit to Maine State Grange was minimal, so it’s not a huge loss. Any money received was paid to the Maine Grange Foundation and, I believe, earmarked for scholarships.

If you have been using the program, any purchases made before February 20, 2023, will still accrue a benefit. I’m sharing this so those making significant purchases from Amazon will consider doing so before that deadline!

Amazon has also announced it will provide a “one-time payment” based on three months of purchases during 2022.

One way Granges can generate support is by creating an “Amazon Wish List,” allowing others to make purchases for the Grange. I know Jonesboro Grange has done this quite successfully. I believe the process is not difficult for those familiar with Amazon. Perhaps I’ll try to put a few basic instructions and suggestions together in the near future. Let me know if you’re interested or would like to help!

Now let’s turn that frown upside down!

Communication Shorts 1-16-2023

By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842

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