Flying the Flag!

This section currently exists on the Program Books and Information Page:

How we display the flag communicates! You can check whether or not the U.S. Flag should be at half-mast and sign up for email alerts.

This is a guide to the Federal Law regarding displaying the American Flag: US Flag Code.

Learn more from the Department of Veterans Affairs about the rules and traditions for flying the flag at half-staff

As technology advances, here are a few more resources we’ll be adding soon:

  • The American Legion: Text “FLAG” to 35893 (or 534466) to receive text alerts on your mobile phone.
  • Flag Day – US Flag Alerts App (iOS): Sends alerts for federal, but not state, half-staff days to your mobile phone.
  • Service First: Flag Alerts (iOS/Android): Covers federal, state, and weather-related alerts to your mobile phone.

“I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty, and freedom. It is the history of our nation, and it’s marked by the blood of those who died defending it.”

John Thune

Thanks to Larry Bailey, Master of Ocean View Grange, for an “unintentional” reminder to update this resource!

Mill Stream Grange Makes Hearts

Our February 6th program was a Valentine card making party! Junior Granger and 2026 Miss Western Maine Jr. Teen Natalie shared some facts with us about the holiday before crafting cards as a group for the residents of Woodlands Senior Living in Farmington.

Big thanks to Girl Scout Troop #2096 for loaning their scissors, glue sticks, and markers!

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Mill Stream Juniors Recognized

National Award Received for Community Service Project

With great delight, Master Jill Sampson presented our Junior Grangers with a FIRST PLACE medal for their National Junior Grange Community Service Project entry, a “Coastal Cleanup” of Vienna’s own Mill Stream. The prize was announced at the Awards Night during the National Grange in November. Congratulations Juniors! We’re very proud of you!

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Fraud Watch- Helpline Alert

Government Imposters Rampant

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) has seen a rise in impostors pretending to be government officials.

Scammers are calling people, making claims like there’s a warrant for their arrest, their identity was used to buy child pornography or launder money, or that the FBI needs their help to catch a thief. These criminals seek to get your money by wire transfer or crypto kiosks. Some even use the real names of FBI agents or sheriffs to appear legitimate when you search online.

Remember that government officials will never contact you unexpectedly to seek payment in any form. If you receive a contact like this, disengage, and if you’re worried there may be a problem, contact the agency at a number or web address you know to be legitimate.

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.

NELA Conference Announced

(North East Regional Lecturers Association)

Submitted by Dave Roberts, CT State Grange Lecturer

We held our 17th Connecticut State Grange Lecturers Roundup on Sunday, February 15. Our guest speaker was Larry Segall, referred to us by Chuck Strand, Executive Director of Rural Minds. Larry shared his expertise as a mental health care provider, helping attendees better understand mental health therapy, work to reduce its stigma, and learn about free services that support mental well-being. The discussion was informative, engaging, and timely.

Now is the time to register for the 2026 North East Region Lecturers Association (NELA) Conference, which will be held April 17–19, 2026, at the New York State Grange Headquarters, 100 Grange Place, Cortland, NY 13045. I am offering free transportation to and from the conference for any Connecticut State Grange members and their guests. Please contact me if you would like to attend and ride with us.

With our nation approaching its 250th anniversary, this year’s conference theme, “America 250,” will explore how Grange education, community engagement, and shared history continue to shape our local, regional, and national story. The conference will feature workshops, discussions, and fellowship designed to inspire and equip participants for the years ahead.

This event is open to everyone—not just Lecturers. Members, friends, and anyone interested in Grange education and programming are warmly encouraged to attend. The conference begins at 7:00 PM on Friday, April 17, and concludes by 11:00 AM on Sunday, April 19.

Affordable and Flexible Registration
Conference Registration: $20 per attendee
Saturday Lunch: Soups and sandwiches – $15
Celebration Dinner: Turkey buffet – $25
Attendees may pay for individual events or save $5 by registering for all three for a total of $55.

Whether you attend for one meal, one day, or the entire weekend, the 2026 NELA Conference offers a meaningful and affordable opportunity to learn, connect, and celebrate.  Our next conference won’t be held until 2028, so you won’t want to miss the 2026 NELA Conference.

Conference attendees will stay at the Quality Inn Cortland, located at 188 Clinton Avenue, Cortland, NY, conveniently next door to the New York State Grange Headquarters. To reserve your room for Friday and Saturday nights (April 17 and 18, checking out April 19), call 607-756-5622 and mention “Grange Conference.” Reservations must be made by April 1 to receive the reduced nightly rate of $110 plus tax, which includes a complimentary full breakfast both mornings.

We hope you’ll join us in Cortland this April as we reflect on America’s past—and look ahead to the next 250 years.

Reservation Form is available here.

For further assistance and information, please contact Melissa Baldwin, MSG Lecturer.

Communication Shorts 02-15-2026

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!

The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330.
 mainestategrange@gmail.com.

February Bulletin

The February Bulletin is now available for download. Recent issues of the Bulletin are available on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Seeking Someone

Do you, your child, or your grandchild have some knowledge of WordPress? (For those unfamiliar, WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that allows users to create, manage, and customize websites without needing advanced coding knowledge. The Maine State Grange Website uses it.) If so, let’s connect and explore some opportunities. I could use a few hours of volunteer help occasionally.

Rapid Resource

We’re always seeking resources of potential interest to Grangers and Friends that are not necessarily specific to the Grange. These will be short and easy to digest. As an example, the first concerns finding and tracking scholarships. You can help! Let me know what you think and, by all means, submit ideas and suggestions.

National Grange Notes

Remember, applications for National Grange Rural Life Initiative Grants are due by February 28, 2026. (You must submit through the online portal.)

Your Grange Presence

If your Grange has an active website or social media presence, please make sure to let us know! We maintain a list on the site and publicize them as a source of more information.

To ponder…

“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.”

attributed to Abraham LIncoln

An Idea for Your Grange

I recently stumbled upon an organization offering a free “How to Write an Obituary” workshop. It might sound unusual at first, but offering some legacy-planning information could be a valuable service. Hospice workers, funeral directors, financial planners, etc., could be included.

What’s Going On?

St Patrick’s Day and Grange Month programs and events needed now!

Don’t forget to submit your special events and programs for our event calendar! We want people to know the Grange is thriving! Surely, there are lots of Grange things happening in Maine.

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 and Grange friends!

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. Updated January 16, 2026.

View from the Farm – February, 2026

Webmaster’s note: The format of this column includes all of the Quill’s Endians participating at various times and in various ways! Phil writes this month’s column.

Winter Drought

With snow on the ground and winter enveloping us, it may seem hard to remember  that we still are in a drought. But it’s very present with us here at the farm this winter.

I’ve been thinking about it a lot this week because of a quickly approaching deadline for a drought relief grant. We are hoping to get funding for an irrigation pond. Re-charge rates, test pits, volume, acreage, conversion charts,  rates of application–all the water things are on my mind as the critters chew through the limited quantity of hay from last year.

I’m learning the multitude of steps involved should anyone ever dig a proper pond for irrigation.  It seems the excavator might be the first and last step instead of the only step. Lots of steps in between. In the meantime, I’m trying to set aside enough time to complete the actual first step, completing the grant application for funding.

Winter doesn’t help, even though I always think that is where time resides. “I’ll get to that in the winter, when I have time.”  Winter farming doesn’t really agree with that sentiment. Everything now must be hauled to the farm, into the barn, and back out. The hay, the water, the bedding.  The milk, the manure, the used bedding. The shoveling and the loading and unloading. They all take time, and daylight time at that.  There is nothing so wonderful after winter as watching cows poop on grass.

It’s hard to think of a pond, which only holds summery type feelings, when forking out 2027’s compost from the barn while wearing a load of laundry.  Perhaps, if I concentrate now and write the grant well, I can add some resilience in the future when drought strikes again.

Heather and Phil Retberg and their three children run Quill’s End Farm, a 105-acre property in Penobscot that they bought in 2004. They use rotational grazing on their fifteen open acres and are renovating thirty more acres from woods to pasture to increase grazing for their pigs, grass-fed cattle, lambs, laying hens, and goats. Quill’s Endians are members of Halcyon Grange and publish a newsletter for their farm’s buying club of farmers in the area, and generously permit us to share some of their columns with Grangers. Visit the Quill’s End Farm Facebook Page for more information.

Community Service Awards at Enterprise Grange

Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 3:00 pm.

Community Citizen Awards for the Richmond area, including Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Dresden, as well as Richmond, Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 3:00 pm at Enterprise Grange Hall, 15 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond.

Citizens of these towns are invited to submit nominations to Enterprise, and we will make the final decision based on the applications and verify whether the candidates are willing to accept the awards. Except during the COVID years, we have presented the awards for over 20 years. We have tried different days and times and have found that Sunday afternoons work well for our area. Late enough for Sunday-morning church attendees and early enough for Sunday-evening service attendees. And usually, friends and families of the recipients are able to attend, and those attending are invited to share their stories of those receiving the award.

Light refreshments and fellowship follow. We usually end about 4:30.
Community Citizen Awards are a National Grange program, and Grangers are not eligible to receive the award unless it is for a group, such as the Food Pantry, and the members are part of that group.

Enterprise is undergoing electrical updates in the hall, and it should be completed to showcase the improvements and how much brighter our meeting hall is now. We still have work to do on scraping and painting, but taking it one step at a time is getting the work done.

Come join us!!

CWA Report – February 2026

By Margaret Henderson, Director
Committee on Women’s Activities
207 948-2762

Committee on Women’s Activities

What crazy, cold weather we are having.  I am sorry that I have not been able to get an article in the last couple of months. It has been a sad few months. I have lost 16 friends since November. I hope the rest of this year is better.

I hope that many of you are working on entries for the contests.

I always look forward to seeing all of the wonderful work that everyone does. I am going to start checking next week on the availability of different places to have the judging and the conference.

It will be different not to have it at Headquarters. We have many good memories in that building.

I hope that everyone is staying healthy and warm.