Mill Stream Grange Gets the Word Out!
Tag: Grange Advocacy
Grange Heirloom — March 2025
Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Rituals and Declaration of Purposes.
Use the icons below to share this Grange Heirloom on social media and help others understand what the Grange stands for! If this heirloom has a particular meaning for you, click the “leave a comment” link at the left and share your comment with us!
For additional information and resources regarding the Heirloom Program, visit the Heirloom Resource Page on the Maine State Grange Website.
Valley Grange Seeks Blanketeers!
On March 22, 2025, volunteers will create blankets for children in need.
Guilford–Valley Grange of Guilford is sponsoring a blanket-making event on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until noon, and volunteers are needed! Organizer Pat Engstrom notes, “no sewing skills are needed. If you can measure, cut a straight line with scissors, or tie a simple knot you can become a ‘blanketeer’ and help support Project Linus. We’ll show you how!”
Project Linus, a non-profit organization, provides homemade blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. Similar events in previous years have resulted in dozens of blankets being made by a diverse group of volunteers. Engstrom hopes to see the number of blankets made increase.
“We have a great time doing this, and truly just about anyone can help. We create quite a production line, and it sometimes gets quite competitive! It’s exciting to realize we’re providing love in the form of ‘blankies’ representing love, security, warmth, and comfort to kids. We consider them fabric hugs.”
While supplies will be provided, volunteers are encouraged to bring scissors, rulers, and masking tape. Light refreshments will be served.
For additional information, contact Pat Enstrom at 207 564-8290 or visit the Valley Grange Website at http://valleygrange.com. Valley Grange is located at 172 Guilford Center Road, at the corner of Butter Street.
Highland Lake Grange “protects”
Highland Lake Grange not serves their Westbrook Community, the “protect” those who protect it with “Survival Kits” for their law enforcement officers. Fifty kits containing a lot of goodies were recently delivered to the local officers.
The Survival Kit for Law Enforcement Officers includes:
- Gum -to get you out of sticky situations
- Lifesavers – because you are one!
- Chocolate kisses – to show you are appreciated
- Starburst – for an extra burst of energy
- Pencil – to keep you sharp, focused and for writing tickets
- Kit Kat – for when you need a break
- Snickers – to remind you to keep your humor
- Smarties- to give you wisdom for those split minute decisions
- Tootsie Roll – to help you roll with the punches
- Peppermint Patty – to help you keep your cool
- Doves – the symbol of peace, freedom and love
- Mounds- for the mounds of courage you show
- Candy Coins – you don’t get paid enough
“Thank you for all you do from Highland Lake Grange #87”
NOTE: This is an idea worth (shhhh!) “stealing” as a way of protecting and serving your community and its resources. Well done, HIghland Lake Grange!
Highland Lake Grange Serves
Highland Lake Grange provided a place for Westbrook City Councilor Jen Munroe to hold two community meetings to hear from residents of the district she represents (the Highland Lake Grange Hall is located in her district) and address concerns and issues.
Chelsea Grange Gets Lift!
submitted by Linda Weston
The Chelsea Grange Hall on Route 226 on February 20th got a new Stair Climber System (from MAC) installed to our second floor (and stage) from a grant awarded by Lifelong Communities/AARP/AFC! And a big THANK YOU to Grange Member Marion Bowman on all her efforts on this grant.
Pictures of the work efforts of Maine Accessibilities Corp (MAC). They did a GREAT job !!!!
We are hoping to do more community work with the increased access to this space. Lots of ideas discussed at our last meeting.
Stayed tuned for future use of the Chelsea Grange #215!
Enterprise Grange Happenings
by Marilyn Stinson, Enterprise Grange Lecturer
Enterprise Grange meets on the third Tuesday monthly with a potluck supper at 6:00 and a meeting at 7:00. We often have guests and friends at our suppers and usually have our Family Health and Hearing reports and discussions while gathered around our tables.
Did you know that if you have hearing loss and need aids if you have an Apple iPad, you can get earbuds and listen through your phone? The background noises are minimized, and there is less discomfort for older people struggling with something new.
Cliff demonstrated his new hearing aids with their tiny antenna. What a blessing. We’ve also discussed diabetes emergencies and problems after tick bites. Guests join in the discussions. This is after we’ve eaten, so no problems with queasy stomachs during the meal.
March is MS Awareness month, and we will have a guest sharing her story of her life with the disease on March 18, 2025. We love to have other Grangers join us!
We are at 15 Alexander Reed Road in Richmond. If you use a GPS, please enter 14 Alexander Reed because 15 will direct you to an empty field about 1/4 mile away. We are in town, the street across from the fire station. For more information, ontact Marilyn Stinson at 207.737-2611 and leave a message on her landline, please.
Jessica loves the Grange!
I love all of the activities and events that the Grange does throughout the year.
Jessic Thurston-Creations Custom and Homemade, LLC, Hollis Grange #132
What about you?
Do you love the Grange? Can you explain what’s great about being a member? It only takes a minute to click the button and tell the world!
Future Farmers Visit the Grange
by Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director
Haley and Mia stopped by during the Ag Expo in Augusta to dispense some enthusiasm and explore the mutual interests between the Future Farmers of America and the Granges in Maine. Their interest in agriculture and farming is almost obvious, but the FFA is also interested in communities, leadership development, and education.
During our brief conversation, I learned a lot about FFA. They’ve been around since 1928 (not Haley and Mia, obviously!) and are very much youth/student-driven. Did you know they have over one million student members nationally? Their focus on Agricultural Education is terrific. (We made sure they left with the MSG Ag Scholarship information!)
In what is surely a strange coincidence, this is National FFA Week— ” a time to share what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day.”
But wait, there’s more! We have a Zoom Meeting scheduled to explore ways the Grange and FFA might connect and benefit by knowing more about each other. Stay tuned! The best is yet to come!
Ocean View Grange Spreads More than Dictionaries
When Ocean View Master Larry Bailey reported on their successful Dictionary Day, even he may not have realized the full impact. He subsequently received an email from one of the teachers with an invitation to attend a “Community Meeting” at the school hosted by the third grade. One of the items on the agenda was a “quick thank you for your dictionary donations.”
Obviously, he went!
He was happy to report, “I admit I was genuinely impressed by what I saw and felt. The energy and excitement were palpable, the kids were clearly happy to be part of the program, and the teachers handled the huge crowd perfectly. The young speakers/announcers were great, the music was certainly upbeat and well done. I was especially taken with the videos some of the students filmed. They were classics and made me laugh…especially the one number one winner. Creative is an understatement for all of them.”
School District Superintendent Mike replied, in part, “…thanks again to the entire Grange for supporting our 3rd graders and school! The students and teachers once again did a wonderful job running the community meeting. It’s incredible to see the work our students and staff are doing, often in partnership with community organizations like the Grange!”
These partnerships can indeed be incredible. They connect our Granges with our schools and communities in powerful ways with results that make a difference. Check out the Words for Thirds Resource Page. There’s still time to set up a Dictionary Day for a school near you during Grange Month (April), but you’ll need to get started soon. We’re here to help!
