Tag: Grange Communication

Grange History Revealed Locally

Dave and Kathy Gowen of Highland Lake Grange offer a synopsis of how the Grange carries out its mission.

In March, the Cumberland Historical Society invited Kathy and Dave Gowen to share the Grange’s history with members and guests. The Town of Cumberland’s YouTube channel hosts the recorded presentation. Kathy and Dave covered the National Grange’s origins and some basic Grange concepts, then used the history of Highland Lake Grange as the basis for the rest of the presentation. Towards the end of the presentation, viewers will learn about some of the many community connections Highland Lake Grange maintains.

Dave and Kathy are rightfully proud of this opportunity and the resulting presentation. The presentation could serve as a template for other Granges to use in their own efforts to reach out to local historical societies and other groups.

Watch the Presentation on YouTube

Fraud Watch- Deep Fakes and AI Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network™ Helpline (877-908-3360) has seen a spike in fake endorsement scams. Criminals will use images, edited videos, and stolen likenesses of famous celebrities to build credibility. They place these deceptive ads on social media to build quick trust with viewers. Today’s technology allows video and audio to be easily altered, making public figures appear to say things they never actually said.

Be cautious of offers or giveaways backed by famous personalities. Don’t buy a product based solely on a celebrity endorsement. If you’re unsure, look up news coverage or check official links to ensure the celebrity’s endorsement is real. Know it’s a scam if you’re being encouraged to send money in some form to claim a ‘free’ prize or special deal.

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.

Fraud Watch- Party Invites

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Fake party invitations are a newer  tactic perpetrators use to capture personal details. They send digital invitations, commonly through email,  inviting you to a fake gathering. Typically, the email comes from someone you know whose account has been hacked.

The message asks you to click a link to RSVP, confirm your guest information, or buy tickets. Clicking the link can download harmful software onto your device or send you to a fake website designed to steal your financial and personal information.

If you receive an unexpected invitation, contact the host directly to confirm they sent it.  

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.

Webmaster Email Delays Resolved

The webmaster@mainestategrange.org issue is resolved! It may be used again! Sorry for the inconvenience.

In an unrelated matter, fraudulent emails continue to arrive that appear to be from Master Sherry. They are not and you should not respond to them in any way. Below is an example of how to identify them. We can’t control this; we must rely on you to pay attention.

Below is the original email announcing the problem with the MSG webmaster email

In the latest version of “It’s not over until it’s over,” email to webmaster@mainestategrange.org has not been delivered or received since yesterday (9/13). We have a small but complex glitch resulting from the recent transition to a new server. We’re working on a fix, but it may take a day or two.

In the interim, use Walter’s personal email. If you sent something recently, please forward it to this address and use it to submit columns, news, and events.

This does not apply to the Maine State Grange’s Gmail address.

Sorry for the inconvenience. I hope to have this situation resolved very soon. Thanks for your patience!

Webmaster Email Delays

In the latest version of “It’s not over until it’s over,” email to webmaster@mainestategrange.org has not been delivered or received since yesterday (9/13). We have a small but complex glitch resulting from the recent transition to a new server. We’re working on a fix, but it may take a day or two.

In the interim, use Walter’s personal email. If you sent something recently, please forward it to this address and use it to submit columns, news, and events.

This does not apply to the Maine State Grange’s Gmail address.

Sorry for the inconvenience. I hope to have this situation resolved very soon. Thanks for your patience!

Communications Column – September 2026

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

AI-generated image

Putting Our Best Face Forward

I left the topic the same as last month because it seems appropriate to share a few things from my Annual Report of how the Communications Department is doing just that.

This is the fifteenth year the website has been in place. Site views have increased significantly. This Grange year, the site has been viewed at least 22,000 times—an average of 1800 times per month and a 25% increase over the previous year.

Several significant accomplishments this year include:

  • A significant purging of the site in conjunction with arranging the migration of the site to a new host provider. After fourteen years with our provider, we began suffering severe outages and increased costs. The preparation and execution took many hours, but the change has been beneficial.
  • Added a number of “Resources for Grangers,” including logos for the most common Grange events and programs, a special Communications Column on the subject of non-profits, and further development of “Rapid Resources” on a variety of topics.
  • Continued to streamline the site by purging dated material. This makes the site much more manageable, reduces confusion, and saves server space.
  • Completed interviews with media representatives and researchers.
  • As time permits, I continue to work with local Granges who want assistance with communication and “semi-technical” support.
  • Created a distinct form and method for submitting events and programs being sponsored or hosted by local community Granges. The resulting posts are easily accessible and can be shared on social media with little effort. These events are also added to the MSG Events Page which is among the most visited pages on the site.
  • Started work on a revised Communications Handbook for 2026-27 that will integrate the current website handbook. Technology is changing rapidly, and we cannot ignore many of those changes.
  • Continued to facilitate an outbound email service that allows information to be sent directly to officers, directors, and deputies on short notice. This service also enables website subscriptions. Website subscribers grow slowly, and I consistently send subscribers a weekly summary of posts.

Looking ahead to 2026-2027, some objectives include:

  • Continuing to keep communication positive, helpful, and engaging.
  • Add a simple privacy policy explaining how the site handles information.
  • Complete and expand the resource pages for Book Exchange Programs and Words for Thirds.
  • Promote the posting of Subordinate Grange events and news to the site.
  • Continue searching for resources, including additional guest columnists and regular topical information that can be reposted with attribution.
  • Update the online directories of Granges and Officers as the roster information becomes available.

On a personal level, I’ve become more focused on my writing efforts. I’m writing for a monthly local magazine, The Guilford Register. (One column was about the Granges in Maine!) I  recently published “Memorials, Monuments, and Memories,” a book that takes readers from Flanders Fields to Main Street America. “Cows, Corn, and Calm” will document what happens when a Maine writer with a lifelong love of bovines loads up his pickup truck, points it toward Amish Country, and signs up to learn how to drive a team of oxen. Also on the list is a sequel to Exploring Traditions that includes Reflections on the Grange Way of Life. If “idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” I’m on good ground.

My complete report is available on the website and will be included in the delegate’s packet at State Session. Please let me know if I can do anything to help you and your Grange.

2025-26 Communications Department Annual Report

Thank you for your continued confidence and support.

FACT: Since we migrated the site to a new server, we’ve had over 5,000 site visits! (Sharing that is putting our best face forward!)

Grange Today! 9-11-2026

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Nominees Sought for the Virtual Grange Hall of Fame
  • Attend the 160th National Grange Convention
  • Fellowship Factor: Are We Really Welcoming?
  • Accepting Nominations for Foundation Advisory Board
  • Grange Heirloom for September
  • 25 years after 9/11, What Disasters Reveal About Americans’ Ability to Reconnect
  • State Presidents: Are you in Action?
  • Hamp Watch: Where is our National Grange President?
  • Rural Minds Launches National Rural Youth Mental Wellness Program to Address Youth Suicide Crisis
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Grange Member Benefit: Life Line Screening
  • Grange Store: #GrangeStrong Socks

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.

Fraud Watch- Loan Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Promises of fast cash and low interest rates are a common tactic used in loan fraud.  They post ads, or reach out to you directly, promising loan approvals with low rates and no credit checks. They may spoof their phone numbers to appear as legitimate lenders. To get the loan, they say you need to pay upfront for expenses like “processing,” “insurance,” or “application fees.” When they receive the payment, they disappear.

Legitimate lenders don’t charge upfront fees to secure a loan. Your best bet is to ignore unsolicited loan offers.   

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.

Communication Short – Lecturers’ Conference

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!

Lecturers’ Conference

The date of this year’s Lecturers’ Conference was originally submitted for the wrong month. The Maine State Grange Lecturers’ Conference will be held on  Saturday, September 26, 2026, from  9:00 am until noon. The conference will include a workshop and distribution of the 2026-27 Program Booklet. It takes place at Maine State Grange Headquarters,  36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330. Corrections have been made!

Deadlines

  • September 10, 2026, Deadline for claiming Memorial Bricks available from former headquarters. That’s today!
  • September 14, 2026, Bulletin Columns are due by the end of the day. That’s four days away!
  • September 15, 2026, Educational Aid Scholarships Deadline
  • September 15, 2026, Annual Officer and Department Reports are due.
  • October 1, 2026, Program Books are due. Please send a copy of Program Books to the webmaster.
  • October 1, 2026, Delegate Registration Forms are due.
  • October 10, 2026, Deadline for banquet reservations at State Grange Session.

The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330.
 mainestategrange@gmail.com. For website matters, email webmaster@mainestategrange.org.

President’s Perspective – September 2026

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

STATE SESSION

October 30 & 31. Black Bear Inn in Orono. Get your Delegate Credentials and meal orders in. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

THANKS FROM RICHARD

Richard asked me to thank everyone for the cards, calls, prayers, and well wishes while he was in the hospital and rehab after his heart repair. He is doing great and is now home.

DONATIONS AND GRANTS – MAINE GRANGE FOUNDATION

The Maine Grange Foundation, Inc. is held by the State Grange and is used when a group or individual wishes to make a charitable donation to your Grange and have it designated as tax-deductible. The Maine Grange Foundation account is also used when your Grange receives a Grant from another group or organization, and it must go into a 501(c)(3) account; then the Maine Grange Foundation can pass it on to the designated Grange. 

Grant funds or donations from another group are made by check to the Maine Grange Foundation, Inc., on behalf of a Subordinate (Community), Pomona (County) or State Grange.   Note on the subject line the name and number of the Grange to whom the donation is for and the reason for the grant or donation, such as new kitchen, roof, windows, plumbing, etc.

Send checks to Maine Grange Foundation, Inc., 36 Anthony Ave, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330. The check will be deposited and held in the Foundation account, noting the Grange name and number it belongs to. After the check clears, a Foundation Officer will withdraw the donation, and we will send a bank check to the appropriate Grange. (The only persons allowed to access the account are designated officers  and legal signers of the Maine Grange Foundation, Inc.)

We will return a receipt and tax-deductible form, which includes our specific number, to the contributor; please provide their information and address. If multiple donations are made, we may hold them in the account and send them as one lump sum to the Grange. Please let us know what your preference is in writing. 

The Maine State Grange does not provide funds or grants for building repairs, improvements, property upgrades, or paying bills.