Tag: Grange Membership

By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915

As many of you know, I belong to the Maine Spirit of America Foundation and, in the past, have incorporated the procedures of this organization into Granges in order to potentially increase membership and make the Granges more visible to the public. Some Granges do pick their own recipients and have a ceremony honoring their choices. Spirit of America Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in Augusta, ME & it allows the Spirit of America Foundation Tribute to be presented in the name of any Maine municipality to a person, project, or group for their outstanding community service.  (See https://spiritofamerica.website for more info.)

Volunteerism is the topic, and most town selectmen throughout the State of Maine choose the nominees from their communities to receive the award. Many Granges and Grange members have received the Spirit of America award in the past, and there are many more that will in the future. The founder of the Foundation, Bruce Flaherty, who is a Grange member, contacted me, and we came up with some answers to the following question:

 “How could Grange get involved in Spirit of America?”

 Individual Grange members might suggest a person/project/group deserving consideration for the Spirit of America Tribute to their town’s Council/Selectboard Chair.

 A Grange might invite the most recent winner of its town’s Spirit of America award to a meeting to say a few words about their favorite volunteer cause. The Master/President might congratulate, thank, and pose with them for a photo to submit to newspapers.

Any Grange might celebrate ‘County Officials Appreciation Month’ (Sept.) by inviting a County Official (e.g., Commissioner, Sheriff) to speak to its group in September – a publicity opportunity for Grange!

 A Grange might celebrate ‘Municipal Officials Appreciation Month’ (Oct.) by inviting a Municipal Official (e.g. Selectman, Clerk) to speak to its members in October – Grange publicity opportunity!.

The Spirit of America Foundation created ‘County Officials Appreciation Month’ and ‘Municipal Officials Appreciation Month’ in gratitude to county and municipal officials for their help to its awards program over a period of many years.

The above have been done in some Grange halls with great success. Also, invite a Grange State Officer, Deputy, or Director to speak and be the emcee. I have done a number of these presentations at various Granges and on the State level at the Hall of Flags at the State House in Augusta. It is very easy to plan and to do. I would prefer your own Grange, Pomona, or Deputy do the honors. For more information or if you have questions, feel free to contact me. Thank you for everything Granges do to help the cause of volunteerism!

Remember, this is Fair season, so help your granges by contributing items for their Fair exhibits. Many Granges participate in showing off their harvests and talents at agricultural fairs, and there is money to be made for you. Many fairgoers look forward to visiting the Exhibition Halls and looking at the exhibits. Inquire at your grange how you can help. I have been involved with my Grange’s exhibits since I joined the Grange in 1985 and enjoy being a part of displaying our wares in a beautiful exhibit.

Remember, the State Grange session is coming in October in Auburn. Come receive your Sixth Degree and join in the camaraderie with your fellow Grangers. Become a Delegate or Alternate and learn much more about the Grange!

By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915

This year is the 150^th anniversary of the Maine State Grange and some of the earliest numbered Granges. What a wonderful way to attract new members! I have attended a couple of anniversary celebrations, which were well-received and provided much history. Let’s advertise this important event to the public through social media, television, radio, and newspapers or by holding open houses to invite the community to see your hall.

Plan a community celebration, contact your local PBS television station to attend, and advertise in the local newspaper. There are many, many people who would enjoy a walk through your history and how your Grange has survived for 150 years. News media thrives on such content and would be very interested in publishing your information.  PBS has a show called “Maine Life,” which covers everything about day-to-day living in our beautiful state. They would surely be interested in televising the Grange anniversaries as they are a part of Maine life and have been for 150 years. This is a big chance to show off your successes and hard work and to educate others on how important Grange has been in Maine history and how it has affected the people of Maine. From Eliot to Presque Isle, from Fryeburg and Wilson’s Mills to Alexander and Perry and in between (especially along the entire coast), the Grange covered most of our State at one time. Even today, although we have fewer Granges, the traditions and rituals are mainly the same as 150 years ago, and some of these Granges are doing extremely well by being active and serving their communities. Our Halls signify a safe place for people to gather and were always considered the centerpiece or hotspot of rural communities.

Please continue to attract members as our future depends on it.  Have fun!

By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915

This month, we will go into more depth on this important part of gaining membership. Doesn’t it seem like almost everyone you ask about Grange has never heard of it or has heard of Grange but knows nothing about it? Many will tell you they had a relative who belonged a while back or some will say they briefly belonged but no more. However, they cannot define Grange. This is really sad. Who will join an organization they know nothing about or have just heard about? I knew nothing about Grange when I joined, but I found out there were many Granges in my area at the time. I’m sure these Granges were active with meetings and events posted in the papers, but like most people, I did not pay attention because it wasn’t something that interested me, or nobody had spoken to me about Grange.  With membership levels elevated at the time and the number of Granges around, how come we still knew nothing about Grange? Sure, they advertised public suppers and dances, but was that enough? Evidently not. Some of the mentioned Granges are still active; however, some of those that closed did not hold membership drives or lost interest even with a good number of members. 

 Each community with a Grange should know what is happening within it’s walls at all times. In Chelsea, we have been organizing public events, involving the community, getting involved in community events, showing up at town meetings, getting involved with the schools, and educating our citizens. We are a small but lively group and I am very happy to be a member of this Grange. It is up to us and all members around the state to educate others on our colorful past and important part of American history not recorded in any history books from schools.

I had belonged to other well-known organizations, such as the Knights of Columbus and the Jaycees, and appreciated their work and efforts. Of course, we have all heard of the Lions Clubs, the Elks, the Odd Fellows, the Masons, and other community organizations such as 4H. But why not the Grange? With our longevity and colorful past, it should be known to all. Today, the Grange is still an important organization for farmers and communities alike. We need to band together to show that we still exist and are there to help. Just holding public suppers and bingo is not enough. We need to grow and need members to carry on our work and traditions. So be visible, educate, and be proud of our worthy organization called the Grange. I am.