Reprinted with permission from the January 10, 2025 edition of Grange Today!
The National Grange is thrilled to announce Rebekah Hodgson as the new Junior Grange Director. A dedicated Jonesboro Grange #357 member in Jonesboro, Maine, Hodgson brings a deep appreciation of Grange values and a passion for community service to her new role. Rebekah’s journey with the Grange began with her grandparents, Helen and Edward Brooks, who were active members of Robbinston Grange in Robbinston, Maine. Her own involvement took root about six years ago when she joined Jonesboro Grange to help save it from closure, inspired by her father’s determination to preserve its legacy.
Since then, Rebekah has been an enthusiastic advocate for Grange activities, making her mark through projects like the Crush Cancer Lobster Crawl 5k, Candyland, the free 10,000 Easter Egg Hunt, and Grinch at the Grange.
Outside of her work with the Grange, Rebekah is a K3 preschool teacher and K4 preschool assistant, a Girl Scout leader, and a licensed commercial lobster fisher—a skill she’s honed since age 10. She currently lives in Illinois with her husband Garrett, an active duty Coast Guard Chief, and their two children, Jase (7) and Kennedy (5). Her family shares her passion for the outdoors and community engagement.
As Junior Grange Director, Rebekah has ambitious plans for the year ahead. She aims to foster stronger bonds between Junior and more senior members, spark interest in new Junior Grange chapters, and deepen young members’ love for the Grange through creative, engaging programming. Inspired by her connection to the ocean, she plans to incorporate aquatic-themed activities into Junior programming, especially at this year’s National Convention aboard the Carnival Horizon.
Rebekah’s vision for the Junior department centers on empowering young members to be future leaders of the Grange. “Junior members are the voice of tomorrow,” she said. “By utilizing their energy, passion, and eagerness to learn, they can create meaningful change and preserve the traditions that connect us all.”
Her advice to those hoping to engage more young people in the Grange? “Find out what interests them and incorporate that into your Junior Grange! Show them the joy and sense of family that comes with being part of the Grange through welcoming, free events and fun-filled meetings.”
National Grange President Christine Hamp is confident that Hodgson’s creativity, leadership, and dedication will inspire the next generation of Grange members, ensuring the organization’s legacy continues to thrive.
“Rebekah’s engaging energy and excitement are exactly what we need to create meaningful experiences for our youngest members,” said Hamp. “I can’t wait to see the positive impact she and her team bring to our Junior Grange Program.”
Hodgson will be assisted by the Junior Advisory Team, consisting of Emily Hartsell (NC), Makayla Piers (RI), and Gayle Reyburn (PA). Email junior@nationalgrange.org for more information.
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
Subscribe to the National Grange’s Good Day! Magazine. Only $16 a year gives you access to our print or digital subscription. Learn more about the magazine at http://www.nationalgrange.org/goodday or the digital issue at http://www.issuu.com/grangegoodday. The October issue is hitting mailboxes this week.
Subscribe to Grange Today! at http://www.nationalgrange.org/subscribe. Grange Today! is released on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of every month, full of news and information from Granges around the country. We hope to engage and inspire Grange members from coast to coast through this newsletter.
We are also looking for people to submit their Grange’s news so we can feature them in the newsletters or in Good Day! Magazine.
The National Grange’s biweekly podcast, “The Grange Hall,” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or iHeartRadio. You can also listen on PodBean, the National Grange website, or watch on YouTube! Be sure to like and subscribe! If you have comments or questions, or if you’d like to recommend a member of YOUR Grange to be featured, you can contact us at grangehallpod@gmail.com.
Many National Grange events are recorded and archived. If you missed an online event and would like to view it, please visit the National Grange YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/nationalgrange.
Follow National Grange on Social Media! We’re on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube! This is generally the quickest and most up-to-date location to find out what’s happening at the National Grange.
I hope you’ve seen that the National Grange announced that registration is open for the 2025 National Grange Convention. The 159th Annual Convention will cruise from Miami to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao from November 8-16, 2025. I know there are a lot of questions about this, so we’ve created one-sheets on registration and a simple FAQ that are available on the National Grange’s website. More information, including how to book your stateroom, is now available, and other details will be released soon, but it’s not too early to begin planning!
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
There is still time to register for the 158th National Grange Convention in Bettendorf, Iowa, November 12-16, 2024. Information and registration links can be found at http://www.nationalgrange.org/158thconvention.
Subscribe to the National Grange’s Good Day! magazine. Only $16 a year gives you access to our print or digital subscription. Learn more about the magazine at http://www.nationalgrange.org/goodday or the digital issue at http://www.issuu.com/grangegoodday. The October issue is hitting mailboxes this week.
Subscribe to Grange Today! at http://www.nationalgrange.org/subscribe. Grange Today! is released on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of every month, full of news and information from Granges around the country. Through this newsletter, we hope to engage and inspire Grange members from coast to coast.
We are also looking for people to submit their Grange’s news so we can feature them in the newsletters or in Good Day! magazine.
The National Grange’s biweekly podcast “The Grange Hall,” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or iHeartRadio. You can also listen on PodBean, the National Grange website, or watch on YouTube! Be sure to like and subscribe! If you have comments or questions, or if you’d like to recommend a member of YOUR Grange to be featured, you can contact us at grangehallpod@gmail.com.
The National Grange Social Media Calendar is available. This is intended to be a guide for State and Community Granges of topics/events that may be used to enhance social media. By no means is it a suggestion to post ALL of these things, but if you’re looking to get out of a rut or expand your social media reach. This could also be a great resource for Grange Lecturers/Program Directors who are looking for new programming ideas.
Many National Grange events are recorded and archived. If you missed an online event and would like to view it, please visit the National Grange YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/nationalgrange.
Follow National Grange on Social Media! We’re on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube! This is generally the quickest and most up-to-date location to find out what’s happening at the National Grange.
I hope you’ve seen that the National Grange announced that registration is open for the 2025 National Grange Convention. The 159th Annual Convention will cruise from Miami to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao from November 8-16, 2025. I know there are a lot of questions about this, so we’ve created one-sheets on registration and a simple FAQ that are available on the National Grange’s website. More information, including how to book your cabin, is now available, and other details will be released soon, but it’s not too early to begin planning!
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
With September upon us, we are in the home stretch to the National Grange Convention. We are holding a special Zoom meeting on September 4th about this year’s Convention that I would encourage all to sign in for.
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
The National Grange is thrilled to announce our new partnership with Grouper, a social fitness movement that supports healthy living through social connections.
By joining Grouper, eligible members can earn a $50 payment for signing up and $20 every three months for staying active in Grange community projects and gatherings.
Join our Live Q&A Session to learn more and get your questions answered directly from Grouper and Grange representatives.
Date: August 12th | Time: 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT | Join via Zoom: grange.biz/grouperzoom.
To see if you qualify for these benefits, visit hellogrouper.com/grange. For any questions, contact the Grouper Member Engagement Team at 833-445-2400 or info@hellogrouper.com.
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
Register for the 158th National Grange Convention in Bettendorf, Iowa, November 12-16, 2024. Information and registration links can be found at http://www.nationalgrange.org/158thconvention. Early Bird Registration will close on July 31, so if you want a discount on your registration fee, jump in now!
Subscribe to the National Grange’s Good Day! magazine. Only $16 a year gives you access to our print or digital subscription. Learn more about the magazine at http://www.nationalgrange.org/goodday or the digital issue at http://www.issuu.com/grangegoodday. The July issue is out at the printer now, but we might still be able to get your name on the list.!
We are also looking for people to submit their Grange’s news so we can feature them in the Grange Today! newsletter or in Good Day! magazine.
The National Grange has a new podcast called “The Grange Hall,” which releases a new episode every other Wednesday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or iHeartRadio. You can also listen on PodBean, the National Grange website, or watch on YouTube. Be sure to like and subscribe! If you have comments or questions, or if you’d like to recommend a member of YOUR Grange to be featured, you can contact us at grangehallpod@gmail.com.
Are there topics you would like to see covered in a future Zoom from a National Grange staff member, department, or officer? Please let us know! We’re always working to ensure our topics align with what our members want or need to hear from us.
The National Grange Social Media Calendar is available. This is intended to be a guide for State and Community Granges on topics/events that may be used to enhance social media. By no means is it a suggestion to post ALL of these things, but if you’re looking to get out of a rut or expand your social media reach, this could also be a great resource.
Many National Grange events are recorded and archived. If you missed an online event and would like to view it, please visit the National Grange YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/nationalgrange.
Follow National Grange on Social Media! We’re on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube! This is generally the quickest and most up-to-date location to find out what’s happening at the National Grange.
Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
