By Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service/FHH Director (207) 608-9193
May the spirit of the season be with you.
Community Service opportunities are endless during the Christmas season. Visiting a person who lives alone, shoveling a pathway or driveway for a neighbor or fellow Granger, inviting community members to a coffee/tea social and share time together, calling a friend on the phone, sending a note to a shut-in, volunteering at a local facility and talking to residents, and become Christmas Carolers for the community are a few suggestions.
Family, Health & Hearing
December A Grange Holiday Season – display what it is to be in Grange and not only during the holidays but all year round.
January 4 – National Buffet Day January 9 – National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day January 28 – National Lego Day
These are suggestions, and your Grange may add to these. It is not too early to be thinking about submitting “Granger of the Year,” Police, Firefighter/EMT of the Year.
By Margaret Henderson, Director Committee on Women’s Activities 207 948-2762
Committee on Women’s Activities
I hope some of you are starting to plan activities for next year. My Grange is planning to make lap robes for Veterans. I believe this will be a great project for us. I am sure there are many wonderful projects across the state that we can participate in.
I hope that you all will have a very Merry Christmas, enjoying time with your families and friends. Stay healthy and safe.
Let us finish this year with a grateful and thankful attitude, looking back on the positive events in our lives; rejoice and be glad that we are loved by many and live with hope for the future.
Let us all remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season” and carry the joy of this time with us through the coming year. Wishing you a Holy and Blessed Christmas.
I bring you good tidings of great joy…For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.
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.
I have enjoyed my time as committee chairperson and want to thank the loyal members for their dedication over the past two years! Each member of the group has contributed in their special way! As I step down, I want to thank you all!
In 2023, five scholarships were awarded, and as they finish their first semester and turn in their proof of successful completion to Sharon at the office in January, they will receive their checks for $500. These students are:
Lily Mae Jaffray from Blue Hill to study Pre-Veterinary Science.
Emma L. Alexander from Dexter to study Forestry,
Zachary Dean Skidgel from Newport to study Sustainable Agriculture,
Grace Cassandra VanBuskirk from Thomaston to study Pre-Veterinary Science,
Ashley Nicole Stubbs from Addison to study Animal & Veterinary Science.
Funds have been raised over $2,300 to replenish the fund due to the hard work of the volunteers at the Grange Store at Fryeburg Fair ($1,500), Committee volunteers at the MAITC Annual Meeting ($500), and raffles at the State Grange Session this fall. A big thank you to all the committee members who worked on these projects.
In closing, I would like to wish the new committee chair, Roberta Meserve, the very best of luck in the upcoming year! I am willing to remain on the committee if you would like, and look forward to helping with scholarships and judging at some fairs if still needed.
I know that Ag Trade Show is coming up on January 9 – 11. Sharon is working on securing the booth. The scholarship applications go out to guidance councilors in January too. I can take on that job at the office if Roberta and Sherry wish.
Please let me know. So many thanks, everyone! As the air gets cooler, I am thinking about the holidays coming! All my best to you all and those you love!
Unfortunately, a certain amount of both is in order when using the Internet. Of course, it’s not just limited to the Internet, although the Internet makes other scams and schemes possible. In the most recent Communication Short, I mentioned receiving some inquiries regarding a letter members are receiving that appears to be coming from National Grange. Since then, I have received it and dug a little deeper.
First, congratulations to those who were suspicious and cautious. If you’ve been wondering why Dave keeps calling about your car warranty, it’s because some people fall for it–enough to make it worthwhile.
One of the first questions about the letter I was asked was, “Did it really come from National Grange?” Now that I’ve received it and looked it over carefully, I can answer that question accurately. A precise answer is, “no.” It was postmarked from Texas. Everyone knows National Grange is located in Washington, D.C. It seems more likely that it was mailed by the Insurance Company making the “free” insurance offer. (American Home Life Insurance Company-AHLIC is located in Texas.)
The next logical question was, “Is it legitimate?” In order to answer that question, I visited the National Grange Website Member Benefits Section. There is no mention of AHLIC there. (I should note that any offer described as “free” puts me on alert because I know that’s not the whole story.) Personally, I’d be done with the offer at this point, but I went one step further so I could share it with members.
I did a quick check of the company on Investopedia. AHLIC (under several different names) is a “legitimate” company. They’ve actually been around for 75 years. There is, however, some big BUTS. The Better Business Bureau assigns them a one-star rating (five being the best). And a quick read of the reviews on Trusted Choice was enough to send me running.
My point is to use caution and suspicion–I am not reviewing the company on your behalf. Before you accept any“free offer,” you should do a little research and your own thinking. In the business world, we call it “due diligence.” I honestly don’t know how this letter came about. I’m sure this insurance company is legitimate, but their products and business model aren’t for me. Obviously, they are for some or they wouldn’t be in business.
With all National Grange Staff at the National Convention, it wouldn’t be easy to quickly confirm validity of the letter. It may, in fact, have been “authorized” by someone at National Grange, although I seem to remember an agreement that National Grange would not share member contact information with other companies and organizations. That might be a different issue.
The point this allows me to make is that we do well to view all communication with some degree of caution and suspicion. Many of you will recall some email and text messages that appeared to come from MSG Master Sherry.
We can wish the world was a safer place, but it isn’t. Caution and suspicion don’t have to become paranoia. Caution and suspicion are tools. We need not live in fear.
One fellow who decided to “take on” a fraudster shared his experience. If you’d like ten minutes of entertainment on this topic, I have embedded a video for you to watch. It just might prove that spammers are not always terribly bright. In fact, our hero uses caution and suspicion in a funny turnabout!
I couldn’t resist putting this post in the “Family Health and Hearing” category. Safety is an important aspect of health!
By Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service/FHH Director (207) 608-9193
I am excited to be the Community Service Director. My name is Brenda Dyer. I have been in Grange since I was a Junior Granger. I have been involved at all levels and presently serving as Master of Saco Grange #53, Lecturer of York Pomona #14, and Community Service Director at Maine State Grange. With the participation of Granges, members, and the community, we can help our communities in many ways.
Congratulations to the winners of the Community Service Notebook
Highland Lake Grange #87
Maple Grove Grange #148
Jonesboro Grange #357
Valley Grange #144 and Saco Grange #53 (tied)
Congratulations to the Family, Health & Hearing winner–Highland Lake Grange #87
November and December are great community service months. Election Day – driving voters to the polls and or to the town hall to absentee vote, helping candidates to pick up signs after election day; Veterans Day – honor the veterans in the community, veterans’ luncheon, thank veterans for their service; Thanksgiving – spend time with family, friends, and neighbors; make a list of things to be thankful for and share it with others. The possibilities are endless.
Family Health and Hearing Contest
November 2, National Men Make Dinner Day
November 4, National Candy Day
November 19, International Men’s Health Da.
November is also Diabetes Awareness Month. What is your A1C?
December is a Grange Holiday Season – display what it is to be in Grange not only during the holidays but all year round.
By Margaret Henderson, Director Committee on Women’s Activities 207 948-2762
Committee on Women’s Activities
It was nice to see many of you at State Grange.
I got the entries back from the “Big E” a few days before State Grange so I was able to get everything back to the people who entered them. We had several winners. They were Class B Doilies 3rd place Nancy Gowen; Class C Embroidery 1st Gail Butterfield; Class F Counted Cross Stitch 3rd Sharon Morton; Class G Adult Garment 3rd Laurie McBurnie; Class I Quilted Wall Hanging 2nd Kathy Gowen; Class J Stuffed Toy 2nd Karen McCarrick; Class K Baby Afghan 3rd Ellie Collins; Best in Show Gail Butterfield. That is awesome!!
So proud of everyone who participates in these contests. You all do amazing work!
The other highlight of the State Session was to present $3,161.50 to Brother Richard Harriman from donations to House in the Woods. There was also $2,790.50 raised for Home for Little Wanderers, and my car was full of hats, mittens, and toys for them. Amanda was very pleased to accept these donations—many thanks to all of the Granges that donated to these charities.
I hope that everyone will have a Happy Thanksgiving.
The artwork is by Larry Bailey, Master of the St George Grange. The Grange invites all to celebrate our Veterans by joining the St George Odd Fellows on Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 5 pm until sold out. This will be a sit-down Bean Supper at the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Saint George Lodge #132, 7 Elementary School Road, Tenants Harbor, Maine 04860. Takeout will be available. Veterans eat free! Others by donation.
