Androscoggin Grange Christmas Craft Fair
Tag: Grange Activities
Androscoggin Grange Hunters’ Breakfast
Exploring Traditions – September, 2026
Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life
By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist
From the Second Degree
During our Degree Day, someone commented that they wished more people could hear the words from the Degree Work. We continue to share them.
“My friends, the person who has been speaking to you is that worst of enemies to progress—Ignorance, attended by his companions, Sloth and Superstition. Give them no heed if you hope to advance.” [Assistant Steward to the candidates]
On their way to the Overseer, the Steward halts the candidates, but he is not carrying his staff. That’s significant because he is not acting as the Steward. He represents ignorance, sloth, and superstition. This significance is easily overlooked because the Steward stops them to offer good advice. You wouldn’t expect that from ignorance, so the Assistant Steward wants to make sure the candidates “get it.”
We’re going a bit deep here. Let’s look closely at the Assistant Steward’s explanation.
The focus is on ignorance. Ignorance is a noun that means a lack of knowledge, information, or understanding about a particular subject. It is not a synonym for “stupid.” When I work with kids and they say, “I don’t know,” I require them to add “yet.” I don’t know yet. To progress, we must recognize and correct our ignorance.
The word “sloth” also means laziness or a strong dislike of work and physical effort. In traditional Christian teachings, sloth is listed as one of the seven deadly sins. In common usage, it includes apathy and mental laziness. As the Assistant Steward suggests, this often accompanies ignorance. “I don’t know, and I don’t care.”
Superstition is an irrational belief or practice not based on reason, science, or facts, often connected to magic, fate, or good and bad luck. We often think of things like a broken mirror bringing bad luck, but superstition can be much more subtle. Biases can be thought of as superstitions: beliefs not based on facts or reason. Sometimes we are not even conscious of them. (That sounds a bit like ignorance! Sometimes we are ignorant of them.)
This planned interruption in the Second Degree is brief, but powerful. I almost wish the Assistant Steward would say to the candidates, “We’re going to stand here and think about this for a while.” Or maybe, “Let’s go sit down and think about this for a while.”
The interruption begins with the Steward asking where the candidates are going. The Assistant Steward doesn’t say, “We’re headed to the Overseer.” The reply is “We are traveling in search of light and knowledge.”
My friends, whither are you going?
Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://wboomsma.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.
Membership Moments, September 2026
By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915
September and October are my favorite months of the year. The warm days and cool nights are refreshing and the colors of the changing foliage (also football games) are my favorites. State Grange session is almost upon us. This is also a great time for Autumn events at your Grange. Also, many of us spend much of our time at various agricultural fairs displaying our crops and handiwork to compete for that elusive blue ribbon and cash to fund our projects. Publicity runs high in these two months and we should be proud of our products out there for public view. Be proud of displaying your wares and be grateful for the admiration of others who enjoy the result of your hard work throughout the year. I have seen some beautiful displays and it makes me proud to be a Granger. Also, harvest suppers and “trunk or treat” Halloween gatherings are fun for the community and for ourselves. Keep up the good work, Brothers and Sisters!
Remember, adding new members is a top priority and should be a constant venture. Without water, we and other living things wither up and die; without new members, our Grangers do the same. Membership is our lifeblood, and we should be constantly working to increase membership. Does your Grange have a membership committee? If not, you should. No matter how small or large your membership, adding new members is always needed, just as the blood pumps through our veins and the sunlight helps our plants to grow.
How did you come about becoming a member? If you joined other than by family, you were recruited as was I. My life changed immediately for the better as I had a whole new family to meet and to create lasting friendships. Growing and learning were constant, and I felt grateful for the changes that I endured (some beyond my control). Early on, I had not envisioned myself as a leader or a public speaker, and especially as a State Grange Master (President). Think of your own experiences. Wouldn’t you want others to feel the same way as you do about Grange? The passion when speaking to others will certainly be noticed and felt by them. Encourage them to visit and invite them to events. Even ask them for their ideas about how to run a particular project or their opinions about an event. Make them welcome and be open to their ideas. Positive energy yields positive results. So, get out there with a smile and a goal to bring in the new members! I hope to see you at the State Grange session in October.
Valley Grange Prepares for Annual Dictionary Days
GUILFORD, Maine —Valley Grange members and friends will soon return to school to celebrate Dictionary Days at five local elementary schools.
Grange teams will visit Brownville, Harmony, Piscataquis Community, SeDoMoCha, and Ridgeview elementary schools, giving every third-grade student a personal dictionary. Presentations emphasize the fun of learning and discovery, along with a lesson in how to “look it up.”
Program Director Walter Boomsma recently contacted each school to request third-grade enrollment counts. Since the program began, the Guilford-based Grange has distributed more than 4,000 dictionaries.
“We’re certainly proud of the numbers, but even more proud of the potential impact those dictionaries may have had on each individual child who received one,” Boomsma said.
The program began more than 20 years ago at one school. “We’re now reaching another generation,” Boomsma said. “Parents and school staff occasionally tell us they remember their Dictionary Day. Thanks to the support we receive, we are creating a legacy within and for our communities. This truly is an annual project where everybody wins.”
Once enrollment counts are received, dictionaries will be ordered from The Dictionary Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The order often totals as many as 10 cases.
“That’s when the real fun begins,” said Valley Grange Secretary Mary Annis. “We label each dictionary and schedule school visits. The visits are fun and exciting—sometimes a bit noisy, but always worth it.”
To learn more about the program, support its mission, or become involved, visit the Valley Grange website at valleygrange.com or contact a Valley Grange member.
Highland Lake Grange Turkey Suppers
For more information, call Joann at 207-233-7119.
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.
Lecturers’ Conference
By Melissa Baldwin, Maine State Grange Lecturer
207 324-4661
Note the date correction–the conference is in September, not October!
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 Lecturers’ Program Booklet. The conference will be held at Maine State Grange Headquarters, 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330. Contact Melissa for more information.
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.
Promote Your Fall Events!
For 2026, the Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is inviting organizations, communities, farms, nonprofits, municipalities, and event organizers to submit public fall events for possible inclusion in Maine’s Weekly Foliage Reports.
DACF is looking for more activities that give residents and visitors another reason to get out and experience autumn in Maine, including:
- Harvest festivals and agricultural fairs
- Farm and food events
- Outdoor recreation and nature-based activities
- Arts and cultural events
- Community festivals and celebrations
- Other public events that complement the fall foliage experience
Events should take place during Maine’s fall foliage reporting season, generally mid-September through mid-October, and must be open to the public.
DACF will review events based on timing, location, relevance to the foliage season, and available space. Submitted information may be edited for length, clarity, and style.