Grange Procedure – Page 3 – Maine State Grange

Grange Today! 12-12-2025

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

A Year of Momentum: The National Grange’s 2025 Year-in-Review
“What does the Grange mean to you?”
Rural Life Initiative: A Year of Impact
Save the Date: Strategies to Strengthen Our Communities webinar series“
Support the Grange Foundation through the Common Routes Challenge
Grange Heirloom for December
Hamp Watch: Catching up with the National Grange President
Recipes from the Heartland
Watch Out for Fraud While Holiday Shopping
Member Benefit: Choice Hotels
Grange Store: #GrangeStrong Socks

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

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.

President’s Perspective – December 2025

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

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Richard and I wish you all a very wonderful holiday season.

Deputy School and instructions will be held in the spring, date and place to be determined.

We are very excited to announce this great news. Our office building at 146 State Street has been sold! We have moved to a new office and hope to be completely in our new space by December 13, 2025. Sharon, Henry, Richard, and I have worked many hours to get everything sorted, packed, and ready to go, especially Sharon & Henry. THANK YOU-THANK-YOU-THANK-YOU. Thanks Jimmy & Roberta who also came to give us a hand. We hired professional movers to get everything from one place to the other. They took two days to get the bulk of our items moved, placed and set up for us. A few odds and ends are left to transfer.

Our new mailing address and location is: 36 Anthony Ave., Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330

Our phone will remain the same: 207-623-3421 and the same toll free number 1-800-464-3421

Our email address will change. (To be finalized upon installation on the 10^th of Dec.)

To get to the new office

From Rt 95, Exit 112B going north or Exit 112 going south. Stay to the right.
Follow Rt 27 North, toward Belgrade about ½ mile.
Take left at the light between Irving and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Take 1^st left onto Anthony Ave (go past Great Wall Buffet and past Fairfield Inn)
Number 36 is the third building on the right. It has a brick archway at the entrance with glass doors. Suite 102 is straight back through the lobby to the left.

Letters announcing the change were mailed to all Subordinate & Pomona Masters and Secretaries, Officers, Deputies, Department heads & Committees giving them the same information as listed above. The effective date of the change of address of December 1, 2025, has been provided to the Post Office. All communications, quarterly reports, etc., are to be sent to the new address listed above. For those of you who drop things off directly at the office, there is a mail slot in the door of our Suite 102.

As a reminder, the password(s) and key will be mailed this month to the Secretary and the Master/President of each Grange after the Grange’s quarterly dues & report forms are submitted to the State Secretary. We must receive the report and monies before the passwords are sent to your Grange. Do we have your current and correct information for your Master/President and your Secretary at our office? As an individual member, your 2026 dues must be paid before you may receive the password.

Grange Today! 11-28-2025

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

National Grange President calls for action to strengthen rural America
National Grange holds elections
A Call to Act: President charts a future of connection, courage, and growth
“What does the Grange mean to you?”
Support the Grange Foundation through the Common Routes Challenge
As Temperatures Drop, Respiratory Risks Rise
View from the Hill
Free Webinar on Alcohol Use Disorder among Women in Rural America
We need Red, White, and YOU!
Keeping America Fed: Why Farm Labor Reform Can’t Wait
Grange honors and celebrates
Grange Foundation elects advisory board members
Juniors and Youth Learn at Sea
Recipes from the Heartland
Health Care Premium Tax Credits: What’s at stake for rural America?
3 Ways You Can Help Tackle Hunger and Strengthen Communities This Holiday Season
Member Benefit: MemberDeals
Grange Store: Stocking Stuffers

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.

Communication Shorts 11-15-2025

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!

November Bulletin

The November Bulletin is available for download. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

New Words for Thirds Resource

We’ve added a sample press kit to the Words for Thirds Resources. A press kit is often provided to reporters who are attending or writing about a particular event. This one is based on five dictionary days, but is easily adaptable. Help reporters and journalists who are helping you.

Craft Shows

It’s that time of year! In case you missed it, we’ve created a Grange Craft Show Logo or Icon. It will be beneficial when we receive announcements of craft shows that do not include a photo or flyer and help create a sense of “branding” of Grange Craft shows. Feel free to use it! And remember to get your craft show listed on the website, where it will be seen across the state and beyond.

Website Subscribers Sought

See the last page of the November Bulletin! Be sure to share with members!

Don’t Shoot the Piano Player!

He’s playing as fast as he can! We’re still catching up with results and information from the State Session. A printable ODD Directory is now available! Get yours today! (A copy will be snail-mailed to secretaries with the Bulletin.) The online ODD Directory should also be correct.

Think About This!

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Melody Beattie

An Idea for Your Grange

With all the recent media attention to Food Insecurity, it could make sense to add some food items to your Book Exchange Box. If it’s outside, be aware of freezing!

Subscribe!

Remember, we don’t share your email address with anyone, and you get a weekly summary of what’s been posted. Subscribe here! Share that link with your members and Grange friends!

Online Directories Available 24-7

Thanks to those who help us keep these directories current by letting us know of changes!

The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct! Visitors to the site frequently consult these directories.
The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies, along with their contact information. Updated November 15, 2025.

Secretary’s Corner – November, 2025

By Sharon Morton, MSG Secretary
207 485-6197

The 151^st State Grange Session in Orono is behind us, and I am getting the office back in order. Wow, what a great session. Learning Row, Row, Row Your Boat in sign language with National LAS, Kathy Gibson, and the election of three new officers. I would like to wish them a great two years: Ceres, Judy Meserve of Chelsea Grange; Pomona, Tracey Small of Danville Jct. Grange and Executive Committee (4 yrs), Dale Holst, Alexander Grange.

Thank you for your outstanding dedication and hard work over the past year. As Secretary of your Grange, you carry a vital responsibility-maintaining accurate membership records, managing dues, documenting proceedings, and submitting reports to both Pomona and the State Grange. The Grange is stronger because of your efforts, we appreciate everything you do.

It is very important to get your Quarterly Dues in on time. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me via email at mainestategrange@myfairpoint.net or call me at 207.623.3421. I would be happy to help.

The Holiday season offers a meaningful opportunity to honor your Grange members for their years of dedicated service. Whether they served for 5 years or 85 years, recognize them for their commitment to the Grange. Please send these requests in a timely manner so that the processing of such requests will assure arrival when you need them.

Have a great Thanksgiving! Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!!!

Communications Column – November 2025

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

Communication Changes and Challenges

We’re already in the second month of a new Grange Year! It may be appropriate to review some communication tactics and techniques with a brief update on some changes and challenges.

I could easily write an entire column and more on the role of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in communication. In terms of our website and Bulletin, I’m increasingly relying on AI, and it’s becoming more sophisticated. For some time now, all submissions have been spell and grammar-checked before release. But AI is not actually writing content, nor do I allow it to substantially change what’s been submitted. And it doesn’t always get things right. For example, the National Grange Communications Handbook insists the word “Grange” and derivations (Grangers, etc.) always be capitalized. AI doesn’t know that. Yet. That’s a minor point, but also a reminder that accuracy and consistency are important.

Communication is happening faster all the time. We can debate the value but not the fact. I mention this because we occasionally lose time due to omissions and errors. I occasionally feel compelled to remind people that the Communications Director’s job is, practically speaking, a volunteer job. I still try to maintain a 24–48 hour turnaround time. If, for example, you submit something for the website, you can expect it to be posted within that time frame. But that assumes you’ve included all the necessary information. If not, and I have to contact you, there’s a delay.

One idea I am pursuing to help with this challenge is creating a dedicated online form for submitting events, which will make all our jobs easier! Your thoughts and ideas are welcome! I might be bragging, but I do maintain some great software, and I am a pretty creative problem-solver. A few years ago, if someone submitted something written on a Mac or Apple computer, it was a nightmare. Today, no problem! Just recently, I received a link to a photo stored online. I was able to get it with a couple of clicks thanks to a screenshot program I maintain. My point is not to brag; it’s to bring the big challenge to the front. The big challenge is getting Grangers to submit the information. I can’t communicate what I don’t know. If you send me something, I can probably work with it!

Thanks in part to AI, I’ve “branded” our Words for Thirds programs, Book Exchange Boxes, and most recently Craft Fairs with logos or icons. Craft Fairs, in particular, seem to have exploded this year! We may be a bit behind the power curve, but we can certainly promote Grange Craft Fairs in Maine—if we know about them!

After the posts themselves, the more static pages of information get lots of “views.” The graph to the right reveals which pages were most frequently viewed over the last twelve months, and brings us to another challenge. Are you surprised? The most viewed page is the directory of Granges. The information will be updated when the new roster is released, and I am looking into making “Find a Grange in Maine” more user-friendly. But everything hinges on the accuracy of the information. To keep this page useful, it must remain accurate throughout the year. You can help!

One other area worthy of note is that we’ve increased the number of subscribers to the website by 10% this year. Look forward to some additional efforts in that area. We can do even better! We will do even better!

FACT: The two most popular categories of posts are Grange Activities and Grange News.

President’s Perspective – November 2025

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

We had a very busy schedule at our 151st State Grange Session, which went well. Thank you to the Officers, Delegates, Members, Deputies, Directors, and Committee members who attended. I appreciate your participation and input during the business and activities. Thank you to all those special helpers and workers for your assistance, whether a large part or a small piece of the work, I personally appreciate every one of you. I would like to hear your comments and/or suggestions about State Session – schedule, facilities, location, banquet or any other comment you care to make. Send to my email address.

We welcomed Kathy Gibson, Lady Assistant Steward of the National Grange, who gave us inspiring words of wisdom and also taught us “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in sign language, we all managed to get through the entire song in rounds. Some of our “boats” didn’t “row” as good as others. Kathy’s enthusiasm is definitely contagious. Brother Glenn Gibson, Executive Committee Member & Past Master of the Massachusetts State Grange and Amanda Gibson, Communications Dir of the MA State Grange both enjoyed being with us also.

A heartfelt Memorial Service was presented. Resolution work started and continued on Saturday with much discussion on each. A wonderful banquet was shared, and the various Committees presented many awards. We held a full election of officers with most of us being re-elected, thank you for your confidence in me. I am pleased to welcome our new officers, Judy Meserve as Ceres, Tracey Small as Pomona, and Dale Holst to the Executive Committee for a four-year term. I want to express my appreciation to our retiring officers Betty Huff, Ceres; Kathy Gowen, Pomona and Jim Owens from the Executive Committee for their dedication and years of service to the Manie State Grange. We welcomed five new State Grange members who received the 6th degree on Saturday afternoon. Vicki Huff installed our officers in an impressive manner. Thank you!

The new Department Program Books and Annual Reports were given to the Delegates for your Grange. If you did not have delegates at the session, you may download the programs and reports from the web under “Program Books,” or if you want a printed copy, email or call the office or me, and we will send them to you. You may request all or just select certain ones. Agricultural Scholarship, Educational Aid & Howes Nurses Scholarship requirements and applications can also be found on the website or requested from the office. We need to promote these scholarships and awards in our communities; each is a wonderful opportunity for our young folks. Grange Enterprise Award (formerly Farm Family) information with the application can be found on the web too or requested.

I hope to get the 2026 Roster done in the near future. Do I have your most current information? I know I have only about 2/3 of them. Welcome to our new Subordinate and Pomona Masters/Presidents, Lecturers, Secretaries and Committee people. There have been a few changes to Deputies and Committees. Several of our dedicated Deputies have retired after long years of service on behalf of the Maine State Grange. I want to THANK each of them, Maynard Chapman as Chief Deputy, David Gowen, Basil Mosher, Harriet Spencer, Holly & Burt Welch, and Phil Parsons. I know I keep repeating myself with the thank-yous. Still, it is well deserved, heartfelt and important especially to me to do so.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Hug your family and friends. Help someone every day.