Tag: Grange Communication

Grange Today! 4-24-2026

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Make Grange Month Count All Year Long
  • Rural America Is Paying the Price for Medicare Loophole
  • Senior Social Hour: A Share Your Project’s Story Submission
  • View from the Hill
  • Volunteer Opportunity: Share Your Hands On Automotive Know How
  • Worried about the use of pesticides? Participate in research!
  • Spring Into Health: Vaccination Continues to Protect Against Severe Illness
  • Grange Store Notice
  • 5 Tips for Gardening with Kids
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Member Benefit: Life Line Screening
  • Grange Store: Veteran Recognition Pin

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.

Fraud Watch- Bereavement Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

After the loss of a loved one, families deserve support—not scams. Unfortunately, criminals comb through obituaries, funeral home websites, and online memorials to find names and personal details they can use to target families.

The schemes include impersonating the funeral home or cemetery about payment issues, appearing as a “long-lost” relative, promising healing through “spiritual advisers,” and identity fraud against the deceased loved one.

In the wake of a loved one’s death, consider the public nature of an obituary and online memorials, and limit information that could be used to deceive you. If the funeral home calls demanding money, hang up and call them back at a number you know to be legitimate. And if a “long-lost” relative or friend reaches out, ask other family members or longtime friends if they know the person.

Fraud affects every generation, and AARP Fraud Watch Network is helping people fight back—one community at a time. By learning together and sharing information, we can better protect one another.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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MSG Website Changes

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

As you know, we’ve faced outages for nearly a month, making the site unavailable. After much frustration, I’ve decided to move the site to a new server and aim to finish by April 30, 2026.

To prepare, I am removing old and outdated posts and pictures. This will smooth the transition and boost efficiency.

This is like moving to a new home. It’s an opportunity to declutter and simplify. For example, we probably don’t need to maintain a post about an event that happened three years ago.

Since most changes are happening behind the scenes, you likely won’t notice many differences right away. However, you may temporarily encounter some broken links or missing photos during the transition. These should be resolved after the move is complete.

My goal is to complete the transition this week. Some cleanup will follow. If you have site issues, please let me know. Timeless documents and resources won’t be affected. For scale, the site’s size will drop by one-third. We’ll have more space in our new home.

We will also have the opportunity to try some new things. One other important benefit is that we’ll also be able to control costs. The offered solution for the outages on our existing server would have increased our annual cost by at least $800. These days, not spending more is a savings!

If you have concerns or questions, please let me know. Your support and patience are appreciated.

AI Photo of moving preparation.

We’re packing up and getting ready to move!

Fraud Watch- Free Trials that Aren’t

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network™ Helpline (877-908-3360) is hearing from more people about misleading “free trial” offers. These schemes make cancellation difficult, if not impossible.

In many cases, someone signs up for what appears to be a free trial and then cancels before having to pay for the subscription. However, the charges continue to appear each month, and the companies make it hard to cancel them. Before you sign up for a free trial offer, review all the terms and conditions to understand exactly what you’re agreeing to, how and when to cancel, and what happens if you don’t.

Also, review your bank and credit card statements carefully and watch for recurring charges you didn’t authorize—even after you’ve canceled.

Fraud affects every generation, and AARP Fraud Watch Network is helping people fight back—one community at a time. By learning together and sharing information, we can better protect one another.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Share this news!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Communication Shorts 04-16-2026

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!

The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330.
 mainestategrange@gmail.com.

April Bulletin

The April Bulletin is now available for downloading and printing. Recent issues of the Bulletin are available on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

Degree Day Reminders

The  Androscoggin Pomona Grange Degree Day at Manchester Grange is fast approaching! (This is for the Four Degrees.) If you have candidates attending, please let Norma Meserve know! Also, remember that candidates should bring a completed application. The Sagadahoc Fifth Degree Work has been canceled, although the meeting will be held.

Website Outages

The situation appears to have improved! I will continue to monitor outages. Some fundamental issues with our current provider remain. For the long term, it may be best to move the site to a different server. Stay tuned!

Grange Visiting

We’ve been getting questions from folks interested in visiting Granges other than their own. It’s a great idea! Check out this post for some resources that will help you plan that!

Resource (Secretary’s Form for Minutes)

In a very roundabout way, I recently received the form for recording meeting minutes as a pdf. It’s now available as a resource on our website in the Secretary’s Section. There are actually two versions available. Choose wisely! (I don’t believe either are required-just offered to be helpful.)

What’s Going On?

Don’t forget to submit your special events and programs for our event calendar! We want people to know the Grange is thriving! Surely, there are lots of Grange things happening in Maine. We also love photos and reports of events that have happened. What’s your meeting magic?

To Ponder…

“Over the years of grassroots advocacy, I have learned: People want help, but they don’t want structure. People want leadership, but they resent authority.

June Stoyer

An Idea for Your Grange

Mystery rides are surprise outings or trips in which the destination and itinerary are kept hidden from participants until the last moment. See the Grange Visiting short. You could stop for ice cream on the way back!

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 January 16, 2026.

Valley Grange to Celebrate Community

Valley Grange is located at 172 Guilford Center Road in Guilford, Maine

Guilford—Valley Grange has announced its annual Celebration of Community, to be held on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Guilford Grange Hall. The event includes honoring the local organization’s Community Citizen(s) of the Year. This year, the Grange will honor the Recovery Wellness Center based in Sangerville. The event celebrates the strength of rural communities with a community potluck supper at 5:30 pm, followed by a program featuring a presentation of certificates of recognition at 7:00 pm. The program includes an opportunity for guests to share testimonials and appreciation.

Program Director Walter Boomsma noted in announcing the celebration, “We always try to honor people or organizations who have their boots on the ground and give of themselves to strengthen and build our communities.  These too often unsung heroes are a lifeline for our communities. The event itself brings neighbors and friends together. Even the meal demonstrates the strength and value of our communities, as the communities prepare the potluck supper by bringing dishes to share.”

The Recovery Wellness Community Center in Sangerville, Maine, located at 20 Douty Hill Road, is a community-driven, non-profit center founded in 2024 to support individuals affected by addiction. It provides a safe, sober space offering free services including peer support, All Recovery meetings, Narcan training, and career exploration.

“The Center provides many sources and resources,” Boomsma notes. “But it also proves a supportive community place for those dealing with substance abuse and addiction recovery in both traditional and non-traditional ways.”

Community Service Chair Mary Annis adds, “This is always such a great evening as we enjoy the chance to connect with each other, share a great meal, and celebrate our rural lives. So many people benefit from the Recovery Wellness Center’s work. The center is peer-led and focused on community-driven support. This is a chance to thank the organization and its people in person and maybe shake hands and give a hug.”

Additional information about the event is available at http://valleygrange.com and on the Valley Grange Facebook page.

Grange Today! 4-10-2026

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • The Grange as a Third Space: Reclaiming Community, Learning, and Sustenance
  • Statement from the National Grange on Altered Logos, Including AI-Generated Logos
  • Celebrating a 90-year member!
  • Grange Heirloom for April
  • Support the Grange Foundation through the Common Routes Challenge
  • What you need to know about AI scams
  • Hamp Watch: Where is our National Grange President?
  • Join us in Broken Arrow
  • Grange Store Notice
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Grange Member Benefit: MemberDeals
  • Grange Store: 50-year Golden Sheaf Pins

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.

Fraud Watch- Social Security Notice?

Take an active pause!

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

You receive an unexpected communication from the Social Security Administration (SSA). It might warn that your Social Security number has been linked to criminal activity and suspended, or it could offer good news, such as a supposed benefit increase. Regardless of the story, the goal is the same: to steal sensitive information or money.

Most scams come to us with three common red flags: a contact from out of the blue that heightens our emotions and contains urgency. When you notice these three red flags together, take what AARP calls an “active pause.” Take an intentional step back and reflect on what you might know about the scenario – “Does this make sense? Have I heard something about this before?” This pause gives you time to apply logic—something the criminal playbook is written to avoid—and protect yourself and your assets.

If someone contacts you saying they represent the SSA, call the agency directly at 800‑772‑1213 or visit ssa.gov/myaccount instead of responding directly to the communication. If you shared your Social Security number and believe it was part of a scam, go to IDtheft.gov for step-by-step guidance.

Fraud affects every generation, and AARP Fraud Watch Network is helping people fight back—one community at a time. By learning together and sharing information, we can better protect one another.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Share this news!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Fraud Watch- Product Recall Scams

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network™ Helpline (877-908-3360) has seen a spike in “recall scams.” In these schemes, perpetrators send a message claiming that a product you purchased has been recalled because of a safety issue.

The message looks official and urgent, often appearing to come from a trusted retailer like Amazon, Costco, or Walmart. It may include language such as, “To ensure your safety and process your full refund without delay, please sign in to your account through the official website and review your order below.” The link provided, however, is fake and designed to steal your personal information.

If you receive a message like this, don’t click. Instead, go directly to the company’s official website or app and check your account there. You can also confirm real recall information through the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at cpsc.gov/Recalls.

Most legitimate recalls advise consumers to stop using the product rather than asking them to take immediate action.

Fraud affects every generation, and AARP Fraud Watch Network is helping people fight back—one community at a time. By learning together and sharing information, we can better protect one another.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

Share this news!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Website Updates

By Webmaster Walter

We have mostly good news! Here’s a fairly complete report that’s not too technical. We’re covering several different areas and accomplishments, so read on.

Recent Site Outages

Thankfully, these have become minimal. The last reported outage occurred on Sunday and lasted only three minutes! It could be a long story, but I’m now convinced these outages were not caused by the site but were a host server problem. I’ll continue to monitor and research alternative providers.

Online Grange Directory

I’ve updated the online directory of Granges based primarily on the 2025-26 Roster Information. I also made several “under the hood” changes to make it more flexible. Your help in keeping this current and accurate is appreciated!

Your Websites and Facebook Pages

Your Grange’s online presence is becoming increasingly important! One future project under consideration is to make links available within the online directory. An obvious challenge is keeping those links accurate. If your Grange maintains an active website or Facebook page/group, please let me know! If you need assistance, let me know!

Website Subscription Program

We continue to welcome new subscribers! Yay! I’m currently emailing a summary of posts from the previous week. Subscribers can then choose which posts to view and avoid FOMO (fear of missing out). Thanks for promoting and supporting this! One important way to support subscribing is to share your news and events.

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

AI is proving to be a great tool when used properly! Currently, I’m using it sparingly on this site. Some of the images are AI-created, but they are not “faked” or misrepresentations. For quite some time, I’ve used it to correct spelling and grammar of submissions. Any use of AI and automation is deliberate and reviewed. We’ll continue to make haste slowly. Think of it as good stewardship.

man in black suit jacket received a good news
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

If you have any questions or concerns about any of this, please let me know. In my view, this is your website. I’m just the gatekeeper and overseer. Our “labors of the day” are never really finished. Together, we can make it great!