Tag: Grange Advocacy

Lyme Disease Awareness Poster Contest

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This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by UMaine Cooperative Extension

Each year, Maine CDC hosts an annual Lyme Disease Awareness Month poster contest for K-8th graders in Maine. Despite COVID-19, ticks and tickborne diseases are still a threat, especially among children in this age group. The topic of this year’s contest is “Tick Wise,” reminding everyone to be “tick wise” and take steps to prevent tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease.

The contest rules and release can be found under the “Lyme Disease Awareness Month” heading at www.maine.gov/lyme.

Posters will be accepted through Friday, April 29, 2022. Only one poster per participant will be accepted and posters must be accompanied by a signed release waiver. Winners in each category (K-1st grade, 2nd-3rd grade, 4th-5th grade, 6th-8th grade) receive a one-day park pass to any Maine State Park for their family and tick removal kits for their classroom. One grand prize-winning poster will be chosen to feature as the 2022 Lyme Disease Awareness poster for Maine CDC.

Please contact Maine CDC’s Vectorborne Disease Health Educator with any questions at megan.porter@maine.gov.

Notes from National – March 2022

Important Trademark Information

Remember that the Grange emblem is a registered trademark, so the full Grange emblem should always include the (R) symbol. Many publications and other locations only have the old TM included, which is no longer correct. To ensure that our trademark is protected, it’s important to get this updated on websites, social media, program guides, and more. Meanwhile, the Grange Youth and Junior Grange logos are only trademarked by the Grange, so only have the TM options. The current logos are available here.

Grange Month Calendar

As a reminder, the “Raised Right Here” theme lasts through 2023, so if you didn’t think about using the theme in this year’s Grange Month programming, be sure to start thinking about it for 2023!

National Grange Heirloom Program

The Grange Heirloom Program is underway–just in time for Grange Month! Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Ritual and Declaration of Purposes. Please share “success stories” about the use of the program with us, or if you come up with other innovative ways to incorporate the Program in your Granges. Information and materials are now available on the National Grange Website.

New Member Recognition in Good Day Magazine

Want to see your new members recognized in Good Day Magazine? Anyone who has not been recognized as a new member in the past year can be included. Use this link to share the news. The deadlines for each issue are:

  • April 30, 2022
  • June 30, 2022
  • August 30, 2022
  • November 30, 2022

156th National Grange Session is scheduled for November 15-19, 2022 in Sparks, NV

Sign up for Open Farm Day

MSG Comm Department Logo
This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by UMaine Cooperative Extension.

Now is the time! This annual event happens on the fourth Sunday in July (7/24/2022 this year). There is no fee to join promotions, but you must opt-in via Real Maine.

The sign-up steps differ for those who currently have a listing and those who don’t. Please, start here:

For those who do not have an account or member listing

Mill Stream Grange Delivers Dictionaries

Lisa Goucher, Lecturer of Mill Stream Grange in Vienna, delivered dictionaries to the Cape Cod Hill School in New Sharon in February. There are 28 students in the 3rd grade this year, and all were quite happy to receive their very own dictionary.  Happy learning, kids!

Heirlooms at Maine State Grange Headquarters

Okay, so these are a little different than the ones released by National Grange. As mentioned in her March President’s Perspective, Master/President Sherry has completed an inventory of items currently being stored at MSG Headquarters: seals, charters, and records of Granges that no longer exist. As some will recall, these are available to interested local historical societies. The list is sorted by the original Grange Name and is four pages long! A copy is also being mailed to Subordinate/Community Grange secretaries.

Check the list to see if there are items that might be of interest to historical societies in your area! These items certainly deserve a good home. There is a Historical Society Agreement Form that should accompany any items provided. Both the list and the form will remain available in the Historical Resources Page of the Program Books and Information Page.

“A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”

Mahatma Gandhi

What’s the Number for 2-1-1?

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This article is reprinted in part with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Stearns, State Representative for District 119.

February 2022 was officially recognized as 211 Month by the Maine Legislature, with the resolution passing in the Senate and House with bipartisan support. Finding help for complex needs like shelter, substance use, mental health, or food access can be hard for many Mainers. Fortunately, there is a Maine-based resource that can help.

In addition to helping Mainers connect to the spectrum of health and human services, 211 continues its involvement in specific initiatives, including Maine’s Opiate Helpline to provide confidential referrals to treatment options, fielding questions about prevention, treatment, and mitigation of browntail moth caterpillars and moths, answering the Maine Problem Gambling Helpline, and co-hosting the first Maine Virtual-

Veterans Experience Action Center (V-VEAC) with Veterans Affairs, Bureau of Veterans’ Services, and other partners.

Specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by texting a Maine zip code to 898-211 or by dialing 211. 211 Maine is a collaborative effort of the United Ways of Maine, the State of Maine, and The Opportunity Alliance as the Contact Center Partner.

Webmaster’s Note: Good information to include in your Family Health and Hearing Report?

Grange Heirloom — March, 2022

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 responses link at the top right and share it!

Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Rituals and Declaration of Purposes.

For additional information and resources regarding the Heirloom Program, visit the Heirloom Resource Page on the Maine State Grange Website.

Grange Heirloom Program Kicks Off

Resources for Granges

produced by the
Maine State Grange Communications Department

Warning! This is a long video! You may decide to watch it in stages or steps but you will definitely want to watch it. This is a truly amazing program that will end up spanning a five-year period and it’s been over 150 years in the making.

Important additional resources for you:

Check out:

  • More Resources for Granges — Program Information and Inspiration
  • Program Books and Information –Information arranged by committee and topic.

From the Deacon’s Bench — March 2022

By Clay Collins, MSG Chaplain
207 837-0564

“Being forty days tempted of the devil And in those days he did eat nothing; and when they were ended, He afterward hungered. And the devil said unto Him, ‘if thou be the son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.’ And Jesus answered him, saying, ‘it is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

Luke 4:2-4

I am here writing this month’s article looking at the snowy field and the snow-covered woodpile beside my house thinking that soon it will be spring, then summer, and I will be out there restacking what wood there is left getting ready for another delivery for next year’s heating season. Thinking of how I can make it easier to store and retrieve when needed.

We all should be looking to the future planning always how to make things easier. I know, this sounds like the beginning of a commercial for retirement planning, but I promise, it isn’t! 

Although planning for the future is important, planning for the here and now is just as important! By this, I mean following God’s plan. Like the Bible passage this month states: When Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn the stone into bread, Jesus told him that it is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

By following God’s word, we can have faith that the present will be good, we can have hope that our future will be secured in His love, and we will be able to bask in His charity. God only asks for our fidelity to Him and only Him!

I mention every month during these cold winter days and nights that we must not forget our neighbors who might be less fortunate than we are. I continue to ask all of you that are able to please, check on them to see that they are all right. This is one way to show our fidelity to the One that loves us dearly!

By the way, happy St. Patrick’s Day (March 17). On this day, everyone is Irish for the day!

May the sun shine, all day long,
           Everything go right, and nothing wrong.
                    May those you love bring love back to you,
                    And may all the wishes you wish come true.

Until the next time, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”

DON’T FORGET TO THANK A VETERAN AND ALL FIRST RESPONDERS FOR THEIR SERVICE!!

Benediction: “May the good saints protect you and bless you today, and may troubles ignore you each step of the way.  Amen.”

Thought for the month:
God between us and all harm.

An short Irish Blessing

BioME Scholarships Available

MSG Comm Department Logo
This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Stearns, State Representative for District 119.

The BioME Scholarship Program offers an opportunity for high school graduates, undergraduate and graduate students in the field of life sciences to realize and accomplish their academic goals. This program is available for Maine residents or students enrolled in Maine academic institutions only.

All four scholarship applications are now OPEN, and we would greatly appreciate your help in sharing this opportunity with your colleagues, friends, and families! Please note that application deadlines for the Academic Scholarship and Summer Internship Award are both in March.

BioME Academic Scholarship ($4,000)
Applications Open: February 1, 2022 – March 25, 2022

BioME Summer Internship Award ($4,000)
For undergraduate and graduate students who are interning at an unpaid or minimally funded internship with a Maine employer. Funding to cover costs associated with internship and additional room and board. Applications Open: February 1, 2022 – March 18, 2022

BioME Seed Grant (up to $5,000)

For undergraduate and graduate students conducting original life sciences research. Funding to cover costs associated with research-related expenses. Applications rolling. Reviewed on a quarterly basis.

BioME Travel/Conference Award (up to $2,000) 

For undergraduate and graduate students who have had their research accepted for presentation at a professional life sciences conference. Funding to cover costs associated with attendance. Applications rolling. Reviewed on a quarterly basis. Apply up to 90 days before or after attending the event.

For more information, please visit their website at BioME Scholarship Program: Awards & Grants (biomaine.org)