Membership Moments – December 2024

By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915

As a Membership Committee Director, it seems fitting that all of us should be “talking membership.” Columns relating to membership are presented each month. These columns are also intended to answer any membership questions you may have, so please send your questions to me at ricti@aol.com so your answers will appear in these columns. Let’s all cooperate and share what makes your Grange successful in recruiting new members, maintaining them and what your Grange does that attracts them. I will be referring to my own Grange at times to inform you what we have been doing that has been successful.

Membership does not just pertain to getting new members but is much more than that for sure. As an introduction, answer the following questions and make your own assumptions. Is your Grange prepared to accept new members? This means having an active grange, getting along with your brothers and sisters and if the community knows you exist. What does your Grange have to offer a new member? Why would they want to join? Can you explain to a prospective member about Grange and it’s history? Does your Master conduct the meeting smoothly and without incident or confusion? Do your members know the rituals and traditions that you can pass on to new members? Do you regularly meeting in one location (your hall or other place if you do not have a hall)? These are just a few questions to consider. To be prepared is a major step and should not be taken lightly.

Whether your Grange is a large group or a small one, it doesn’t matter. Membership should always be a priority in order to be able to operate efficiently.

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

CWA Report – December 2024

By Margaret Henderson, Director
Committee on Women’s Activities
207 948-2762

Committee on Women’s Activities

It has been brought to my attention that the measurements for the clock in the wooden craft project are incorrect. They should be 12 inches wide and 15 inches in height.  Please read this at your meetings so that everyone has the correct information. I know that a lot of Granges close for the winter so I will make sure to mention this again in the spring.

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Community Service/FHH – December 2024

By Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service/FHH Director
(207) 608-9193

Happy December! There are many ways to help out the Community during this Holiday Season. Make sure you document the planning, actual service, time spent (members and nonmembers), who was involved in the project, pictures, thank you notes, etc. This is what is needed for the notebook report. Also, document on end of year report. These are two separate Community Service reports.

FH&H: Fall leaves us, and winter begins. With temperatures fluctuating and socializing increasing, please dress accordingly and be aware of the environment. It is a great time of year, but if you don’t feel well, stay home and take care of yourself. It is the season for colds, flu, Covid, and respiratory issues. Make sure you are up to date with shots.

This is also a great time to spend or connect with family and friends and make great memories!

Keep your head, hands, and feet warm and dry. This will help keep body temperature steady and keep you comfortable.

Merry Christmas & Happy 2025!

Notes from National – December 2024

Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.
  • Subscribe to the National Grange’s Good Day! Magazine. Only $16 a year gives you access to our print or digital subscription. Learn more about the magazine at http://www.nationalgrange.org/goodday or the digital issue at http://www.issuu.com/grangegoodday. The October issue is hitting mailboxes this week.
  • Subscribe to Grange Today! at http://www.nationalgrange.org/subscribe. Grange Today! is released on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of every month, full of news and information from Granges around the country. We hope to engage and inspire Grange members from coast to coast through this newsletter.
  • We are also looking for people to submit their Grange’s news so we can feature them in the newsletters or in Good Day! Magazine.
  • The National Grange’s biweekly podcast, “The Grange Hall,” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or iHeartRadio. You can also listen on PodBean, the National Grange website, or watch on YouTube! Be sure to like and subscribe! If you have comments or questions, or if you’d like to recommend a member of YOUR Grange to be featured, you can contact us at grangehallpod@gmail.com.
  • Many National Grange events are recorded and archived. If you missed an online event and would like to view it, please visit the National Grange YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/nationalgrange. 
  • Follow National Grange on Social Media! We’re on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube! This is generally the quickest and most up-to-date location to find out what’s happening at the National Grange.
  • I hope you’ve seen that the National Grange announced that registration is open for the 2025 National Grange Convention. The 159th Annual Convention will cruise from Miami to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao from November 8-16, 2025. I know there are a lot of questions about this, so we’ve created one-sheets on registration and a simple FAQ that are available on the National Grange’s website. More information, including how to book your stateroom, is now available, and other details will be released soon, but it’s not too early to begin planning!

Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.

Lecturer’s Column – December 2024

By Melissa Baldwin, Maine State Grange Lecturer
207 324-4661

Contest Results for 2023/2024

Reading
1st Margaret Morse 278 Books 50,532 Pages
2nd Norma Meserve 202 Books 58,859 Pages
3rd Margaret Handerson 164 Books
3rd Ellie Waterman 49,115 Pages

Poetry
1st Helen Brooks, Perry Grange
Honorable Mention Barbara Strout as I did not receive until well after the deadline

Photo Contest held at State Session

Flowers
1st Marilyn Stinson
2nd Laurie McBurnie
3rd Caroline Coffin

Birds
1st Marilyn Stinson
2nd Laurie McBurnie
3rd Caroline Coffin

Celebrations
1st Laurie McBurnie
2nd Caroline Coffin
3rd Marilyn Stinson

Grange
1st Marilyn Stinson
2nd Leslie Guy
3rd Heather Popadak

Best in Show
Marilyn Stinson – Flowers

Junior Grangers

Coloring
5-7, 1st Portia Zaccadelli

Acrylic Paint
11-14, 1st Edith Coffin

Colored Pencil
5-7, 1st Laura Coffin

Photos
5-7, 1st Portia Zaccadilli

Flowers
8-10, 1st Natalie Heck
11-14, 1st Mari Coffin

Peoples Choice
June Flowers, Natalie Heck, Mill Stream

Chaplain’s View – December 2024

Christine Hebert, MSG Chaplain
(207) 743-5277

Happy New Year to you and your families.

Let us reflect not only on our accomplishments of last year but also on the things we fell short on. Did we do our best? We should do all things in the name of Jesus; after all, we are his disciples and should seek his guidance. The Bible tells us that if we ask, we shall receive if it’s according to his will.

Here are a couple of verses to reflect on:

“Be delighted in the Lord. Then He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him to help you do it, and He will.”

Psalms 37:4-5, The Living Bible

“Now teach me good judgment as well as knowledge. For your laws are my guide.“

Psalms 119:66, The Living Bible

President’s Perspective – December 2024

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

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. As a reminder, the password(s) and the key will be mailed this month to the Secretary and Master of each Grange after the Grange’s quarterly dues & report forms are sent to the State Secretary. We must receive the report 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 2025 dues must be paid before you may receive the password.

Responsibilities of a Leader
* Listen
* Contribute
* Don’t dominate
* Show enthusiasm
* Put the group at ease
* Promote teamwork
* Discourage criticism
* Focus on the task, not personalities
* Be fair
* Give recognition

Here is a suggestion for an exercise for you and your members in your Grange. The anonymous written suggestions can be collected and discussed at another meeting. This is not intended to cause embarrassment or dissention but insight into what you and your members may think. Pre-print the questions and hand them out to everyone. Add questions of your own. This way the participants work easier at their own pace.

  • Write down at least 2 (two) suggestions to improve the Grange. Or something you would like to see in the Grange. What should/could the Grange be doing?
  • (Any subject – any level — constructive, not snide or nasty!)
  • Write down at least 1 (one) positive thing your Grange has done or accomplished.
  • Write down at least 1 (one) reply. What is the purpose of your Grange?
  • Write down at least 2 (two) replies. Why do you belong/attend Grange?
  • Write down at least 2 (two) replies. Describe the duties of an Officer or Committee person, or what should their duties be?
  • Write down at least 2 (two) replies. What do you suggest as a fundraiser?

Grange Heirloom — December 2024

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.

Words for Thirds by any other name

While the Grange calls it “Words for Thirds,” many organizations and businesses are involved in The Dictionary Project. Heather Rank of the Fargo-Moorhead Rotary Club provided a wonderful video demonstrating their efforts. We think it’s great that a kid does the interviews! It gets a little noisy in places, so you may want to turn on closed captioning.

If your Grange is not involved in Words for Thirds, you miss a huge opportunity! There are so many benefits, and it’s fun! Check out our pages of resources to help. Let us know if you’re interested or have any questions. The third-graders in your community are waiting!

Communication Shorts 11-29-2024

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!

December Bulletin Coming Soon

The deadline for the December Bulletin is the fourteenth. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page.

Printable ODD Directory Available

ODD Directory provides a printable list of state officers, directors, and deputies with basic contact information. It can also be found on the Program Books and Information Page.

Scam Season

Grangers are no exception as targets! We’ve seen a few scam emails recently–remember to be a little suspicious, especially during the holidays!

Words for Thirds Resources

Coming soon! We hope to release what we have so far in the first week of December. You can read our first newsletter here!

Hollis Grange Presents Dictionaries

Hollis Grange delivered dictionaries to two third-grade classes in two different schools this past week. Words for Thirds strikes again!

Consider this Idea!

When having a meeting in the winter, make the hall look inviting! That includes some outside lighting. Remember, solar versions are available that do not require a wired connection!

Songbooks for Singing!

Ellie Collins has some Grange Songbooks that are looking for a good home! If you’re interested, contact her or let us know!

Think about this!

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

Laozi

Online Directories Available 24-7

  • The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies with contact information.
  • 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 consult these directories often.