Chelsea Grange is located on Route 226 in Chelsea, Maine
submitted by Linda Weston
The Chelsea Grange Hall on Route 226 on February 20th got a new Stair Climber System (from MAC) installed to our second floor (and stage) from a grant awarded by Lifelong Communities/AARP/AFC! And a big THANK YOU to Grange Member Marion Bowman on all her efforts on this grant.
Pictures of the work efforts of Maine Accessibilities Corp (MAC). They did a GREAT job !!!!
We are hoping to do more community work with the increased access to this space. Lots of ideas discussed at our last meeting.
Stayed tuned for future use of the Chelsea Grange #215!
View from the topCheck out the library!“Let each repair to his or allotted station…”
Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.
Dealing with fraud in the aftermath can be fraught – not knowing where or if you should report (you should – it’s a crime), feelings of shame (even though it’s not your fault – blame the perpetrator), and an often-overwhelming emotional toll – let alone the financial impact.
One resource is the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline. Every weekday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. EST, trained AARP volunteer fraud fighters are helping victims and their families understand what happened, report the crime, and plan next steps to put their lives back together. That number is 1-877-908-3360.
AARP also offers an online small group victim support program to help address the emotional harm fraud victimization causes. These conversations are completely confidential and are a wonderful way to receive support from others. Sign up for a session today at aarp.org/fraudsupport.
Experiencing a scam can be devastating, but it doesn’t have to define you. If you or someone you know has been the victim of fraud, make sure to file a report with local police; among other things, this may be useful in the event restitution becomes possible down the line.
Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
What a great way to end Grange Month–a celebration of membership and Grange Tradition that includes the ritual of the First Four Degrees!
This should be on the calendar of every Grange in the state as a potential activity! To keep things manageable, select someone in your Grange (usually the Master/President) to organize a “carpool” to MSG Headquarters on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Remember, the Degrees aren’t just for new members! When these days were more common, it was not unusual for a group to join whoever had the biggest vehicle for a trip to the hosting Grange and an opportunity to discover (or rediscover) what the Grange Way of Life is all about.
While a “reservation” isn’t required, it will facilitate planning if we can have some idea of how many are attending. But first we need to get the word out!
We have two posters/flyers available for you! Downloading is easy-peasy. Just click the link!
Since it’s already close to the end of February, there’s not much planning time left! Print and distribute flyers (especially to new members) and see what you can put together!
Additional information is available from Chief Deputy Maynard Chapman. Send him an email, or call and leave a message at 207 312-5591. It wouldn’t hurt, certainly, to ask him what you can do to help!
Enterprise Grange meets on the third Tuesday monthly with a potluck supper at 6:00 and a meeting at 7:00. We often have guests and friends at our suppers and usually have our Family Health and Hearing reports and discussions while gathered around our tables.
Did you know that if you have hearing loss and need aids if you have an Apple iPad, you can get earbuds and listen through your phone? The background noises are minimized, and there is less discomfort for older people struggling with something new.
Cliff demonstrated his new hearing aids with their tiny antenna. What a blessing. We’ve also discussed diabetes emergencies and problems after tick bites. Guests join in the discussions. This is after we’ve eaten, so no problems with queasy stomachs during the meal.
March is MS Awareness month, and we will have a guest sharing her story of her life with the disease on March 18, 2025. We love to have other Grangers join us!
We are at 15 Alexander Reed Road in Richmond. If you use a GPS, please enter 14 Alexander Reed because 15 will direct you to an empty field about 1/4 mile away. We are in town, the street across from the fire station. For more information, ontact Marilyn Stinson at 207.737-2611 and leave a message on her landline, please.
Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.
The holidays have passed, and for many, that means a stack of gift cards just waiting to be used. But before you check your balances online, beware of fake gift card balance-checking sites designed to steal both your post-holiday joy and your money.
Just because a website to check your gift card balance appears at the top of internet search results does not mean it’s legitimate. Search results can be filled with fraudulent gift card balance-checking sites, and scammers are constantly finding new ways to get their pages to show up at the top of results.
A safer way to check the balance of a gift card is to refer to the back of the card for a phone number or web address. If it’s not provided, proceed with caution. Avoid entering your gift card details into any search result labeled as “Sponsored” or “Ad.” In addition, be cautious of any site title that appears in wacky fonts or next to odd emojis; this is a common tactic scammers use to make their fraudulent web pages both visually pop and appear towards the top.
Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
Haley, FFA State President, and Mia, FFA State Treasurer, stopped by to explore mutual interests.
Haley and Mia stopped by during the Ag Expo in Augusta to dispense some enthusiasm and explore the mutual interests between the Future Farmers of America and the Granges in Maine. Their interest in agriculture and farming is almost obvious, but the FFA is also interested in communities, leadership development, and education.
During our brief conversation, I learned a lot about FFA. They’ve been around since 1928 (not Haley and Mia, obviously!) and are very much youth/student-driven. Did you know they have over one million student members nationally? Their focus on Agricultural Education is terrific. (We made sure they left with the MSG Ag Scholarship information!)
In what is surely a strange coincidence, this is National FFA Week— ” a time to share what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day.”
But wait, there’s more! We have a Zoom Meeting scheduled to explore ways the Grange and FFA might connect and benefit by knowing more about each other. Stay tuned! The best is yet to come!
Ocean View Grange is located in St George (Port Clyde), Maine
When Ocean View Master Larry Bailey reported on their successful Dictionary Day, even he may not have realized the full impact. He subsequently received an email from one of the teachers with an invitation to attend a “Community Meeting” at the school hosted by the third grade. One of the items on the agenda was a “quick thank you for your dictionary donations.”
Obviously, he went!
He was happy to report, “I admit I was genuinely impressed by what I saw and felt. The energy and excitement were palpable, the kids were clearly happy to be part of the program, and the teachers handled the huge crowd perfectly. The young speakers/announcers were great, the music was certainly upbeat and well done. I was especially taken with the videos some of the students filmed. They were classics and made me laugh…especially the one number one winner. Creative is an understatement for all of them.”
School District Superintendent Mike replied, in part, “…thanks again to the entire Grange for supporting our 3rd graders and school! The students and teachers once again did a wonderful job running the community meeting. It’s incredible to see the work our students and staff are doing, often in partnership with community organizations like the Grange!”
These partnerships can indeed be incredible. They connect our Granges with our schools and communities in powerful ways with results that make a difference. Check out the Words for Thirds Resource Page. There’s still time to set up a Dictionary Day for a school near you during Grange Month (April), but you’ll need to get started soon. We’re here to help!
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!
February Bulletin Is Available!
The February Bulletin is now available! Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.
Scholarship Updates
We have finished updating the Maine State Grange Scholarship Page! You can always add or change information by contacting us, but we won’t be nagging you for a while.
Online Directory of Granges
Our online directory of Granges has been updated based on the current roster. As time permits, we’ll be adding additional contact information. Our goal is to have at least two contacts available for every active Grange!
Words for Thirds
Congratulations to Ocean View Grange — what a fantastic success story goes with their recent Words for Thirds Project!
Consider this Idea!
At least one Grange in Maine has had great success with using a “sign up” system for keeping their hall plowed. They number storms and people with plows pick which storm number they will handle.
Think about this!
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
Edith Sitwell
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.
