Tag: Grange Activities

Ocean View Grange Serves

The Ocean View Grange No.463 in Martinsville, Maine, was formed in 1906 and completed building the Grange Hall in 1909. Since then, our Grange has been a major contributor to our community and serves as a venue for all types of family, community, and special occasions.  We are working to restore the Grange structure and integrity so that we may continue to help and provide for our friends and neighbors. Some of the programs, services, and opportunities we provide are:

1.        Road Clean-up—We adopt a road each year, and our members walk the route, picking up trash along the way, to keep St George beautiful. All residents of St George benefit from this task.

2.       Flag Day—Each year, Grange members meet at a local cemetery to place new American flags on the graves of our fallen servicemen and women. This event benefits the families and participants as it instills honor and pride in those who served us.

 3.       Heat Fund—We raise funds throughout the year via suppers, donations, etc., to provide fuel for St George residents who are unable to pay for fuel oil or other fuels for the winter. A few winters ago, we provided over $8,000 to supply fuel for those who needed it. This helps not only those who get the fuel but enhances the neighborly feeling of all St George residents, knowing we care for our neighbors.

 4.        Annual Donations—We raise food, supplies, etc., for the local Humane Society at our Christmas meeting, or, in some years, we adopt a local family and provide them with Christmas presents. The families or critters all benefit. In addition, we purchase and deliver a large number of personal items for the veterans at the Togus Veterans Hospital.

 5.       Facilities Donation—We donate the use of the Grange Hall at no cost for various Community programs, such as the library’s authors’ speaking series, the annual free string quartet presentation, fund-raisers for ill or needy people, Georges River Land Trust…etc. The Town citizens all benefit.

 6.       Farmers Market – Four years ago, we started a weekly farmers’ market at our Grange. There is no charge, and anyone who wants to sell their produce can set up a table. It has been a huge success, and the folks in town love it.

 7.       The Grange Hall is one of the few venues used for birthdays, family gatherings, wedding receptions, memorial services, bean suppers, flea markets, art shows, etc.

Communication Shorts 08-16-2024

By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842

Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Send us your ideas and thoughts!

August Bulletin Available

The August Bulletin is available for download and distribution. Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page.

Androscoggin Grange #8 Schedules Big Day!

Androscoggin Grange in Greene has a big day planned on September 14th! Check out the events calendar on the website for details, but activities include a pancake breakfast, pie contest, chili cook-off, and roaring twenties celebration with mocktails and dancing!

Information Available: Castle Hill Grange

The Castle Hill Grange Hall Preservation Society was formed in 1993 to save the Grange Hall in Castle Hill. We have now disbanded due to lack of funds and membership. We have some papers from Grange #260, which disbanded in 1976(?). If you would like any of these papers and certificates. you can contact me by email: Sheena McHatten

State Session Page Is Updated

A page dedicated to the 2024 State Session now has a “packet of information” that includes the forms necessary to reserve meals.

Many Contest Deadlines Are Coming Up

Get your entries in! Officers and directors note that annual reports and program books are coming due.

Consider this Idea!

Are there events in your community sponsored by others that you could piggyback on and be part of?

Think about this!

“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is to  work hard at work worth doing.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Submit News! Be “famous”

Submitting news can be as simple as a photo and “cutline.” A cutline is a brief description–longer than a caption–to accompany the photo. Let’s prove that the Grange is alive and well in Maine! (Photos should be submitted as an attachment to an email.) We get inquiries from people looking for active Granges!

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!

Exploring Traditions – August, 2024

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

When Useless Things Aren’t

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

Road Trip 2024 is over, at least in the sense that the travel is complete. We traveled through eight states and over 3,500 miles. The theme of the trip was “simplicity and tradition.”

Traditions are beliefs and practices that are passed down from generation to generation, usually by word of mouth or actual practice. Much of the Grange Ritual falls into this category.

One of the things I wanted to explore was how “tradition” fits into a society that is changing at an increasingly fast pace. There was some irony in the call from a news reporter just before I left. Elizabeth Waltztoni of the Bangor Daily News wanted to discuss how (or if) the Grange was gaining new members and making good use of the often historic halls. The answer was given in the headline, “Once town centers of agriculture, these public spaces haven’t quite disappeared.” It’s a thoroughly researched and objective article.

One of tradition’s values is that it fosters social bonding and cohesion. In simplest terms, it brings people together with often unstated values and beliefs.

In essentials, unity…

Of course, the beginning of the Grange Slogan raises an important question: “What are the essentials?” In a society marked by increasing discord, it’s an important question! Our essentials are—or should be—our core values. Those values should be simple and straightforward and a focus of our practice and traditions.

In non-essentials, liberty…

There were two instructors at the oxen-driving workshop I attended. Each had a slightly different style and approach. They agreed on the fundamentals, so there was no confusion there. (“In essentials, unity…”) However, by seeing those differences, I was forced to consider my own approach and style. That’s an important point. Even with tradition, there is room for tolerance. What one sees as essential, another may totally dismiss.

I remember sitting in a meeting once and watching an argument develop regarding which foot to lead with during some Grange floorwork. It was sadly entertaining because it focused on differences of opinion. It lost sight of the essentials. (It might be important that two people “marching” together be in sync, but does it matter if they start with the left or right foot?)

In all things, charity.

One of the reasons I love the Grange Slogan is that it’s simple. It’s a great reminder that as we travel through life, we can be guided by “charity” or love. Under that guideline, we celebrate the essentials we share and allow each other the freedom to have differences.

Something simple is not always easy. Communicating with oxen is pretty simple, but I can testify to the fact that it’s not easy.

One of our daily chores involved getting fifteen bales of straw from the upper barn and delivering them to a different location. This was a learn-by-doing workshop. When we discussed our plan for the day, Instructor Rob said, “Using the oxen means it will probably take an hour and a half. We could hop on a tractor and do it in fifteen minutes. But what would the fun be of that?”

He could have pointed out that we wouldn’t learn much about oxen if we used the tractor. Instead, he made us think about what was important and reminded us that learning and work can be fun.

When we have a Grange Meeting, we could eliminate the ritual and save some time. But what would be the fun of that?

Perhaps during the closing of the meeting, there could be a follow-up question to the Master’s question, “Worthy Overseer, are the labors of the day complete?”

Overseer: “They are, Worthy Master.”

Master: “Did we learn anything and have fun?”

All, in unison: “We did!”

Come, Boys! The labors of the day are not complete!

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-sixth edition of the 2013 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.

Junior Report — August 2024

By Betty Young
207 786-2120
Terry LaCombe Stevens,
207 356-2492
Co-directors

Our juniors recently had a camp at Highland Lake Grange. We were ably hosted by committee member Kathy Gowen, who arranged great activities, including games, a fire pit for roasting hotdogs, and marshmallows for s’mores. We also visited the nearby MSSPA in Windham, a rescue facility primarily for horses. We also made air-dried clay sculptures for the Big-E.

Our display at the Topsham Fair received a perfect score.

IMPORTANT—I need a list of your +1 junior members for my report to National Grange! Please send names either to Sharon or me as soon as possible. If you have junior-age youth (5-14) and want more information, let me know. Thank you.