Maine State Grange

Secretary Helps – September 2023

By Sharon Morton
MSG Secretary
207 485-6197

Wow, where has summer gone? I have enjoyed my summer camping, between the rain drops, and traveling to our Granges to help our State Master/President, Sherry, with informational meetings. I hope that if you need more information regarding Grange procedure you will contact us here at State Grange Headquarters and we will be more than happy to help you.

Table Of Contents

Reminders
Quarterly Dues
State Grange Session
Delegate Credential
Membership Recognition Form
Database
Roster Information
And finally….

Reminders

Our office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 am to 2 pm. Please feel free to contact us by phone or email: mainestategrange@myfairpoint.net (Headquarters); sharriman@twc.com (Sherry’s) and grangenut@netscape.net (Sharon’s) Our phone numbers are 207-623-3421 or 1-800-464-3421 (Headquarters); 207-490-1029 (home) or 207-432-6386 (cell) Sherry’s) and 207-485-6197 (cell) (Sharon’s).

Quarterly Dues

State Grange is a month and a half away, and Community/Subordinate Quarterly dues must be paid in full to be entitled to have delegates for the session. All quarterly dues include the following quarters: December 2022, March 2023, June 2023, and September 2023. There are Community/Subordinate Granges that I have not received all reports (which includes September 2023)/ Letters will be mailed to those Granges that are in arrears.

State Grange Session

This year, our registration area will be up and running for registration to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 20^th. The Registration Committee will check you in and give you your delegate packet. Please do not help yourself to try and help the committee that only confuses and makes for a stressful situation. Please be patient as the State Session does not begin until 1:00 p.m. The correct and easiest way to check in at the registration desk is to give your name and the Grange and/or Pomona you will be representing. If you are a double delegate, you would state who you are and who you are representing a Subordinate Grange, as well as the Pomona Grange.

Delegate Credential

As your Grange elects your new slate of officers, you will then vote on who your delegate(s) to the State Grange Annual Session will be. Please complete the form that was included in one of the mailings relating to the State Session. This form is easy to complete. If your Master is unable to attend, but you have someone who will be coming to State Session, please send them as your delegate. Your Grange is entitled to two delegates, and if you have two members who may be coming, they can be your delegates and in case one or both of your delegates are unable to attend you may have two alternates. I would like your delegate credential FORM NO LATER THAT THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 9TH so that I can get name tags and material for Session ready, but they can be brought to State Session. NO CREDENTIALS WILL BE ISSUED UNLESS ALL QUARTERLY DUES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. ( I LEAVE STATE HEADQUARTERS ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19^TH SO I WILL PICK UP THE MAIL THAT DAY) ALL QUARTERLY DUES NOT RECEIVED WILL BE PAYABLE UPON REQUEST AT THE REGISTRATION DESK AND IF THE DUES ARE NOT ABLE TO BE PAID, I AM UNABLE TO ISSUE DELEGATE CREDENTIALS. NO CREDENTIALS WILL BE CHANGED UNLESS THE PERSON IS LISTED ON THE DELEGATE CREDENTIAL AS AN ALTERNATE. PLEASE NOTE YOU CAN ONLY REPRESENT ONE SUBORDINATE/COMMUNITY GRANGE. IF YOU ARE REPESENTING YOUR SUBORDINATE/COMMUNITY GRANGE YOU CAN ALSO REPRESENT YOUR POMONA GRANGE.

Membership Recognition Form

Please use the current Membership Application Form which is on our website. If you are unable to print this form, I will more than gladly mail you copies of the newest form, which includes the newest prices for the 25-year certificate, Golden Sheaf certificate, 75-year Diamond Certificate and folder, 80-year letter and 85-year letter in a folder with letter from National President which are now $12.00 each. ALL checks for Golden Sheaf certificates and up are made out to the National Grange with the correct shipping and handling which is indicated on the back of the application form. Many secretaries are having a hard time with the requests for certificates for 50 years and above as their records do not reflect that date and Grange to which the member belonged. I see this happening more and more often as a Grange closes and consolidates with another. Please do not hesitate to contact me at Headquarters as there are means to check for that information. It is very helpful if they (the member) remember when they joined and where they joined, and if they, in their Grange journey, changed Granges along the way.

Database

As you are aware, the Company that held our database has been unable to provide us with a working membership database. The State Master and I decided that this need was great, and Sherry has undertaken the task of creating a user-friendly database for our State Grange. She has worked many hours using what membership information that I have had on file and an older copy of our membership database. Now, your help is needed. Upon getting the information compiled, she will be sending a membership list with your members. Please have your members or you yourself, check the information, making sure everything is spelled correctly (name, address (mailing), email; telephone number), and most importantly, the date they joined the grange. Remember Golden Sheaf members (50 years of continuous membership is indicated by a Y and would indicate Golden Sheaf membership before January 1, 2001 and the Maine State Grange does not pay dues to National Grange on those members. YN indicates Golden Sheaf membership after January 1, 2001 and the Maine State Grange pays quarterly dues to National Grange on those members. So please take the time to correct and complete the membership list of your Grange. If you have a current updated membership list, please feel free to email or mail it. I thank Sherry for her due diligence in completing this long-needed database.

Roster Information

The list of officers of your Grange that is sent to headquarters to make up the State Roster is perhaps the most important report of all. The information furnished on these lists become the connecting link between all Granges, National Grange, Subordinate/Community, Pomona, and State Granges across the land. This information is used to compile a listing of the Master, Lecturer, Secretary, and Women’s Activities Chairman. Therefore, it is very important that the names, addresses, zip code, telephone numbers, and emails (if available) are correct, complete, properly spelled, and legible.

During the year, if any of these officers or their information changes, please notify Headquarters as soon as possible. Please if you have not furnished your roster information by sending it with September 2023 dues report or emailing to mainestategrange@myfairpoint.net even if nothing has changed.

And finally….

I wish to thank all the Grange Secretaries across the great State of Maine for your dedication and devotion to the order. We all realize that this group performs far beyond the “call of duty”. I would like each one of you to know that it is greatly appreciated.

Hope to see you all at State Session. Until then enjoy the rest of summer!

CWA Report – September 2023

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

Committee on Women’s Activities

Happy Harvest! Here is a list of the winners from the Needlework contest.

Class A. Afghans, Sherry Appleby
Class B Doilies, Nancy Gowen
Class C. Embroidery, Gail Butterfield
Class D 3 Piece Baby Set, no entries
Class E Plastic Canvas, Missy Baldwin
Class F Counted Cross Stitch, Sharon Morton
Class G Adult Garment, Laurie McBurnie
Class H Latch Hook, Lila Wilkins
Class I Quilted Wall Hanging, Kathy Gowen
Class J Stuffed Toy, Karen McCarrick
Class K Baby Afghan, Ellie Collins
Class L Children’s Garment, Laurie McBurnie
Class M Table Runners, Lila Wilkins
Class N Miscellaneous, Kathy Gowen
Class O Decorated Item, Norma Meserve
Class P Wooden Item, Kathy Gowen
Class Q Tote Bags, Karen McCurrick

Quilts

Class A Hand Quilted, No entries
Class B Machine Quilted, Rachel Nelson
Class C Hand Tied, Ann Burns
Class D Pieced by entrant, quilted by someone else, Kathy Gowen
Class E Baby Quilt, Ann Burns

Dress-A-Doll, Kathy Gowen
Baking: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Paula Roberts

Class A – K winners were sent to the Big E for New England judging. Thank you to everyone who had entries in these contests. You all do an amazing job! For those of you who got your new booklet at the conference, there was an omission in the recipe for the blueberry cake. There needs to be a teaspoon of vanilla added to the recipe. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make all of this possible. Sherry and Richard for helping get everything set up. Cynthia for helping log-in entries and making coffee. Deb and Laurie for judging the cookies. All of your help is greatly appreciated.

This 22-piece Plastic Canvas Dollhouse with furniture, including a toilet that the lid opens, a refrigerator with food inside when you open the door, a fireplace on one wall & a grandfather clock, a car, a baby carriage, and a family. The detail in this entry by Missy Baldwin of Hollis Grange was spectacular. Congratulations!

From the Deacon’s Bench – September 2023

By Clay Collins, MSG Chaplain
207 837-0564

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Ephesians 5:15-16

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord, your God, who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

September has finally come, and so far, it brings with it some good weather! As we look back on the summer, or what was supposed to be summer, some might be thinking that the Lord had forsaken us. Believe me, He hasn’t forsaken us. He does have a plan for us all, but we have to believe in it and do our part.

We need to follow His law and treat our family, neighbors, and even strangers with love and respect. Remember the following:

We came naked,
We will go naked.
We arrived weak, 
We will leave weak.
We came without money and things,
We will leave without money and things.
Our first bath? Someone washed us,
Our last bath? Someone will wash us.

This is life!! We all need someone in our lives to help us with some things. We can’t do many things by ourselves. We all need help from time to time.

So why so much malice, so much envy, so much hate, so much resentment, and so much selfishness?

Be kind to everyone you come in contact with and do good deeds. Remember, we all have a limited time on planet Earth, don’t waste it in uselessness!

Until the next time, I continue to pray for good health for you and yours, and remember, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”

Don’t forget to thank a Veteran for his/her service in the defense of our country and pray for their safe return to their families!

Benediction: “Gracious Father of us all help us to remember that life is short –live it. Love is rare – grab it. Anger is bad – dump it. Fear is awful – face it. Memories are sweet – cherish them. Amen.”

Thought for the month:

May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.

An Irish Blessing for Health and Prosperity

Lecturer’s Column – September 2023

By Margaret Morse, Maine State Grange Lecturer
207 439-0413

As the days rush towards October and the State Grange session, it may be time to look over the photos you have taken during the last year and decide which ones you are going to enter into the photo contest. The categories for this year are water, animals, winter, and gardens. All photos must be turned in to the lecturer’s table no later than 2 p.m. on October 20, 2023. The photography contest is open to all Grangers and Junior Grangers as well as children and grandchildren of Subordinate members. The photographer must select the category for the entry and may enter as many photos in a single category as they wish. Entries, including matting or backing, must be no smaller than 4”x 6” and no larger than 11”x 14”. Frames and glass are NOT permitted.

Also, this year, the adult coloring contest is still open for all who find coloring challenging and/or relaxing. All entries must be from an adult coloring book and must be no smaller than 4”x 6” and no larger than 11”x 14”.

The Art contest for Junior Grangers will also be judged at this time. The mediums that will be judged include oils & acrylics, watercolors, charcoal or pencil, markers or crayons.

The photography, coloring, and junior art contest entries will be judged against each other based on composition and arrangement, presentation, and technique. Junior Granger’s work will be judged in three age groups: 5 – 7, 8 – 10, and 11 – 14.

The photos will be judged during the afternoon of October 20, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be awarded, as well as Best in Show. Also, again this year, a people’s choice will be awarded based on members’ voting.

President’s Perspective – September 2023

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

Wow, State Grange is a month and a half away, October 20 and 21. Our National Representatives will be Cindy Greer, Ceres of the National Grange, and Harry Greer, Overseer/VP of the Colorado State Grange, both long-time Grange members and are looking forward to being with us again. Information about our guests can be found on our website under State Session, along with other session information such as schedule and meal registration form.

Meal tickets are to be purchased in advance; form and money are due by Oct. 5. Remember, if your Subordinate and/or Pomona Grange plans to or wants to have two voting delegates at State Session:

Your Grange MUST vote by name on the people to be delegates and alternates at a regular meeting prior to the session. Two delegates and two alternates are to be selected.
Delegates must be members or affiliate members of your Grange. You may only represent the Subordinate or Pomona Grange, where you are a member.
You may represent your Subordinate and Pomona Grange and have one vote for each.
You may NOT represent 2 Subordinates or Pomonas.
Register that person or persons using the Delegate form provided to your secretary.
The form must be signed by the Master or Secretary of the Grange.
Your Grange’s quarterly dues must be paid up to date or brought with you to registration to be eligible to vote.
You can’t just show up expecting to vote on the resolutions, elections, or any other business without the proper paperwork being submitted. NO exceptions.
Anyone may attend the session just are not allowed to vote but may participate in discussions. You may pick up your program books for your Grange if there is not a delegate.
This is a full election year. Anyone may be elected to any State Grange office, you do not have to be a delegate to be elected. However, only a delegate may present names for consideration. (You must become a Fifth and Sixth Degree member if not already a member in those levels.)

Another reminder or nag: a few more than half of you have provided your 2024 Roster information. Even if there were no changes, a report or email needs to be sent. During the order of business, the Master asks, “Have the reports to the Pomona and State Granges been duly and promptly made?” This includes this and any request for information. If you are changing the time or day you meet, this needs to be voted on in a regular Grange meeting and approved by the State Master before it can officially take effect!

In addition to the Roster, State Session and budget and other items I work on, I am working on getting a new database completed. I am typing in all the information for our 82 Granges, 2,359 names, addresses and other information into a more user friendly format that can be accessed without internet. When I get the information compiled, I will be sending copies to the Grange Secretaries for corrections, additions and deletions. Yes, I can hear the grumbles already, but it needs to be done, if I am spending this much time putting it back together from older versions provided by the State Secretary, then your assistance is greatly appreciated. Each of you, as an individual member, can help by checking your information, is your name spelled correctly, is your address up to date then please correct whatever may be required. I am most interested in the date you joined the Grange, many of the dates are not listed. Some are listed as Golden Sheaf members (50 years of continuous membership) but do not list the date of joining only “Y” or “YN” in the GS (Golden Sheaf) column. “Y” indicates Golden Sheaf membership before Jan 1, 2001 and the Maine State Grange does not pay dues to National Grange on those members. “YN” indicates Golden Sheaf membership attained after Jan 1, 2001 and the Maine State Grange must pay dues to National Grange on those members. Most Granges exempt all Golden Sheaf (50 year) members from paying dues to their respective Granges and the Maine State Grange does not charge dues on any Golden Sheaf member but the Maine State Grange must still pay dues to National on them.

I’m going to backtrack a little, September is the time of the new Grange year beginnings with installations, making plans for the coming year and setting goals. This is also the time for year-end wrap-ups such as your annual audit, reports to be submitted (to your Grange, Pomona and State), and a time to evaluate last year’s activities, events, and goals, what was successful and what was lacking. There are very few Installation Teams or Installing Officers traveling, so I encourage each Grange to do their own Installation. There is an Alternative Installation Ceremony (half the words) in the new Manual which can be read with one or two people in charge and working with the members present. It is impressive to have it memorized however many people, like myself, cannot memorize charges any longer. By reading it with appropriate feeling and enunciation, it comes across very nicely. The original ceremony in also still in the manual if you are so inclined. We have manuals at the office for sale.

Congratulations and welcome to all the Officers & Members, new and seasoned, and I wish you all much success for the coming year.

The National Grange annual session will be November in Niagara Falls, New York hosted by the Northeast Region of States. All are welcome to attend.

Communication Shorts 9-1-2023

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!

September Bulletin Reminder

Columns from ODDs (Officers, Directors, and Deputies) are due no later than September 14, 2023. Remember, you can always find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

Monroe Classic

As a reminder, the Grange Store by Monroe Classic, Inc. offers fundraising programs, custom printed apparel, promotional items, awards, signs, banners, and awards.

What Can You Say Other than “WOW!”

Recently, one of the most visited posts was “High Season Market at Ocean View Grange! One thing that makes this especially interesting is that the post covers an event that already happened! Should Granges be doing more markets? Two others that stand out are Tunes at Tranquility and the post about Mill Stream Grange’s Tool Lending Library. Should Granges be sponsoring more concerts and creating more lending libraries?

Article About Grange and Other Halls in Maine

The Maine Monitor recently published an article entitled “Saving the Halls and Granges that House So Much of Our Heritage.” We’re particularly proud of the fact the author depended upon and quoted from the Maine State Grange Website!

Ideas for Granges

Why not publish an annual report of your Grange’s accomplishments? You could even offer them for inclusion in your town’s annual report! It could be based on either a calendar year, the Grange Year, or the school year.

2023-2024 Events Calendar

This is a great time to start planning your programs and events for the next Grange Year. Please submit the information for posting on the MSG Website Calendar.

Thought for You…

Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia – even during times of stress and fatigue.
Dieter F. Uchdorf

Do You Love the Grange?

The world wants to hear about it! Fill out the simple I Love the Grange Form… it only takes a couple of minutes! Thanks to all who have shared so far!

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!

Do You Have FOMO?

“FOMO” is, of course, a Fear Of Missing Out. One strongly recommended treatment is to subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website. We’ll send you a daily summary whenever news and columns are posted, and we won’t share your email address with anyone!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Notes from National – September Events

We hope to see you “at” some of our August Events!

“Notes from National” is based on a monthly email received from the National Grange Communications Department.

Maine at the National Convention

by Deb Ivers, Maine Host Coordinator

Maine will be co-hosting the Hospitality Room on Saturday, November 18, 2023, with Vermont. The hotel will allow us to bring in homemade goods such as cookies, bars, or snack food. All homemade items must be wrapped or packaged before being sent to NY. Pre-purchased individually packaged food or snack items would also be greatly appreciated. Please contact Rick Grotton if you or your Grange have items to donate.

We will need volunteers to work in shifts in the Hospitality Room that day, along with helping with Registration.

The Northeast states, including Maine, are collecting new, unused socks, hats, and mittens as this Year’s Community Service project at the National Grange Convention. The collected hats, socks, and mittens or monetary donations will be donated to the Community Missions of Niagara, which serves a vulnerable population of individuals in the Niagara Falls community that, through a variety of circumstances, have been underserved, marginalized, overlooked, and challenging in their presentations and behaviors. The hats, socks, and mittens can be handmade or purchased but must be new and unused. These items can be brought to the Maine State Grange Convention in October or arrangements can be made to collect them before the National Grange Convention.

If you are planning to go to this year’s National Grange Convention and would like to volunteer to help on Saturday, please call or text me at (207) 450-0646 or email me. (Click on my name at the top of this post.)

From the Deacon’s Bench – August 2023

By Clay Collins, MSG Chaplain
207 837-0564

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.”
Ephesians 5:15-16

Here it is August already! Where has the time gone? May all of your plans be accomplished, and you have a great time with your family and friends.

I was talking to a friend of mine a while ago gave me the following poem. It was attached to a figurine of an owl that was purchased at a county fair that he attended recently. It seemed very appropriate in these times.

There once was an owl
Who perched on an oak;
The more he observed
The less that he spoke.

The less he spoke
The more that he heard;
There’s wisdom for sure
We can learn from this bird!

As you go through life
Remember you know
What you know;
When you listen and watch
You’ll continue to grow

Until the next time, I am continuing to pray for good health for you and yours, and remember, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”

Don’t forget to thank a Veteran for his/her service in the defense of our country and pray for their safe return to their families!

Benediction: “Gracious Father of us all help us to spend less time thinking of ourselves, and more time thinking of You and Your many wonders. Amen.”

Thought for the month:

May good luck be your friend in whatever you do and may trouble be always a stranger to you.

An Irish Blessing for Health and Prosperity

Communication Shorts 8-15-2023

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 Reminder

The August Bulletin is now available for download and printing. Remember, you can always find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

National Grange Lecturers’ Newsletter

It’s not just for lecturers! Here’s a link to the third quarter issue of “A Quarter’s Worth.” Take a look! Thanks to MSG Lecturer Margaret Morse for sharing!