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.

Membership Moments – August 2024

By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915

As many of you know, I belong to the Maine Spirit of America Foundation and, in the past, have incorporated the procedures of this organization into Granges in order to potentially increase membership and make the Granges more visible to the public. Some Granges do pick their own recipients and have a ceremony honoring their choices. Spirit of America Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in Augusta, ME & it allows the Spirit of America Foundation Tribute to be presented in the name of any Maine municipality to a person, project, or group for their outstanding community service.  (See https://spiritofamerica.website for more info.)

Volunteerism is the topic, and most town selectmen throughout the State of Maine choose the nominees from their communities to receive the award. Many Granges and Grange members have received the Spirit of America award in the past, and there are many more that will in the future. The founder of the Foundation, Bruce Flaherty, who is a Grange member, contacted me, and we came up with some answers to the following question:

 “How could Grange get involved in Spirit of America?”

 Individual Grange members might suggest a person/project/group deserving consideration for the Spirit of America Tribute to their town’s Council/Selectboard Chair.

 A Grange might invite the most recent winner of its town’s Spirit of America award to a meeting to say a few words about their favorite volunteer cause. The Master/President might congratulate, thank, and pose with them for a photo to submit to newspapers.

Any Grange might celebrate ‘County Officials Appreciation Month’ (Sept.) by inviting a County Official (e.g., Commissioner, Sheriff) to speak to its group in September – a publicity opportunity for Grange!

 A Grange might celebrate ‘Municipal Officials Appreciation Month’ (Oct.) by inviting a Municipal Official (e.g. Selectman, Clerk) to speak to its members in October – Grange publicity opportunity!.

The Spirit of America Foundation created ‘County Officials Appreciation Month’ and ‘Municipal Officials Appreciation Month’ in gratitude to county and municipal officials for their help to its awards program over a period of many years.

The above have been done in some Grange halls with great success. Also, invite a Grange State Officer, Deputy, or Director to speak and be the emcee. I have done a number of these presentations at various Granges and on the State level at the Hall of Flags at the State House in Augusta. It is very easy to plan and to do. I would prefer your own Grange, Pomona, or Deputy do the honors. For more information or if you have questions, feel free to contact me. Thank you for everything Granges do to help the cause of volunteerism!

Remember, this is Fair season, so help your granges by contributing items for their Fair exhibits. Many Granges participate in showing off their harvests and talents at agricultural fairs, and there is money to be made for you. Many fairgoers look forward to visiting the Exhibition Halls and looking at the exhibits. Inquire at your grange how you can help. I have been involved with my Grange’s exhibits since I joined the Grange in 1985 and enjoy being a part of displaying our wares in a beautiful exhibit.

Remember, the State Grange session is coming in October in Auburn. Come receive your Sixth Degree and join in the camaraderie with your fellow Grangers. Become a Delegate or Alternate and learn much more about the Grange!

President’s Perspective – August 2024

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

State Session is October   in Auburn. All paperwork and information has been mailed to the Secretaries and is posted on the website under “Program books and Information”. Remember, each Grange may have 2 delegates (they must be voted as delegates in your Grange meeting), and the quarterly Grange dues MUST be paid up to date for them to be able to vote. Any 4th-degree member may attend the session even if you are not a voting delegate. Our National Grange representative will be Barbara Foster, Pomona of the National Grange & Master/President of the West Virginia State Grange. 

Reports – Reports – Reports. That’s right, ALL Reports are due Individual, Subordinate, and Pomona:

Lecturer’s report and Book Reading lists to Melissa Baldwin. 

Community Service reports and books to Brenda Dyer.

Family Health & Hearing reports due to Brenda Dyer.

CWA reports to Margaret Henderson.

Pomona and Subordinate Roster information to the State Office was due by July 15th. Thank you to those who have submitted them — where are the rest of yours? Even if you had no changes, the report is to be sent in. We ask you to provide the Grange name & number, the physical street address and town of the Grange hall, which day or days and time. Let us know if there are refreshments or supper and that time. Also, the name, postal address, phone, cell phone (if they want it posted), and email (if applicable) of the Master, Lecturer, Secretary, and CWA (Committee of Women’s Activity) chair. Additional committee chairs may also be included on the back or a separate sheet for Agriculture, Legislative, Community Service, Family Health & Hearing, Junior, Youth, and Education. 

State Officers and Deputy’s Visitation reports are due to the State Master (standard mail or emailed) or get them to the office. 

State Officers — Lecturer, Chaplain, Treasurer and Secretary are expected to present a written report by Oct 1.  

Committee Chairs/Directors — Agriculture, Committee of Women’s Activities, Communications, Community Service, Family Health & Hearing, Educational Aid & Howes Nursing Scholarship, Fundraising, Junior, Legislative, and Membership are required to give a written report on your actives for the year, submitted to ME, State Master, by standard mail or email (email is easier for me, I can copy into the book). All of these reports will be compiled together and printed for approval by the delegates at the State Session. 

Directors, I need your 2025 Program Books, so those can be printed to be passed out at State Session. 

While I am talking about reports. I am still missing many updated membership lists. Please get them corrected and sent in. 

Androscoggin Grange Pancake Breakfast!

Come on out to visit our Androscoggin Grange #8 and have a delicious breakfast from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on September 14, 2024, before the Greene Village Day Parade starts! The cost is $8.00 per person. Androscoggin Grange #8 is located at 99 Main Street, Greene, ME 04236.

Please contact: Rebecca Brooke at 207-653-2111 or androscoggin8grange@gmail.com for more information

Ag Committee Report – August 2024

By Roberta Meserve, MSG Ag Director
(207) 998-
3857

The Maine Agricultural Fairs are in full swing; we hope you have the opportunity to visit one or two. 

Upcoming fairs (dates taken from www.mainefairs.net )

August:

  • Acton – Aug 22 – 25
  • Piscataquis – Aug 22 – 25
  • Washington County – Aug 24 – 25
  • Windsor – Aug 24 – Sept 2
  • Blue Hill Aug 29 – Sept 2
  • Harmony Aug 30 – Sept 2

We have received several Grange Exhibit results; congratulations to each of you.

If anyone knows of other Granges exhibiting, please let us know. 

  • Pittston Fair — 1st Combined Exhibit — Enterprise #48
  • 1st Educational Exhibit — Maine State Junior Grange
  • Ossipee Valley Fair — Combined Exhibits — 1st Saco #53; 2nd Waterford #479; 3rd Maple Grove #148
  • Union Fair — Combined Exhibits — 1st Evening Star #183; 2nd Medomack Valley #175; 3rd Pioneer #219; 4th Union Harvest #591

Community Service/FHH – August 2024

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

As the Grange year ends, remember to send reports to the appropriate directors. A letter with the forms, dated June 7, 2024, was sent to every Grange. The forms are in the Community Service Packet and the Grange website.

The Community Service meeting/workshop scheduled for August 24 following the CWA conference has been postponed. 

I would like to thank Bauneg Beg Grange #382, Knox Station Grange #579, Ammadamast Grange #379, Kennebec Valley Grange #128, South Sangerville Grange#335, and York Pomona #14 for submitting the Community Service Report.

I have received one entry form for Granger of the Year. There have not been any entries for police, firefighter/EMT, or educator of the year. These are important people in our community, so we should recognize them. 

I have not received any Community Service Notebooks. Remember, the deadline for these is September 1. Please allow 7 to 10 days for USPS to deliver. 

CORRECTION: 

My address is 9 MARIAL Avenue, not MARIEL Avenue. This will delay me receiving your notebook and or mail.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you. I look forward to more reports, entries for police, firefighter/EMT, educator of the year, Granger of the year, and Community Service Notebooks.

CWA Report – August 2024

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

Committee on Women’s Activities

I can’t wait to see all of your entries for the contests.  You all do such amazing work! It is a pleasure to be able to see all of the wonderful things that everyone makes.

It is also that time of year for donations to fund prize money for the winners in the contests, Home for Little Wanderers and House in the Woods.

I did plant two tomato plants. They are both loaded with tomatoes, just waiting for them to ripen.

Next month I will list all of the winners from the contests.

Hope you are all staying healthy and safe.

Communication Shorts 08-07-2024

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 Deadline

Articles and columns for the August Bulletin are due on the 14th! Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page.

Information Wanted: Winthrop Grange

We have made the 2024 National Grange Digest available directly from the MSG Website. It is listed in the National Grange Section of the Program Books and Information Page. This booklet will answer many of your questions regarding Grange Law and Practice.

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 Available

A page dedicated to the 2024 State Session is now available with preliminary information. This will be a work in progress!

Many Contest Deadlines Are Coming Up

Get your entries in!

Consider this Idea!

Fall is a great time to celebrate the harvest! How will your Grange do that?

Think about this!

“So, the next time you visit a fair, take a moment to soak in the sights and sounds, to let your inner child run wild, and to appreciate the magic that surrounds you. Because in the world of fairs, anything is possible, and happiness is just a ride away.”

Unknown

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!

Read All About It!

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Elizabeth Walztoni wrote an excellent article about Maine Granges, published in the Bangor Daily News yesterday (August 4, 2024).

Once town centers of agriculture, these public spaces haven’t quite disappeared

(If you read news online, you are probably familiar with paywalls—but try it! I think BDN will allow a limited number of free reads. This article is definitely a very positive one that’s worth reading!)

I’ve always said, “It’s easier to make news than it is to write press releases!”

What’s your Grange doing?

August Event Schedule

  • August 1, 2024, Grange Ag Enterprise Award Applications are due
  • August 2, 2024, Trenton Grange Farmers Market, 3 pm – 6 pm. 1134 Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. Vendors contact Beth Warner at 207 664-4164 or zeppa@ aol.com. Free admission. (Vendor/booth fee).
  • August 2, 2024Community Potluck Supper at Trenton Grange, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., 1134 Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. For more information, see this post or visit the Trenton Grange Website.
  • August 3-4, 2024, Community Bazaar (crafts, farmers’ market, yard sale…) at Trenton Grange from 9 am until 2 pm both days. For more information, see this post or visit the Trenton Grange Website.
  • August 3 -5, 2024Junior Grange Camp at Highland Lake Grange. Contact Director Betty Young for more information.
  • August 8, 2024, Blood Drive at Harraseeket Grange in Freeport, 12 – 5 pm.
  • August 9, 2024, Trenton Grange Farmers Market, 3 pm – 6 pm. 1134 Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. Vendors contact Beth Warner at 207 664-4164 or zeppa@ aol.com. Free admission. (Vendor/booth fee).
  • August 10, 2024, St George Grange Community Supper at 5 pm. Adults $10, Children $5, under 10 free. For more information, see this post.
  • August 14, 2024, Deadline for the MSG Bulletin
  • August 15, 2024, Resolutions are due at State Headquarters.
  • August 16, 2024, Mystic Valley Grange Open Meeting with light refreshments & entertainment. TIME CHANGE -Public Meeting 12 noon to 1:00 pm followed by Open House 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. in East Dixfield. Public invited. For more information, contact Nancy Farrington.
  • August 16, 2024, Trenton Grange Farmers Market, 3 pm – 6 pm. 1134 Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. Vendors contact Beth Warner at 207 664-4164 or zeppa@ aol.com. Free admission. (Vendor/booth fee).
  • August 16, 2024, Senior Circle at Victor Grange in Fairfield. Potluck lunch at 11 am for Seniors to get together with others for socializing, networking and a game or two. Held the 3rd Friday monthly. FMI Deb 207-453-4844 or Sherri 207-815-0615. No Charge.
  • August 20, 2024, Drop off CWA Contest items at MSG Headquarters, 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
  • August 23, 2024, Trenton Grange Farmers Market, 3 pm – 6 pm. 1134 Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. Vendors contact Beth Warner at 207 664-4164 or zeppa@ aol.com. Free admission. (Vendor/booth fee).
  • August 24, 2024, Subordinate and Pomona CWA Reports Due to State Director.
  • August 24, 2024, State CWA Conference begins at 9:00 a.m.
  • August 24, 2024 Wayside Grange Concert featuring Bear Tracks, Doors open at 6:30 pm. More information at Wayside Grange & Theatre Facebook Page.
  • August 30, 2024, Trenton Grange Farmers Market, 3 pm – 6 pm. 1134 Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. Vendors contact Beth Warner at 207 664-4164 or zeppa@ aol.com. Free admission. (Vendor/booth fee).