Tag: Grange Procedure

President’s Perspective – March 2025

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

Non-members at Meetings

A question has been asked about non-members visiting or sitting in a meeting of the Grange. There are a couple of sections in The National Grange Digest of Laws 2025 edition that deal with this question.  

Chapter IV  BY-LAWS OF THE NATIONAL GRANGE OF THE ORDER OF PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY

4.10.4 Authority of Masters 

The Masters of Subordinate and Pomona Granges are answerable to the Master of the State Grange having jurisdiction over said Subordinate or Pomona Granges. 

The right to make Rulings, as to Grange Laws and Usage, is vested solely in the Masters of the various Granges of the divisions of the Order.

Chapter XI  CODE OF RITUAL, DEGREES, AND REGALIA

Grange Meetings

11.8.11 Non-members may be allowed to observe the opening and closing ceremonies of the fourth degree and all aspects of a business meeting conducted in the fourth degree. Any member may object to the presence of non-members during balloting on candidates or balloting on accepting reinstatement or demits into Grange membership. 

State Master/President’s Comments: As a visitor, they would not be allowed to participate in discussions on motions or vote on any issues to come before the Grange. If they are there for a presentation or as a speaker, then that is a different situation.  An additional question along the same line is how many times may they visit without becoming a member? There is no specific timeframe outlined in the by-laws, however, as Master/President of the Maine State Grange, my opinion or ruling would be — not more than three (3) visits to check things out. They should not be allowed to visit indefinitely without membership.

Membership numbers. Each Grange is required by the By-Laws of the National Grange to maintain a minimum of 13 members to retain your Grange Charter. It is up to each Grange to keep that minimum, and it is up to you as members to ask others to join your Grange. The Maine State Grange cannot get you Grange members. 

A Degree Day with the first Four Degree Ceremonies being fully conferred, will be held on April 27, starting at 1:00 pm at the State Grange building at 146 State Street, Augusta.  You must have submitted an application to the local Grange you wish to join or you must have already been given the Official Obligation Ceremony or Official Welcome Ceremony to view the Degrees. The word Degree refers to the level of the Grange, the first Four Degrees are for the Subodinate/Community level with lessons based on Agriculture and the seasons of the year. If you are already a member, you are welcome to attend the degree. We hope to see a good group of candidates again this year and many members too. 

Communications Column – February 2025

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

Facebook and Social Media for Granges

“Not everyone uses Facebook!” Yes, I hear that cry. In fact, most of the Grangers I know personally do not. However, National Grange is becoming increasingly enamored of it, and we do have some Granges in Maine with Facebook Pages and Groups. Therefore, I’m devoting just one column to some essential things you should know. Just this week, I had an inquiry about a message from a Grange received accusing them of a trademark violation. It was a scam. The general consensus is that scams are increasing on Facebook and in general.

One prevalent one on Facebook concerns methods for you to “protect” what you post and limit what Facebook can do with it. In short, it doesn’t work. Since, as a writer, I frequently deal with copyright and intellectual property, I try to explain to people that if you post something on Facebook, you have given up all control of it. The minute you use FB, you’ve agreed to their TOS (terms of service), which no one ever reads. That means you’ve agreed they can use anything you post pretty much in any way FB sees fit. The TOS is effectively a contract between you and them.

Because of this, If I write something that I want to keep the rights to, I only post it on the website I own. I may post a link to the article on Facebook, but not the article itself. That doesn’t stop someone else from posting it. Now, if they do post the article, THEY (the person who posted my article) have violated MY copyright. Facebook is not guilty or responsible. Remember, Facebook has the right to anything posted, and you can’t change that agreement! (One reason they are claiming not to fact-check is liability reduction.)

If this happens, I could sue the person who posted it, but Facebook is pretty much off the hook. The point here is to understand the media you are using and use it responsibly. Simply put, you do not have the right to distribute someone else’s property without their permission. Think twice before posting something you don’t “own” on Facebook or other social media. The simple workaround is to post a link to the original material and not the material itself. Contrary to popular opinion, Facebook is not your friend. They don’t exist just so you can stay in touch with friends. In fact, the more “friends” you have, the better it is for them—even if those friends aren’t who you think they are.

That leads us to a second important point. You really should consider hiding your friend list on Facebook. When you are hacked or cloned (there is a difference), the person doing it is not after you; they are after your friends. When you leave your friend list available to the public, you only make Facebook happy while exposing your friends to more scams. It’s like saying, “These people are my friends—if you pretend to be me, you might be able to take advantage of them!

I’ll admit that I am not a huge fan of social media, but it can serve some great purposes. But it should be used cautiously and consciously. That’s not always easy, and it’s important to remember that Facebook’s and your interests do not always align.

One of the attractions of Facebook is how easy it is to use. I know someone who almost everyday posts, “Does anybody know what the weather will be like today?” I’m always tempted to answer, “Yes! I checked the NOAA forecast!” Easy doesn’t mean safe or smart. You have been warned! (By the way, most scams are easy to fall into; that’s why they work!)

Note the Maine State Grange Communications Handbook includes the National Grange Social Media Code of Conduct and a number of resources and communication ideas.

► FACT: Did you know that the MSG Communications Handbook includes a list of daily and weekly newspapers in Maine with contact information?

President’s Perspective – February 2025

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

Procedures and NE Leaders’ Conference

The Ritual, bylaws, rules, and regulations of the Grange MUST MUST be followed by everyone, not just a select few. Every regular Grange meeting must be opened in full form to conduct any business, whether voting on finances, changing your by-laws, conferring degrees, conducting the obligation ceremony, or discussing activities, etc. The Grange Ritual (the set pattern that we do things at each meeting), opening the Bible, the Prayer, the Grange Salutation, and the Salute to the Flag must be done at every regular meeting, even if you are meeting in homes or by Zoom. It may seem outdated or unnecessary to some, but it is part of this Fraternal Organization and to be considered a Grange, to use the term “Grange” certain requirements must be carried out. Some things have been modernized and simplified, but the basics are still there. If you are a longtime or new member and want changes to be made, there are set processes in place to make that possible. The Manual, National & State Bylaws and Guidelines are available to help you with the process. Let’s make the effort to be part of it whether in person or by use of technology.

To request funds being held in custodial accounts by Maine State Grange, mail or email your request to the State Office. The State Master/President approves it; then it will be forwarded to the State Treasurer for the issue of a check. Invoices and/or estimates must be included with the request. Checks for building repairs, etc., will be made out to the contractor and mailed to the Secretary of the Grange requesting the funds. Remember, mail does take time; you can’t expect to get the check the same day you request it.

The Maine Grange Foundation, Inc., is a 501c3. It can be the fiscal sponsor for grants when requested and can receive tax-deductible donations on behalf of a Grange. (After the grant/donation check clears, we will issue a check to the appropriate Grange.) The Maine Grange Foundation, Inc. is a separate financial entity from the Maine State Grange, which does not have the 501c3 status. There is definitely a difference between the two.

The Northeast Leaders Conference was hosted by Massachusetts early in January and attended by 65 enthusiastic members. Maine was represented by Missy Baldwin, MSG Lecturer; Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service & Family Health & Hearing Director; Brenda’s husband, Joe Fallo; Past MSG Master Vicki Huff; and myself. The Northeast State Masters/Presidents & Overseers/Vice Presidents (the Northeast Connection group) and New England Grange Building Trustees met several times during the weekend. As the weekend progressed, interesting and helpful workshops were presented to the group. Finding Hidden Potential and Empowering Members and Aligning Your Strategic Plan to Your Core Values. Also included in the weekend was a wonder-ful tour of the Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School located close to the conference center. Everyone attending could sit in on whichever meeting or break-out group they chose. State Lecturers, Youth, and Chaplains groups started planning their respective Northeast Conferences and Activities. Community Service, Family Activities, Women’s Activities, Agriculture, Membership, Information/IT, and others met as a large group, having good discussions on activities for their states and ideas all could try. Junior Directors and interested members met to discuss the craft for display at the Big-E in September at the New Eng-land Grange Building. The Junior craft for 2025 will be Egg Carton Craft and for 2026 will be Bird Houses. Next year’s conference will be hosted by Vermont.

Communications Column – January 2025

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

New Developments

You’re probably aware of our new resource page(s) for the Words for Thirds Program. We’ll officially release on January 18, 2025, but it is a work in progress. Some resources, such as label templates and sample press releases, have already been accessed and used. There are still a few things “coming soon,” including an interview with Mary French, Director of the Dictionary Project. In addition to making life easier for Granges participating in Words for Thirds, we are determined to get more Granges in-terested in the program. As most know, I have been directing Valley Grange’s program for close to twenty years and I’m excited and happy to work with and assist Granges who are interested!

I’ve recently been working with the AARP Fraud Watch Network to add another resource to the MSG Website. We’ll post a weekly Fraud Watch Alert on specific types of fraud and scams. These will serve a dual purpose. First, Grangers will have access to concise information for their use. Second, the information can be used in lecturer’s programs and as FHH reports. As a bonus, these posts will have buttons at the bottom, making it easy to share them on social media or by email. Links are also provided, giving access to an AARP speakers’ bureau.

(Speaking of scams, stay suspicious! I’ve personally been getting hit with a lot of phony emails that look like they are from companies like United Health Care, Bitdefender Support, PayPal, Delta Airlines, FedEx, etc. They often are identified as “FW” (forwarded) in the subject line. Most have an attachment (which I do not open) and an offer of something free. When in doubt, don’t!)

The underlying development for the Words for Thirds Resources and AARP Fraud Watch Alerts is a more structured editorial plan for the website. We want the site to be resource-rich, engaging, and useful. As a reminder, every member is a reporter and potential contributor. Submit your news and events, but don’t hesitate to go beyond that. If you’re a lecturer, consider submitting your program ideas and tips. Tell us about your Community Service activities or how your Grange is improving Family Health and Hearing. Thanks to several “reporters,” we’re now working on some information regarding Grange Hall insurance that will be shared soon. I can’t do these things alone. That’s one reason I’ve adopted the slogan, “We’re Grangers. We help each other.”

► FACT: In the past week, the most visited posts and pages were the Grange Directory, Program Books and Information, Words for Thirds Resource Page, and Grange Scholarships.

Tell us why you love the Grange
Submit an Event or News
Find the button representing how and where you want to share a post.

President’s Perspective – January 2025

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

Degrees in your Grange

There have been questions about the Degree Days and who can do them. Any Grange may confer all Four Degrees in one day, at any time during the year, but permission is required from the State Master beforehand. However, each Grange is entitled to confer the Degrees in their own Granges at their own convenience. To “confer degrees” means initiatory ceremonies giving instruction and information about the Grange. You may confer 1 or 2 degrees at one meeting, then confer 1 or 2 more at the next meeting, and so on until you complete all Four Degrees. (The word Degree refers to a level of the Grange and is based on the four seasons and agriculture. The first Four Degrees bring you into Subordinate or Community Grange membership.) The meeting must be open in full form for any balloting and conferral of any Degree. The candidates must be balloted on prior to the conferral of the degree. Following the Grange Manual. (2023 is the newest version but the Degrees in all the manuals are the same.) The Degrees are very impressive if done from memory, but this may not work for everyone. Have each officer read the part for the office where they are seated, marching candidates are encouraged but it can be done with everyone seated, follow the instructions as you go along. Everyone can participate in this manner and learn the lessons of the Degrees at the same time.

Have a safe winter. Check on your neighbors and give a hand wherever you can.

Quick Tip – What if…?

Cool Idea
Share your thoughts and ideas with other Granges!

In a recent post, Seth Godin reminded us that some restaurants keep a photo of the local food critic in the kitchen. That way, if someone notices that person in the restaurant, everybody bends over backward to make things right.

But why not try to get things right even if the critic isn’t there?

What if we conducted every meeting as if there were a dozen potential new members sitting in the back? Or do we ask the gatekeeper to warn everyone, “We have guests!”

For that matter, there’s a place in the opening for honoring “special guests.” Traditionally, that means someone from “higher up” in the Grange. Maybe the steward should at least announce ALL guests, regardless of their status.

Quick tips from Granges and Grangers are always welcome… on any topic that might improve or make things easier for other Granges. Use the submission form or email yours to the webmaster for consideration!

Important Stuff!

Degree Days and Major Events
  • October 30-31, 2026, Maine State Grange Annual Meeting in Orono.

The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330. The email address is mainestategrange@gmail.com.

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This flyer/poster is available for downloading from the Program Books and Information Page–or use this direct link! Print and post or hand it out to your members!

Website Subscription Flyer

Quick Tip – Pomona Meetings

Cool Idea
Share your ideas with other Granges!

by Walter Boomsma

Ask the Subordinate/Community Granges in your area to have an agenda item on their regular monthly meetings to discuss who from their Granges would be attending next month’s Pomona Meeting. The goal would be for each Grange to “send” at least two members to each Pomona Meeting as representatives. Since, for example,  Piscataquis Pomona has six member Granges, there would be some assurance of at least twelve people at each Pomona Meeting in addition to those who attend regularly! By rotating the responsibility, there would also be more diversity at Pomona Meetings.

Quick Tip – Grange Bees!

Cool Idea

Valley Grange uses “Grange Bees” in conjunction with our meetings… simply stated, Grange Bees are members who agree to be the official hosts for a meeting. While all members pitch in, we find it efficient to rotate the “official” responsibilities among members. Grange Bees are responsible for opening and closing the hall. (Our checklist is available on the Valley Grange website.) We try to set up a schedule for the entire year each fall. We also occasionally all “swarm” to the hall for major cleaning and projects. Everybody can be a bee!