Tag: MSg Convention

Highlights of Maine State Grange Session

by Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

I’m pleased to offer some highlights from the 2026 MSG State Session. I’ll post additional reports and information over the next few days, or as it becomes available! There’s much information! This is not a record of the meeting, just some highlights of information presented that should be of interest.

State Master’s Annual Address and Report

The full text of the State Master’s Annual Address and Report is available here.

Conflict Resolution Workshop

A Summary of The Conflict Resolution Workshop presented by Rick Grotton is available here.

Resolutions

Both Resolutions passed. Resolution #1 dealt with requesting an annual report from the MSG Executive Committee and was recommended by the Good of the Order Committee. (The 2025-26 report will be posted soon as an “Annual Report.”) Resolution #2 dealt with the Maine Secretary of State’s position when running for office and was recommended by the Legislative Committee.

Memorial Service

A summary of the Memorial Service by Chaplain Christine Hebert will be posted soon.

Community Service Awards

Community Service Awards and honors are summarized and posted. For the Community Service Notebooks, Highland Lake Grange #87 received first place, Old Town Riverside #273 second, Mill Stream #574 third, and Saco #53 fourth. The contest is no longer held at the National Grange level.

CWA Contest Winners

CWA contest winners are listed in the 2025-26 CWA Annual Report–it’s a long list! CWA Director Margaret Henderson pointed out that Class A winner Laurie McBurney also received first-place honors at the Big E.

Membership Awards

Sixteen Granges were recognized for a net gain in membership. Leaders included Farmington #12 with plus seven, Harraseeket #9  with plus seven, and Branch Mills #336 with plus five. The complete list is included in the Membership Director’s Annual Report.

National Award

Distinguished Grange Mill Stream #574 received a standing ovation for their achievement. The official presentation will be made at the National Conference on November 20th, and it will be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. We’ll post more information before then!

Additional reports and information will be posted!

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Special Note!

You’re all reporters! If you have photos or information from State Session, please submit them. You can email photos as attachments directly to webmaster@mainestategrange.org. Please include brief information such as what was going on and who is in the photo. You could also submit a Guest Article!

All former annual reports and program books are being removed, effective immediately. If you need any, please save them!

National Grange Rep Announced

Barabara Foster will visit MSG Convention

Maine State Grange President Sherry Harriman recently announced that National Grange Pomona Barbara Foster will represent the National Grange at the Maine State Grange’s 152nd Annual Convention held in October. This is Barabara’s second visit.

Barbara Foster of Pennsboro, West Virginia, was elected as National Grange Pomona at the 157th Annual National Grange Convention in 2023. Barbara is the only daughter of Earlene & Jim Foster, former West Virginia State Grange President and National Grange Chaplain. She has three brothers. She was born in Tennessee, but grew up an “Air Force military brat” living in Delaware, South Carolina, Taiwan, and Japan before Jim retired and bought a farm in West Virginia, where they have lived for 49 years.

Barbara joined the Grange in 1985, and is a member of Oxford Community Grange #526 and Central State Pomona Grange. She has held several offices at the community, Pomona, and State levels. The Fosters were Grange Family of the Year in 2003.

Barbara is retired as a full-time teacher after 32 years, and a total of 44 years in education. She taught home economics and elementary students with learning disabilities. She is the former President (20+ years) of the West Virginia Professional Educators’ Association and works with the Doddridge County Community Education Outreach.

In addition to her other involvement, Barbara is a retired member of the Pennsboro Volunteer Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary, and a member of the Pt. Pleasant Baptist Church, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the South Side Baptist Church, where she is the assistant treasurer. She enjoys sewing & quilting and reading, and lives with her two dogs. Max & Ellie, and three cats. Strips, Frisky, & Runt.