Communication Shorts 03-28-2026

By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842

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

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

April Bulletin

Items for the printed April Bulletin must be submitted by the end of the day, April 14. Recent issues of the Bulletin are available on the Program Books and Information Page in the communications section.

2026 State Session

You may want to note that the State Session is scheduled for October 30-31 at the Black Bear Inn, Orono! Mark your calendar!

Website Outages

Hopefully, the worst is over! Supposedly, the site has been moved to new servers, but we did have another 20-minute outage on Thursday. We’re continuing to monitor and will keep everyone posted. If improvements don’t happen soon, I will initiate the process of finding a new provider. It’s a big job that I’m hoping to avoid!

What’s Going On?

Don’t forget to submit your special events and programs for our event calendar! We want people to know the Grange is thriving! Surely, there are lots of Grange things happening in Maine. We also love photos and reports of events that have happened.

To Ponder…

โ€œApril is a promise that May is bound to keep.โ€

Hal Borland

An Idea for Your Grange

Cribbage seems to be catching on! Could your Grange sponsor a Cribbage Club? It could be a regular informal gathering, or maybe even include a tournament.

Subscribe!

Remember, we don’t share your email address with anyone, and you get a weekly summary of what’s been posted. Subscribe here! Share that link with your members and Grange friends!

Online Directories Available 24-7

Thanks to those who help us keep these directories current by letting us know of changes!

  • The Directory of Granges features all Granges in the state with a contact person. Please make sure your listing is correct! Visitors to the site frequently consult these directories.
  • The ODD Directory features all state officers, directors, and deputies, along with their contact information. Updated January 16, 2026.

Grange Today! 3-27-2026

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • National Grange Awards $40,000 to make Direct Community Impact
  • Addressing the Rising Alzheimerโ€™s Crisis in Rural America
  • Congratulations to our winners!
  • View from the Hill
  • Opinion: Womenโ€™s Health Progress Must Reach Rural America
  • Grange Month is Around the Corner
  • Rural Minds Launches New Farmer Mental Health Resilience Program
  • Grange Store Notice
  • Walk More to Stress Less: Get Moving to Improve Well-Being
  • Recipes from the Heartland
  • Member Benefit: Choice Hotels
  • Grange Store: Membership Pins

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

Read the Current Issue

Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. To save server space, we only post the table of contents on the MSG Website.

Fraud Watch- Free Event!

Reprinted with permission from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Scams are everywhere todayโ€”from fake texts and emails to nonstop phone callsโ€”and the damage is devastating. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost as much as $196 billion to financial fraud in 2024, with older adults losing as much as $81.5 billion.

This April, AARP is mounting a nationwide Fraud Prevention Month, through which volunteers across the country will host hundreds of free local events that offer practical ways to stay informed, safe, and connected. Many sites will also offer free, safe document shredding to help prevent identity theft.

You can also join us from the comfort of your home on April 15 for a special fraud prevention broadcast on RFDโ€‘TV and online, or pick up the phone for a nationwide Teleโ€‘Town Hall with AARP fraud experts on April 30. Learn more at aarp.org/fraudsafety.

Fraud affects every generation, and AARP Fraud Watch Network is helping people fight backโ€”one community at a time. By learning together and sharing information, we can better protect one another.

More Topic Resources

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email me@aarp.org.

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April Grange Events

April 2026 โ€“ Grange Month

Every Saturday, 10 AM-4 PM, Kennebec Valley Grange hosts a flea market that fills two floors. Details here or call Diane Pinkham at 207 314-5135 FMI.

  • Deadline to register for the 2026 NELA Conference in New York.
  • April 4, 2026, Craft Sale at Benton Grange, 9:00 โ€“ 2:00 pm. FMI contactย Mary Colson.
  • April 11, 2026, St George Grange Public Supper, 5 pm.ย FMI
  • April 12, 2026, MSG Officersโ€™ Meeting at MSG Headquarters, 2 PM โ€“ 4 PM.
  • April 14, 2026, MSG Bulletin Deadline
  • April 17, 2926,ย Victor Grangeย in Fairfield hosts a free senior lunch, 11 AM โ€“ 1 PM.
  • April 17 โ€“ 19, 2026, NELA Conference in New York.ย Information and Registration Form
  • April 25, 2026, ODDs (Officers, Deputies, Directors) Workshop and Ice Cream Social, 2 PM โ€“ 4 PM at MSG Headquarters. FMI Contact Master Sherry.
  • April 26, 2026, Androscoggin Pomona Degree Day at Manchester Grange.ย More information here.
  • April 26, 2026, Community Citizen Awards at Enterprise Grange in Richmond, Maine at 3:00 pm.ย Details here.
  • April 29, 2026, April 29, 2026, Sagadahoc Pomona Fifth Degree Dayย at Enterprise Grange.ย For more information.

Note the recent addition of a workshop and Ice Cream Social for ODDs on April 25, 2026!

State Session is planned for October 30-31, 2026. Mark your calendar!

Legislative Sentiments

Maine Legislative Sentimentsย are highly regarded, formal recognitions used by the Maine Legislature to honor significant individual, civic, or organizational accomplishments. These sentiments act as official, bipartisan commendations, often presented on the floor to highlight milestones, such as 30 years of educational leadership or exceptional community service, marking them as sincere expressions of appreciation.ย Often, these sentiments receive unanimous support, reflecting a moment of unity in a sometimes divided political landscape.

For those Granges who celebrate Community Citizens, consider contacting your local Senator or Representative and asking if they might sponsor a Legislative Sentiment for your honoree. Sometimes they will even attend your event to present it–if you invite them!

Find your Senator or Representative by clicking here!

Unclaimed Property!

Reprinted from an e-newsletter by Senator Stacey Guerin, District 4.

State Treasurer Joe Perry has announced over $396 million in unclaimed property is being held by the Office of the Treasurer. This money belongs to Mainers and is waiting to be claimed.

The Unclaimed Property Fund includes money and other financial assets that are considered lost or abandoned when an owner can’t be located after a specified period of inactivity. Mainers are owed totals ranging from $10 to thousands of dollars.

Each year, tens of millions of dollars go unclaimed by Maine residents. These financial assets are turned over by thousands of national and local businesses and organizations. The Treasurerโ€™s Office holds these assets, free of charge, until claimed by the owner or heir.

To see if you have unclaimed property in the possession of the State, use the Maine Unclaimed Property search tool.

NOTE: Occasionally, abandoned Grange property will show up! You may want to check your Grange!

St George Grange Public Suppers

St. George Grange is located at 32 Wiley’s Corner Road in St George.

The St. George Grange is starting its 2026 Public Supper season! We have a Public Supper on the 2nd Saturday of each month, April through October. The fun always starts at 5 pm. Thank you, and hope to see you at the St. George Grange.

Our April 11 supper will feature a variety of homemade food, fresh-baked bread, desserts, coffee, and cold drinks with neighbors, friends, and family. Adults $10.00 Children $5.00 (under 10 yrs. free)

Cooked food donations for our supper are welcome (casseroles, salads, desserts, etc.) Part of the proceeds will be donated to the First Baptist Church of St. George, ME 04860

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Sorting at Valley Grange

Itโ€™s knitting, crocheting, and quilting season at Valley Grange in Guilford! Mary Annis, Joyce Flanders, Pat Engstrom, and Janice Boomsma had fun sorting recent donations at our March Meeting, including a large bag from Linda Kain.

These handcrafted products are distributed through many different local outlets. Hats and mittens go to our local schools, including Piscataquis Elementary, SeDoMoCha, Brownville Elementary, Ridgeview Elementary, and Harmony Elementary. Lap robes are available to local nursing homes, and we supply the Hospice Programโ€™sย Operation Gratitude for Veterans.

Help is always needed and welcomed! If you are interested, contact Mary Annis (564-0820) or Pat Engstrom (564-8290).

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We’re Back!

by Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

man in black suit jacket received a good news
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The recent website outages we’ve been experiencing appear to be over! We are now fully available on the new servers. We are sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience!

It might be my imagination, but it seems the site now loads faster! We’ll continue to monitor our uptime and keep you informed. If you have any questions or concerns, let me know!

Tractor Safety Certification Courses

Reprinted from an Enewsletter from UMaine Extension

Participants will learn how to handle tractors and equipment safely, how to identify hazards, and how to minimize the chances of accidents. The course is open to all interested adults and youth. A Federal Certificate of Training will be issued at the end of the course after successful completion of the written test and driving course and with attendance requirements met. This certificate is required for 14 and 15 year olds who plan to operate farm equipment for hire on farms other than their own.

๏ปฟRegistration Now Open for 2026 Courses

Dates: April 7, April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5 (Exam)

Dates: April 13, April 20, April 27, May 4, May 11 (Exam)

Dates: April 27, May 4, May 11, May 18, May 25 (Exam)

Course Format:

  • Five weeks of in-person lectures, hands-on demonstrations, and tractor driving.
  • Additional reading and coursework outside of class time. Note: participants will need access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone to complete some homework assignments.
  • Final written exam and driving test.

More information and registration details here.