{"id":96861,"date":"2025-04-17T09:22:52","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T13:22:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=96861"},"modified":"2025-04-17T09:22:52","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T13:22:52","slug":"__trashed-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=96861","title":{"rendered":"Communications Column &#8211; April 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"293\" height=\"315\" data-attachment-id=\"94518\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?attachment_id=94518\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image.png?fit=293%2C315&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"293,315\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image.png?fit=293%2C315&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image.png?resize=293%2C315&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94518\" style=\"width:194px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image.png?w=293&amp;ssl=1 293w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image.png?resize=279%2C300&amp;ssl=1 279w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 293px) 85vw, 293px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>By <a href=\"mailto:webmaster@mainestategrange.org\">Walter Boomsma<\/a><\/em><\/strong><br>207 343-1842<br><strong><em> Communications Directo<\/em><\/strong><em>r<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Whazup?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ironically, our Grange fiscal year starts in the fall but for many Granges, their program year starts in the spring! If you attend this year\u2019s Degree Day, you\u2019ll also discover that conferring the First Degree takes place on a farm in the springtime. April is traditionally celebrated as Grange Month. So maybe it does all start here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One way we find out is by answering the question \u201cWhazup?\u201d For those uninitiated in contemporary contractions and lingo, the question facing us is \u201cWhat\u2019s up in your Grange?\u201d We could further complicate it by creating a series of questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What has happened (projects, programs, celebrations) in your Grange recently?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is going to happen (projects, programs, celebrations) in your Grange in the future?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u201cInquiring minds want to know\u2026\u201d <\/strong>is a phrase attributed to the tabloid newspaper \u201cThe National Enquirer\u201d in the 1970s. In its original form, it was spelled enquiring, making it a catchy slogan that reflects the value of a curious mind that wants to know as much as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of you will remember when the Maine State Grange published a bit of a print tabloid newspaper. Most Granges had a correspondent who submitted a version of whazup in their Grange. Sometimes the results were a bit \u201cgossipy\u201d but generally included short summaries of recent meetings and activities. It worked because it was informal and simple. It worked because it kept members around the state feeling connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As we spring into a new year, it\u2019s tempting to suggest every Grange needs a correspondent\u2014someone who is at least informally interested in proactively answering those whazup questions. The MSG Website is committed to serving, sharing, and connecting local Granges. That also means local Granges need to connect with us! Inquiring minds DO want to know (including mine!). We don\u2019t need to formalize a program, we just need a few people who are willing to share whazup in our Granges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are many ways to do this. You can, for example, submit basic information about your events using the <a href=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?page_id=108\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">submit tab on the website<\/a>. The advantage of this route is that the form will ensure you provide all the required information. (How many times have I seen events listed on social media with no location given?) Submitting to the site accomplishes a lot of things! If the event is in the future, it gets listed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?page_id=6337\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSG Events Calendar<\/a>. We\u2019ll also create a post for you. Those posts stay on the site, get emailed to our website subscribers, and are easily shared on social media by anyone who subscribes to or visits the site. If you have a flyer for your event, attach it to an email and send it to <a href=\"mailto:webmaster@mainestategrange.org\">webmaster@mainestategrange.org<\/a>. We\u2019ll take it from there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you volunteer to do this for your Grange, you might find the <a href=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-24-Program-Book-Communications.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSG Communications Handbook<\/a> helpful! That handbook includes information that will help you communicate, publicize, and advertise your Grange. There are tips submitted by Granges and lists of major and weekly newspapers. Lots of helpful information!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We still have close to one hundred Granges in Maine. There should be (and probably are) more events than those listed on the calendar. That\u2019s a great place to start\u2014easy peasy! At least send the basics! We don\u2019t list \u201cregular\u201d meetings\u2014with the exception of Pomona Meetings\u2014but if your regular meeting includes a special program, that qualifies! When in doubt, share it! The more advanced notice you give, the more we can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inquiring minds do want to know. When we recently promoted Valley Grange\u2019s Blanketeering event, we had people come from miles away and produce a record number of blankets. It works. Help us prove it by sharing whazup at your Grange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-background-color has-background wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wboomsma.com\/index.php\/2023\/07\/21\/the-news-is-where-you-find-it\/\">The News Is Where You Find It<\/a>. If you wonder how the Amish (who tend to shun technology and the Internet) stay connected around the country, check out this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u25ba FACT: Did you know that the <a href=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-24-Program-Book-Communications.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MSG Communications Handbook<\/a> includes a list of daily and weekly newspapers in Maine with contact information?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Walter Boomsma207 343-1842 Communications Director Whazup? Ironically, our Grange fiscal year starts in the fall but for many Granges, their program year starts in the spring! If you attend this year\u2019s Degree Day, you\u2019ll also discover that conferring the First Degree takes place on a farm in the springtime. April is traditionally celebrated as &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=96861\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Communications Column &#8211; April 2025&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2122,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[165,14,218,15],"tags":[206,272,202,233,29],"post_folder":[505],"class_list":["post-96861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-communication-2","category-publicity-posts","category-resources-for-granges-and-grangers","category-web-site-information","tag-grange-advocacy","tag-grange-communication","tag-grange-events","tag-grange-policy","tag-grange-procedure"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"post-thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Walter Boomsma","author_link":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?author=2122"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Walter Boomsma207 343-1842 Communications Director Whazup? Ironically, our Grange fiscal year starts in the fall but for many Granges, their program year starts in the spring! If you attend this year\u2019s Degree Day, you\u2019ll also discover that conferring the First Degree takes place on a farm in the springtime. April is traditionally celebrated as&hellip;","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1arC1-pch","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=96861"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96861\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=96861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=96861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=96861"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fpost_folder&post=96861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}