Notes from National – March 2023

Are you feeling disconnected from National Grange news?

Gleaned from an email written by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director

Each Friday morning, an email arrives – your computer dings, your phone buzzes, a notification pops up on your computer screen. The email is from the National Grange – either the Patrons Chain or the once-a-month View from the Hill. Without fail, that email has come to you for years, and then you notice… it’s not coming anymore. It’s not in your junk or spam folders, you didn’t change your email address… where is it?

Scrolling emails on your phone, it’s really easy to accidentally unsubscribe, mark the email as spam, or remove yourself from our mailing list. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy for the National Grange staff to re­-subscribe you. Because of the software used to send these emails, the only way to get back on the weekly email list is to sign up again – staff are unable to do it for you.

That’s why we tried to make it simple for you to get back on our email list! Visit www.nationalgrange.org/comeback to be added back to our mailing list through Constant Contact. On the form, check “Newsletter” to start getting our weekly Patrons Chain and View from the Hill emails again. Checking “General Interest” will also subscribe you to other communications through the National Grange emails. Don’t worry, we promise not to clutter your inbox.

If you haven’t subscribed to the newsletter before, this form will still work for you!

Here’s what you can expect by signing up:

  • Each week includes columns from National Grange President Betsy Huber, one of our Department Directors, and information about what’s happening at the National Grange
  • The Legislative Department includes two columns a month – one is the “Advocacy Playbook,” which picks a specific issue and helps Grange members know how to get involved; and the last Friday of the month is the “View from the Hill,” which gives a rundown on what’s happening on Capitol Hill and how it affects Grange policy.

So, if you’re feeling a little disconnected from National Grange news and information, be sure to update your subscription to the National Grange’s newsletters!

National Grange Heirloom Program

Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Ritual and Declaration of Purposes. Please share “success stories” about the use of the program with us or if you come up with other innovative ways to incorporate the Program in your Granges. Information and materials are now available on the National Grange Website.

“Notes from National” is based on a monthly email received from the National Grange Communications Department.

Maine Traffic Fatalities Down!

Early figures indicate that traffic fatalities have dropped dramatically in Maine since the start of the year. Compared to this time last year, 12 people have died because of accidents compared to 32 at the same time last year.

Reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published Maine Senate Stacey Guerin, District 4

According to Lauren Stewart, director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (BHS), 2022 was one of the deadliest years on record when 177 people were killed across the state, including 20 people who were either pedestrians or bicyclists. It was the highest year since 2007 when 183 people died that year.

Stewart said last year’s figure continued a trend that began during the pandemic, especially involving those who speed or drive recklessly. The increase in Maine follows a national trend that saw half of all states experience an increase in fatalities in 2022, according to the December 2022 estimate by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic deaths in the U.S. have been rising steadily since the summer of 2020.

Stewart said contributing factors in the fatal crashes in Maine continue to be unsafe and illegal speeds, reckless driving, alcohol and drug impaired driving and non-use of safety restraints, the latter of which she said was probably the greatest factor.

What can drivers do? BHS offers a few tips to avoid being in a serious crash, including:

  • Be courteous and cautious, and slow down;
  • Practice defensive driving – staying engaged means being alert;
  • Buckle up – being partially ejected almost always leads to serious injury or death;
  • Plan ahead – especially if you plan to get impaired;
  • Say something – If you see something, call 911. It can save a life.

TIP: Could this be the basis for a Family Health and Hearing Report?

Maine Senior Farm Share Program

Reprinted with permission from an Enewsletter written by UMaine Extension for Maine agriculture producers

Maine Senior FarmShare, a program that provides eligible older adults the opportunity to receive a share (worth $50) of first-quality, fresh, local produce at no cost directly from local Maine farmers during the growing season, recently received funding to serve more eligible participants and farmers. Help spread the word and find out more here.

Maine Maple Sunday

March 26, 2023 – across the state

Reprinted with permission from an email newsletter by Maine State Senator Stacey Guerin, District 4.

Spring is a great time to get out and enjoy the great State of Maine and everything that it has to offer, including Maine maple syrup.

Now in its 40th year, Maine Maple Sunday® is a long-standing tradition where Maine’s maple producers open their doors to their sweet operations for a day of educational demonstrations, Sugarbush tours, fun family activities and samplings of syrup and other great maple products.

Held every year on the fourth Sunday of March, this year’s event is set for March 26, although some sugarhouses are offering events on both Saturday and Sunday. You can view a listing of more than 100 licensed sugarhouses that represent some of the many celebrations and demonstrations happening statewide in honor of Maine’s official sweetener. The listing includes a description of each sugarhouse, what times they will be open and the activities they offer.

Millstream Grange Makes It Happen

  • Mill Stream Grange members Jill Sampson (l) and Lisa Goucher .
  • Vernon Elementary School kids practice their sign language
  • Cape Cod School kids get into their new dictionaries
  • Front (l-r) Debbie Lavender (Treas.), Karla Arceneaux (Lect.), Laurie Cunningham (Chap.), David Varney (Stew.), Judy Dunn (Master), Ellie Andrews (pianist), Jill Sampson (Sec.), Ingrid Grenon (Gate.), Kristin Thompson (Ex. Com.) Back row (l-r) Paul Lavender (Ass’t. Stew.), Louise Kilponen (Flora), Barbara Gilman (L.A.S.), Allan Harville (Overseer), Marie Gajarski (Pom.), Lisa Goucher (Ceres), Richard Thompson (Ex. Comm.) Missing from photo: Rosemary Baker, Joe Lopez, Linda Stanton

Mill Stream Grange members Jill Sampson and Lisa Goucher presented dictionaries to the third graders at the Mt. Vernon Elementary School in January, and the Cape Cod Hill Elementary School in February.  This was the first year since 2019 that an in-house presentation was allowed at the schools. It was a fun time at both schools, with very excited students and teachers. The students especially liked learning how to spell their names using the sign language pictures in the dictionary.

Jonesboro Grange Easter Celebration

Easter Basket Festival – March 31, 2023
Free 4,000 Easter Egg Hunt – April 1, 2023

Jonesboro Grange #357 will host a free 4,000 Egg hunt and Easter Basket Festival in Jonesboro, Maine. The Easter Basket Festival will be March 31 from 4-7 pm and April 1 from 9 am – 5 pm at the Jonesboro Grange on Route 1, Jonesboro. The 4,000 Easter Egg Hunt is April 1 from 11 am – 1 pm located at the Jonesboro Town Office. Free photos with the Easter Bunny! Jonesboro Grange is a 501(C)8 non-profit volunteer organization.

Tickets are required for Basket Festival and can be purchased at the door. Pre-registration is not required for the Festival. The Egg Hunt is free, and donations are appreciated.

Pre-register for the free Egg hunt!

Please visit the Jonesboro Grange Facebook Page for more information about the Jonesboro Grange and upcoming events.

Jonesboro Grange is located on Route 1 in Jonesboro Maine

Communication Shorts 3-16-2023

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!

March Bulletin

The March Bulletin is available for downloading! Remember, you can always find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

Lecturer’s Program Helps

With thanks to MSG Lecturer Margaret, we’ve posted “Living in Harmony” on the Program Books and Information Page. It includes lots of program help for lecturers and some funny and fun stuff!

Grange Month Happiness

Don’t forget to tell us what happiness you experienced during Grange Month at your Grange. Use the Submissions Tab or send an email!

Do You Love the Grange?

The world wants to hear about it! Fill out the simple I Love the Grange Form… it only takes a couple of minutes! Thanks to all who have shared so far!

Ideas for Granges

Simple social events are becoming increasingly popular. They can be based on crafts, games, book club discussions… what could your Grange host? A key to success seems to be doing it monthly–or at least on some consistent basis.

Thought for You…

“Blood is thicker than water, but maple syrup is thicker than blood. So technically, pancakes are more important than family.”

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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!

Do You Have FOMO?

“FOMO” is, of course, a Fear Of Missing Out. One strongly recommended treatment is to subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website. We’ll send you a daily summary whenever news and columns are posted, and we won’t share your email address with anyone!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Exploring Traditions – March 2023

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

by Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

Let’s Have a Party!

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

“…look upon children… If we desire to encourage them to love rural life, we must make its labors cheerful. What a child sees makes the most lasting impression. We may tell them of the pleasures and independence of the farmer’s life; but if their daily intercourse with us shows it to be tedious, irksome, laborious, without any recreation of body or mind, they will soon lose all interest in it and seek enjoyment elsewhere.”

(The Overseer’s Instruction during the Fourth Degree.)

I, along with many others, believe that adults are obsolete children. Many of my colleagues in education like to wax eloquent about the differences between how kids learn (pedagogy) and how adults learn (andragogy). I’m more interested in the similarities. How different are we, really?

During a recent conversation with another Granger, we caught ourselves engaged in what might be called a “Pity Party.” You’ve probably attended a few yourself. A pity party is an occasion of feeling self-indulgently sorry for yourself. It can be done alone or with others. One of the earliest uses of the expression was in 1978 when singer Barbara Mandrell sang about having a pity party after her lover left her. But I digress.

Fortunately, my Grange friend and I recognized what we were doing. Parties often have themes. The theme of our pity party was the sad condition of our order in general—dwindling membership, lack of leadership, burnout… Themes do tend to take on a life of their own. With a bit of creativity, we could have had a theme song. “It’s a sad thing to be a Granger… it’s a sad thing, you know.”

After admitting our self-indulgence in feeling sorry for ourselves, we had a good laugh. We did manage to start a different party. In the course of doing so, I was reminded of the Overseer’s instruction to the candidates during the Fourth Degree. Here we were talking about the Grange’s condition with an entirely negative focus. Who wants to come to our Pity Party?

Unfortunately, more than we might expect. Even the media seems to enjoy reporting on the “dying Grange.” My friend and I actually ended up having a laughing spell as we considered advertising the party. “You are invited to join us via Zoom and in person for a Pity Party. The theme will be ‘Let’s enjoy being miserable over everything wrong and discouraging about the Grange. Refreshments will be served.’”

It is, of course, irresponsible to deny the issues we face as an organization. (Although, we do often ignore the elephant standing in the corner!) But here we have another example of the value of the teachings of our order. Let me edit the Overseer’s instructions so they are not just about kids.

“If we desire to encourage people to love the Grange, we must make its labors cheerful. What people see makes the most lasting impression. We may tell them of the pleasures, but if their involvement shows it to be tedious, irksome, laborious, without any recreation of body or mind, they will soon lose all interest in it and seek enjoyment elsewhere.”

I recommend the complete version of the Overseer’s instruction to you. It includes phrases like “induce all to love” and “speaking the truth in love.” In short, making this a place that’s cheerful and a place where people want to be.

Occasionally, when old-timers speak of the past, they talk of things like dances at the Grange or huge suppers that included bean-hole beans or oyster chowder. On the back wall of the stage at Valley Grange, there are all sorts of interesting graffiti written by actors during plays and skits. Unfortunately, there’s not much distance between a nostalgia festival and a pity party. All it takes is for a few participants to start regretting and feeling sorry that “we don’t do things like that anymore.” Maybe somebody needs to ask, “Why not?”

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-sixth edition of the 2013 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.

From the Deacon’s Bench – March 2023

By Clay Collins, MSG Chaplain
207 837-0564

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 

I Peter 1:3

“And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen.” 

Luke 24:5-6

“It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” 

Romans 4:24-25

As I sit here staring at a semi-blank computer screen, I can’t help but wonder what the disciples were thinking (and feeling) as they watched their Lord being placed on the cross. They probably were thinking that they were next to be put to death.

I can’t imagine what I would be thinking at that moment. Jesus knew God had a plan for Him and for us. We saw what God’s plan for Jesus was, and what a glorious plan it was. It not only showed us that there is truly life after death, but God’s plans are the ultimate!

We should not try to second guess God, but instead, thank Him every day for what He has done for us. Try it. It doesn’t have to be a long-winded, church preacher-style prayer. Just a simple “Thank you, God” is a good start. Then after a while, you can add what you are thanking Him for. Then you might add a blessing for your family, friends, co-workers, etc. Once you get the hang of it, you probably won’t want to stop. Then, and only then, will you have a church preacher-style prayer!

 Remember this, you are all my friends (some I have known forever, and some I haven’t met yet), and I love you all and keep you in my heart, always.

God loves us all!!

One more thing before I sign off: HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY. The only day of the year when EVERYBODY is Irish!

 Until the next time, remember, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”

Benediction: “Gracious Father of us all, help us to realize that we are all your children who need help now and then. Help us to know when to ask for it when we need it, and if possible, give it when we are able. Amen.”

Thought for the month:
May good luck be your friend in whatever you do and may trouble be always a stranger to you.

An Irish Blessing for Health and Prosperity