Patrons of Husbandry – a website dedicated to the Granges located in Maine
Saturday, November 18, 2023,
9 am – 2 pm
White Rock Grange and Friendship Club
33&34 Wilson Road
Gorham Maine
Join dozens of crafters this holiday season. All items are handcrafted: candles, ornaments, home decor, wreaths, jewelry, handbags, crochet animals & knitted items, and much more! Raffle for themed gift baskets. Check the event out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/2027697437587563
Anyone affected by the violence in Lewiston is encouraged to reach out and connect with behavioral health support. Incidents of mass violence can lead to a range of emotional reactions, including anxiety, fear, anger, despair and a sense of helplessness that may begin immediately or in the days or weeks following the event.
Seek help immediately if you or someone you know is talking about suicide, feelings of hopelessness or unbearable pain, or about being a burden to others.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
For those in need of immediate support:
Call or text 988: This suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week by trained crisis specialists offering free, confidential support for anyone. Specialists also can respond by chat at 988lifeline.org. (Veterans and their families can press “1” for specific assistance.) Information for the deaf and hard of hearing is available here.
Teens and young adults can text (207) 515-8398: The National Alliance on Mental Illness Teen Text Line connects youth with other youth to help them manage their challenges every day from noon to 10 p.m. (Note this is NOT a crisis line. If the situation is critical, use the Crisis Line. Simply text “home” or “hello” to 741 741.)
Clinicians, educators and first responders can call (800) 769-9819: The FrontLine WarmLine offers free support services to help these professionals manage the stress of responding to disasters from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
If you’re unsure, contact 211. It provides general information, including how to access behavioral health and social service resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Information can also be found at 211maine.org.
All of these resources provide free, confidential support.
The State of Maine has created a dedicated webpage with these and other resources, including online support and resources for children and families.
Communications Director’s Note: *As many of you know, I teach in the Addiction Counseling Program at Beal University, offer Suicide Prevention Workshops, and am a NAMI certified mental health first aid responder. I am not familiar with the “National Alliance on Mental Illness Teen Text Line, but would strongly recommend The Crisis Text Line. Simply text “home” to 741741. (Actually any word will do!) It is data-driven and has an excellent track record. Please share this post freely–especially on Social Media, Grange Pages and Websites! The links below make it quite easy. If I can be of assistance, please contact me!
Third graders at Brownville Elementary School received lots of words recently in the form of brand-new dictionaries from Valley Grange. The students learned a little bit about Valley Grange, farming, and agriculture, not to mention how to use a dictionary. Since there is a lot more than words in their books, we even said “Hello” to each other using sign language.
Valley Grange #144 is located in Guilford, Maine.
The Dictionary Project is designed to aid third-grade teachers with their goal of seeing all their students leave at the end of the year as good writers, active readers, and creative thinkers. The dictionary is for the student to keep, take it into the fourth grade, and use it throughout his or her entire school career. “The kids become really engaged,” Valley Grange Program Director “Mr. Boomsma” notes. “I think they like the idea that people in the community care about them and, as we explain, they own the dictionary and all the words in it.”
“We also get to talk about the staves as farmer’s tools and how the Grange uses them as reminders of the qualities we should strive for in our classrooms and communities.”
The Valley Grange Program extends across four districts and five schools. This is our 24th year and we’ve given out close to 4,000 dictionaries since starting the program. Additional Dictionary Days are being scheduled at SeDoMoCha Elementary in Dover Foxcroft, PCES in Guilford, Harmony Elementary, and Ridgeview Elementary in Dexter.
The take-out lunch at Kennebec Valley Grange scheduled for October 28, 2023, has been postponed. We’ll provide the new date when it becomes available.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
While the reason for this postponement is unclear, note that there are a number of closings, cancellations, and postponements due to the recent events in Lewiston.
This one-hour, moderated webinar will present one woman’s lived experience with managing her adult son’s mental illness and overcoming barriers to mental healthcare in rural Wisconsin and a community psychiatrist sharing her expertise in treating patients in rural America.
Gleaned from the Annual Report
Community Service Notebook Contest Winners
First Place: Highland Lake Grange #87
Second Place: Maple Grove #148
Third Place: Jonesboro Grange #357
Tied for Fourth Place: Valley Grange #144 and Saco Grange #53
Of 84 Subordinate Granges, ten reports were submitted. We are required to have a 25% participation rate to receive monetary support from the National Grange. We did not make it this year.
There were no entries for EMT/Firefighter/Educator of the Year and no entries for Granger of the Year. Previous Grangers of the Year included:
2017 – 2018 Victoria Huff
2018 – 2019 Ann Burns
2019 – 2020 Walter Boomsma
2020 – 2021 Rebekah Hodgson
2021 – 2022 John Cox Jr.
Family Health and Hearing Contest Winner
Highland Lake Grange #87
In our rush to release state convention information at least one mistake was made. In the original “news,” the link to the Master’s Address actually led to the Treasurer’s Report! Apologies for any inconvenience. The link in the story has been corrected and is provided here!
So far we’ve uploaded 25 documents and created links for them. That’s not a case of whining, just creating perspective. If this is the only mistake, it’s not TOO bad. Thanks to Brother Rolf Staples for reporting it!
Sorry for any inconvenience!
For the sake of brevity, only the resolves are listed. For additional information, contact the Legislative Director.
Nonsmoking National Grange Events, submitted by Bingham Grange #237
Resolved, when future sites for the National Grange Convention or National Grange-sponsored conferences are chosen, only sites will be considered that are totally non-smoking.
The Good of the Order Committee recommended this ought to pass, and the delegate body agreed.
Activate Cameras at Major Intersections, submitted by Androscoggin Pomona #1
Resolved, that the Maine State Grange support legislation to activate the cameras that are at intersections and install cameras wherever they are needed.
The Legislative Committee recommended this ought not to pass, and the delegate body agreed.
Automatic Lights on All Vehicles submitted by Androscoggin Pomona #1
Resolved, that the Maine State Grange support legislation that all new vehicles have automatic lights.
The Legislative Committee recommended this ought not to pass, and the delegate body agreed.
An officially licensed Supplier of Grange Items
Fundraising Programs, Custom Printed Apparel, Promotional Items, Awards, Signs and Banners, Pins, Pens and more!
The delegate body elected the following officers during the 150th Maine State Grange Convention.
Master, Sherry Harriman
Overseer, Mike Griffin
Lecturer, Missy Baldwin
Steward, Ben Edgerly
Assistant Steward, Rick Grotton
Lady Assistant Steward, Roberta Meserve
Chaplain, Christine Hebert
Treasurer, Laurie McBurnie
Secretary, Sharon Morton
Gatekeeper, Peter Ivers
Ceres, Betty Huff
Pomona, Kathy Gowen
Flora, Deborah Ivers
Executive Committee, James Meserve – 4-year term
Directors and Committee Chairs will be announced upon receipt of information. If you have been elected or appointed, please be certain that we have your contact information by checking the online officer directory.