Friday, May 19, 2023
Community Potluck 5:30 pm, Program 7:00 pm
Valley Grange Community Celebration
You’ll Miss Us!
a “webatorial” by MSG Communications Director
Walter Boomsma
Seth Godin recently wrote an interesting post suggesting that when people move away, cards and cake should read, “You’ll miss us” instead of “We’ll miss you.” He points out that the community remains.
One of the more powerful sentences in the short post was, “When a marketer serves a community, they create the conditions where they’d be missed–because the ideas or products or services they bring are important, not simply tolerated.“
With apologies to Seth, I changed a word or two. “When a Grange serves a community, they create the conditions where they’d be missed–because the ideas or services they bring are important, not simply tolerated.“
My revision raises a question for Granges. Would your communities miss you if you were gone? Would they even notice? Are you important or simply tolerated?
One of the challenges we face as an organization is relevance in communities that are loosely defined and increasingly diverse. If our vision is narrow and our goals are limited, we will be missed an ever-diminishing number of people. For example, not everyone likes potluck suppers.
Seth’s short message is that marketers should see that as a worthwhile goal, creating ideas, products, or services that the community would miss.
Maybe it’s time for Granges to figure out what they can create and offer that their communities would miss.
Communication Shorts 5-1-2023
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!
May Bulletin
The deadline for the May Bulletin is May 14, 2023. Remember, you can always find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.
Submitting Events and News
We’ve recently been receiving requests to post information with a reference to Facebook. While we are anxious to support Granges, this is not practical–primarily because it requires additional steps and time to find, copy, and process information from Facebook. Please email your news and events or use the submission tab on the website. We will, of course, be happy to include a link to the Facebook post “for more information” as long as you provide that link with your submission.
Once your event or news is posted, it’s quite easy to post it to Facebook by using the share links at the bottom of the post! Or you can copy the link (right-click on the title or headline) and simply paste it into Facebook.
Also, when submitting events, please plan ahead! Posting events at the last minute is not good stewardship. For one thing, it can take 24-48 hours for it to be posted, then another 24 hours for the post to be sent to subscribers. You should plan to have your event submitted at least one week prior to it happening!
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!
Ideas for Granges
The Freedom, NH, Public Library recently hosted a Fun Friday event that included After-School Activities (3:45-4:45 PM – Students are welcome to come directly after school for crafting with perler beads), Pizza Time (4:45-5:15 PM), and Family Movie Night (5:15-7:00 PM – showing Puss In Boots: The Last Wish).
Thought for You…
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”
Michael Altshuler
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!
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!
Sagadahoc Fifth Degree Day
Guests at Sagadahoc Pomona Fifth degree, April 26, 2023. Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Simmons from Minuteman Pomona in Massachusetts, Henry and Sharon Morton, and Rick Grotton from Lincoln Pomona in Maine. They were a great help to us filling in as Guest Master, Assistant Steward, Lecturer, and Spector. We had no candidates but new Graces who need the experience, so we did the Degree anyway. Everyone needs a reminder of what Pomona is all about including our secretary, who filled in as our acting candidate.
White Rock Grange Craft Fair
Saturday, April 29, 2023, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Jonesboro Grange Crush Cancer 5K
Sunday, June 25, 2023
8:30 am Kids Run
9:00 am 5k Walk/Run
Why should you participate?
🦞 Proceeds donated to help area non-profits serve those who are battling cancer
🦞 Racecourse is on a quiet, scenic, ocean-view road far from traffic
🦞 A Professional Chip Timing service will be timing our race this year
🦞 Unique lobster 5k t-shirts for sale
🦞 Mostly flat out and back course
🦞 Water Station at the turnaround point
🦞 Handmade lobster-themed awards
🦞 Photo booth with lobster-themed props
🦞 Fun race atmosphere
🦞 An AMAZING finish line view
🦞 FREE cupcakes and post-race treats
🦞 Lucky number
🦞 And MORE – We will share soon!!
Sign up today! $30 Online registration closes June 18. $35 Day of registration.
Can’t join us in person? Register as a virtual participant! Join folks from Colorado, Florida, New York, Indiana, Ohio, and Maine. Walk or run when and where it is convenient for you!
Fraternal Concern – Norma Jean Haines
Submitted by MSG Secretary Sharon Morton
Norma Jean Haines, Past Jr. Deputy of the Maine State Grange, passed away on April 19, 2023. Celebration of Norma’s life at the First Congregational Church of East Baldwin from 2:00-3:00, Sunday, May 7, 2023. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Brown Memorial Library, P.O. Box 24, East Baldwin, ME 04024. Condolences may be sent to Glenn Haines and his Family at PO Box 49, East Baldwin, Maine 04024.
Condolences may be sent to:
Glenn Haines and his Family
PO Box 49,
East Baldwin ME 04024.
Chelsea Grange Award
At Chelsea Grange’s April meeting, James Meserve was given the Golden Sheaf Certificate issued by the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry in recognition of fifty years of continuous Grange Membership. It certifies Jim has been enrolled in the permanent records of those who have devoted half a century of service to the Order, to Agriculture, and to Mankind. The Certificate was given by the National Grange on January 31, 2023, and presented to Jim by Rick Grotten, Master of Chelsea Grange #215, on April 8th, 2023, at our monthly meeting.
Kennebec Valley Grange Dinner
May 20, 2023
12:00 – 2:00 pm
or until sold out
during our weekly flea market
American Chop Suey, Sweet Italian sausage, green beans, garlic bread, and a whoopie pie.
$10.00 take-home only
We will also have baked beans & dynamites, beef and gravy pints or quarts-to-go, RADA Cutlery, and Maine Rebekah Cookbooks.
Kennebec Valley Grange
560 Main Street, Madison
FMI-Diane Pinkham 314-5135
Valley Grange to Clean Up!
We are looking for helping hands…
Friday, May 12, 2023
starting at 2:00 pm
for a wide variety of tasks and projects… all designed to prepare our hall for our big community celebration coming soon! Inside tasks will include sweeping, dusting, wiping, rearranging, and setting up chairs… outside tasks will include raking and pruning… maybe some painting if the weather’s right!
Bring your favorite tools and labor-saving devices. Come any time after 2:00 pm… or before if you can see what needs doing and don’t mind working alone! Better yet, bring a friend! Many hands make work light.
For more information call Walter at 207 343-1842 or Mary at 207 564-0820.
In Other News
We were busy at our April Meeting! Get your calendars out and mark these dates:
- May 12, 2023, is our Spring Cleaning Day!
- May 19, 2023, is our big Community Celebration – Potluck Supper starts at 5:30 pm, and the Program kicks off at 7:00 pm.
- May 20, 2023, Services for Roger Ricker at the Mainstream Cemetery at 1 pm, followed by a celebration of his life at the Harmony Community Center.
- June 1, 2023, Is the Piscataquis Pomona Meeting at Wayside Grange at 7 pm.
- June 9, 2023, is our Valley Grange Meeting—Potluck Supper starts at 6 pm, and the meeting and elections are at 7:00 pm. Note this is a date change from our usual third Friday!
- July 29, 2023, we will participate in the River Festival in Guilford.
- August 15, 2023, Valley Grange Fun and Fund Raiser Picnic at the Boomsma’s, 5 pm until the marshmallows are roasted! (This replaces the former Piscataquis Pomona Picnic.)
- August 24-27, 2023, Piscataquis Valley Fair
We need your input and suggestions! As part of our Community Celebration, we will recognize individuals and organizations supporting Valley Grange and their communities! We’ve started a pretty good list, but we welcome suggestions! We also need members and guests to “fill the chairs” during our Community Celebration on May 19, 2023. Please RSVP if you can help us by filling a role during this meeting—there are some easy ones! We also need your help with the potluck—please plan to make larger dishes than usual!
The CWA Committee raised some funds with a cake raffle and recommended donations to the House in the Woods and Home for Little Wanderers. “All in favor!”
We will kick off a “Meat or Heat” Raffle with the Guilford River Festival. Details to follow!