Patrons Chain Changing

from the MSG Communications Department

(Read that headline quickly out loud three times!)

Many know the National Grange E-Newsletters “Patrons Chain” and “View from the Hill.” Effective June 1, 2024, both will be discontinued and replaced by “Grange Today!” The first issue of Grange Today! will be released on June 14, 2024.

If you subscribe to Patrons Chain, your subscription will automatically transfer to the new publication. No action on your part is necessary.

At this time, our intent is to continue publishing a summary of each issue when it is released. That summary will include a link to the full issue as a PDF on the National Grange Website. We’ll also include a link allowing you to subscribe to Grange Today! and receive the complete issue directly from National Grange.

Do not confuse Grange Today! with the National Grange quarterly magazine, “Good Day!”

The Patrons Chain 5-24-2024

Articles in this edition include:

  • The final issue of The Patrons Chain
  • Meet Us at the River for the 2024 Convention
  • 2025 National Convention is Setting Sail
  • Member Satisfaction Survey
  • Apply for National Grange training programs
  • Upcoming National Grange Events
  • Grange Supply Store: Guidelines for Grange Leaders
  • Grange Member Benefit: Budget Rental Car 

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!

Read THE Current Issue
Subscribe to Patrons Chain

Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent. For example, the last Friday of the month is usually a View from the Hill week, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.

Mill Stream Grange Celebrates

Pictured front row: (l-r) Kathy Berry, Bev Smith, Judy Dunn, Laurie Cunningham, Barbara Gilman, Lisa Goucher. Back row (l – r)  NVUMC Pastor Laura Church, Ingrid Grenon, Allan Harville, Jill Sampson, Debbie Lavender, Kirsten Heck, Paul Lavender

Mill Stream Grange members attended the North Vienna United Methodist Church on Sunday, April 28, as part of Grange Month activities. Following the service, refreshments and fellowship were enjoyed.

Mill Stream Grange Raises Flags

Pictured are Gordon Webber (3rd from right), who donated the new flagpole seen here, and Stan Webster of the Franklin Cemetery Association (2nd from right), who helped Gordon raise the first flags, U.S. and P.O.W./M.I.A., up the new pole. Grange members (l – r) are Allan Harville, Laurie Cunningham, Paul Lavender, Debbie Lavender, Jill Sampson.

On Monday, May 20, Mill Stream Grange members met to place Memorial Day flags at the Franklin Cemetery in Vienna and two other cemeteries on Tower Road. While at the Franklin Cemetery, they also raised the U.S. Flag and POW/MIA on the new flag pole donated by Gordon Webber.

Notes from National – June 2024

  • Register for the 158th National Grange Convention in Bettendorf, Iowa, November 12-16, 2024. Information and registration links can be found at http://www.nationalgrange.org/158thconvention 
  • Subscribe to the National Grange’s Good Day! magazine. Only $16 a year gives you access to our print or digital subscription. Learn more about the magazine at http://www.nationalgrange.org/goodday or the digital issue at http://www.issuu.com/grangegoodday. The July issue will be here before you know it!
  • Subscribe to Grange Today! at http://www.nationalgrange.org/subscribe. Grange Today! is replacing the current Patrons Chain & View from the Hill, and will be released on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month.
  • We are also looking for people to submit their Grange’s news so we can feature them in the newsletters or in Good Day! magazine.
  • The National Grange has a new podcast called “The Grange Hall,” which releases a new episode every other Wednesday. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or iHeartRadio. You can also listen on PodBean, the National Grange website, or watch on YouTube! Be sure to like and subscribe! If you have comments or questions, or if you’d like to recommend a member of YOUR Grange to be featured, you can contact us at grangehallpod@gmail.com.
  • Are there topics you would like to see covered in a future Zoom from a National Grange staff member, department, or officer? Please let us know! We’re always working to ensure our topics align with what our members want or need to hear from us.
  • The National Grange Social Media Calendar is available. This is intended to be a guide for State and Community Granges of topics/events that may be used to enhance social media. By no means is it a suggestion to post ALL of these things, but if you’re looking to get out of a rut or expand your social media reach. This could also be a great resource for Grange Lecturers/Program Directors who are looking for new programming ideas.
  • Many National Grange events are recorded and archived. If you missed an online event and would like to view it, please visit the National Grange YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/nationalgrange. 
  • Follow National Grange on Social Media! We’re on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube! This is generally the quickest and most up-to-date location to find out what’s happening at the National Grange.

Notes from National are gleaned from an email provided by Phil Vonada, National Grange Communications Director.

The Patrons Chain 5-17-2024

Articles in this edition include:

  • 2025 National Convention is Setting Sail
  • Member Satisfaction Survey
  • 2024 National Convention Registration is Open
  • Coming Soon… Grange Today!
  • Grange Spotlight: Willamette Grange highlights history & present in shop window
  • Grange Hall Podcast: New episode
  • 4 Trends Showing Mental Health is a Continued Challenge for Americans
  • Grange Supply Store: Good Day! magazine – April 2024
  • Grange Member Benefit: Avis Rental Cars 

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!

Read THE Current Issue
Subscribe to Patrons Chain

Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent. For example, the last Friday of the month is usually a View from the Hill week, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.

Lecturer’s Column – May 2024

By Melissa Baldwin, Maine State Grange Lecturer
207 324-4661

Time is running out to get those registrations for the Northeast Lecturers’ Conference in Norwich CT. The good news is the early bird registration for the conference and hotel has been extended to May 30, 2024. After that, the conference price will be increased by $15 from $30.00 to $45.00 for just the conference. There are meal options that are extra. The hotel is $139.00 per night until May 30, 2024. Then it will increase significantly.

For those who have already registered I will be contacting you soon with additional information for Maine’s portion of the fun.

Complete Conference Information

Communication Shorts 05-15-2024

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 Is Now Available!

The May Bulletin is complete and available. You can find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.

Take the National Grange Survey!

National Grange has announced a goal of increasing overall member satisfaction by 20% within the next year, as measured by an annual member feedback survey. They are asking members to complete a survey (about ten minutes of your time) regarding current feelings and attitudes toward the Grange. Please take the survey by June 30.

National Convention Registration Available

Registration for the 158th Annual National Grange Convention is now available. Register and submit your payment by July 31 and save $5 on registration.

Website Outages

We are getting reports of brief outages of the Maine State Grange Website. These usually only last a minute or two and are caused by the host server. We are monitoring their frequency and will request action if the situation doesn’t improve soon.

Consider this Idea!

Raise money on your anniversary? If you’re having an anniversary celebration, could you do a fundraiser and raise money based on the number of years?

Think about this!

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”Online Grange Directory CHANGE?

Maya Angelou

Submit News! Be “famous”

Submitting news can be as simple as a photo and “cutline.” A cutline is a brief description–longer than a caption–to accompany the photo. Let’s prove that the Grange is alive and well in Maine! (Photos should be submitted as an attachment to an email.) We get inquiries from people looking for active Granges!

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!

CWA Report – May 2024

By Margaret Henderson, Director
Committee on Women’s Activities
207 948-2762

Committee on Women’s Activities

The CWA Committee met last month. We planned the program booklet for next year and chose the items for the baking contest and craft projects. This was a very productive meeting. I am so thankful for the ladies who are on this committee with me.

Just a reminder that contest entries are due at Headquarters on August 20th. I will be there from 9-3 that day. If you can not bring them that day, please call me or headquarters and make arrangements with either Sharon or myself to make sure that your entries will be there to be logged in on the 20th and judged on the 23rd. Sharon is there on Tuesday and Thursday every week, and if you can not do one of those days, call me, and I will find a day that works to make sure that your entries will be judged.

I hope that everyone is doing well. I am looking forward to some warm, sunny days and many Grange activities.