Recent Website Updates

We’ve recently added or revised the following Annual Reports following State Session. These reports can be found on the Program Books and Information Page.

Some may have noted a brief outage of the website last week. This was due to adding some security measures, and I do not believe it lasted more than a few hours. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Degree Days…

The following note was distributed during the 149th Annual MSG Convention.

I am Maynard Chapman and I am the Chief Deputy of the Maine State Grange. Also, I am the Deputy for Androscoggin County and as such have been getting volunteers to work the four degrees on candidates for the last ten or so years. We have done the degrees twice a year, in April and September, and have had candidates from all over the state.

I would really like to be able to start doing the degree work at the State headquarters in Augusta on a Sunday afternoon in April and September to start at 1:30 pm and finish at about 4:30 pm. In order to do this, I will need people to take the officer’s stations and either memorize or read the parts.

If you, or someone you know, can help us out by taking a part in one, or more, of the four degrees, please speak to me at the State Session or call me at home at 207-312-5591. We will plan to do the next one on April 23, 2023, at State headquarters in Augusta.

The Patrons Chain 10-21-2022

Articles in this edition include:

  • Use your voice in the resolution process 
  • People are searching for a place to belong – make it the Grange
  • Seeking nominations for Quilts of Valor
  • Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
  • Register for 156th Annual Convention 
  • National Grange Convention Livestream Schedule
  • National Grange Community Service Project
  • Western Region Poker Chip Fundraiser
  • 2023 National Grange Guide to Contests
  • Rural Opportunity Zone and Recovery Playbook
  • Grange Supply Store: October Good Day! magazine
  • Grange Member Benefit: UPS Holiday Shipping 

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

Contest Winners Announced!

The Community Service Committee (Christine Corliss, Cassandra Corless, and Victoria Huff) announced contest winners during the 149th Annual Maine State Grange Convention.

Community Service Contest Winners

  1. Highland Lake Grange #87
  2. Jonesboro Grange #357
  3. Enterprise Grange #48
  4. Valley Grange #144

Firefighter/EMT of the Year

Phil Roberts, nominated by Jonesboro Grange #357

Teacher of the Year

Morgan Swan, nominated by Jonesboro Grange #357

Granger of the Year

John Cox Jr.

Previous Grangers of the Year

2020-21, Rebekah Hodgson
2019-20, Walter Boomsma
2018-19, Ann Burns
2017-18, Victoria Huff

Family Health and Hearing Contest

Highland Lake Grange #87

Note that information and entry forms for 2022-23 are available on the Program Books and Information Page.

2022 Master’s Address at 149th Convention

By Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange President/Master
207 490-1029

Worthy National Representative Anne Bercher, Officers. Delegates and Members of the Maine State Grange,

It is an honor to present my 2022 Maine State Grange Annual Address. I would like to thank everyone who helped to make this job easier and keeping our organization moving and to each of you who do so much to make our Granges grow and prosper. It is hard work, no doubt about it, but the rewards are worth it. I certainly appreciate the efforts of our Members, Deputies, Directors and Committees who work diligently on behalf of the Grange and wish us all success in the coming year. Thank you to Jim Owens, past Master, for your advice, guidance, counsel and friendship. A special, thank-you Richard for your support and strength through the good happenings and some very difficult Grange situations & decisions, love you.

Jim Owens represented Maine last November as the delegate to the National Grange participating in all work and activities. I did not attend in person because of my bout with covid just prior to the National Convention, but did participate via zoom for some of the meetings and workshops. I was assigned to the Budget Committee and we did our advance work by zoom before the convention. Jim and I will be going to Sparks, Nevada this year in November. I have been assigned to Agriculture and Jim assigned to Grange law. Again we will do updates by zoom to policy statements and review resolutions before the session opens.

The 2023 National Grange Convention will be hosted by the Northeast Region and will be held in Niagara Falls, New York. The 7 regional states have a good handle on the plans for that event. Many volunteers will be needed for the National convention, for different activities, please help out. We have 2023 Convention T-shirts here for sale as a fundraiser, (we have them here). Each Northeast State is also required to pay a Host Fund Assessment of S4.500, Maine’s assessment was paid this year. This happens every five years.

Headquarters

The Maine State Grange headquarters building in Augusta was taken off the market when the contract expired last year. We had quite a number of showings during the past few years while it was listed and the potential buyers have been very impressed with the size of the building and its appearance for its age. However, they did comment about the cost of converting it over to all offices, other potential uses or upgrading it. Our upstairs tenants, Maine Better Transportation, and Garbacik Surveyors on the first floor have moved, not for anything against us but the opportunity suited them, which leaves us with one tenant and our own offices. We are hoping to rent the spaces once again.

Continue reading “2022 Master’s Address at 149th Convention”

Saco Grange Delivers Lap Quilts

Saco Grange recently dropped off 13 quilts to Community Health Services for their Veterans in Hospice Lap quilt program. All quilts are headed to Bangor for in-home hospice care. Our wonderful Saco Grange Quilt Club made most of the quilts. Project Linus and some from the community were also received. We strive to donate patriotic quilts for our veterans in Hospice. Always accepting quilts. For more information about the quilt club or Saco Grange visit the Saco Grange Facebook Page.

Valley Grange #144 of Guilford Maine is a proud supporter and sponsor of the Community Health and Counseling Service’s Presentation honoring Veterans as part of their hospice program. Operation Gratitude includes the formal presentation of a pin, certificate, and patriotic lap quilt or afghan attended by Chaplain Char Chandler-Stevens, a military representative, and family and friends. Valley Grange’s support includes promoting the program and encouraging quilters and crocheters to help supply the lap quilts and afghans. For more information, visit the Valley Grange Website.

Vote and Honor a Vet!

MSG Comm Department Logo
This article is reprinted with permission from an e-newsletter published by Paul Stearns, State Representative for District 119.

You may request free of charge a “button” in honor of a family member. The button “I’m voting in Honor of a Veteran” is personalized with the name of a veteran the voter wants to recognize for his or her sacrifices to ensure our important freedoms, including the right to vote. In 2000, over 10,000 citizens honored someone who had served, or is serving, in the military. Maine voters paid tribute to a grandfather or grandmother, father or mother, brother or sister, son or daughter, husband or wife, or a neighbor, friend, or fellow veteran. Limit 3 buttons per address

Maine’s Vote in Honor of a Veteran program was created as a “Promote the Vote” initiative for the 2000 General Election. Because of the program’s popularity, as well as the events of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath, the program continues.

Order your Button!
Vote and Honor a Vet– a Two-Fer

Jonesboro Grange T-shirt Available

Jonesboro Grange #357 is having a t-shirt sale. Shirts are $22 each and are available in both adult and youth sizes. There are 6 colors to choose from. Proceeds from the shirts will be split between the Maine Lobstermen’s Association Legal Defense Fund to help the Maine lobstermen, and some funds will go to our building fund for Jonesboro Grange. 

T-shirt ordering information

“Farmers of the Land and Sea”

From the Deacon’s Bench — October 2022

By Clay Collins, MSG Chaplain
207 837-0564

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon. Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that they may be increased there, and not diminished.”

Jeremiah 29:4-6

 Ah, yes! We are now in the Fall of the year. Deep into the season, I hope you all fared well during the recent rains that encompassed the entire state! During the one-day event, we received approximately 7 inches of rain!

Most of you, I trust (I hope), are getting ready for the state session. If you are reading this after the session, let me say that I hope it was a great session and you had an enjoyable time.

This column is going to be a short one as I have to prepare for the memorial service for the session. I hope to see you there and be able to talk to you. I do enjoy meeting with all of my grange friends, old and new, and those that I haven’t met as yet!

The scripture lesson this month, like last month, comes from the book of Jeremiah. The lesson jumped out and grabbed me so much that I had to share. The lesson is one of hope (the lesson of the second degree!)

 I have tried in all of my columns to be hopeful about everything, and to promote hope to you, my faithful readers. If you read the scripture closely (maybe, read a few more verses), you will notice that the Lord is urging you to look toward the future. We are NOT without hope.

We do have bumps in the road, but that is what they are, just bumps. They are not rock walls that we cannot get around. They are just minor obstacles that we have to either climb over or go around. They are NOT permanent!

Do not give up hope, keep looking forward to the future, and do not forget the past. We can only learn from past history to help us move on to the future.

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

Benediction: “Gracious Father of us all, help us to realize we need to nurture hope in others while nurturing it in ourselves. Amen.”

Thought for the month:

If God sends you down a stony path, may He give you strong shoes.                                                                        

a short Irish Blessing

Historical Resources Sought

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

We get lots of questions about the history of the Grange–and specific Granges in Maine. (At one time, there were some 600!) So it seems like we have an opportunity to provide researchers and reporters with some historical resources. While searching for some myself, I was surprised and pleased at how often the Maine State Grange was listed as a source of information and resource for published articles. We’re putting the Grange back on the map in Maine!

You can help! I’ve created and posted a new page (Historical Resources) on the site listing sources of historical information about Granges in Maine. It’s fairly extensive but I’m sure there are more. If you know of any, please send the details!

Pages and posts like this help bring visitors to the site. More traffic means more interest, and sometimes that interest means more support for our local Granges. Everybody wins because that interest often turns into attendance at local Grange events and programs, as well as interest in membership. Help us open the door to the past and the door to the future.

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