Kennebec Valley Public Take-Out Dinner

April 13, 2024

Kennebec Valley Grange will offer a public take-out dinner on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon until the food is gone. The menu includes ham w/raisin sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits, and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Cost is $12.00.

For additional information, contact Diane Pinkham (207 314-5135).

Kennebec Valley Grange is located at 560 Main Street in Madison, Maine.

Slam the Scam Day

The Social Security Administration has declared March 7, 2024 (and every day, really) as “Slam the Scam Day.” You can download or print their free scam alert sheet.

Scammers seem to be on the increase–and not just regarding Social Security. Fake invoices and calls claiming to be coming from Medicare… spoofed emails that are not from who they claim to be… friend requests on social media… you name it!

Don’t be embarrassed to report if you shared personal information or suffered a financial loss. It is important to report the scam as quickly as possible. 

Visit www.ssa.gov/scam for more information, and follow SSA OIG on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest scam tactics. Repost #SlamtheScam information on social media to keep your friends and family safe.

Lecturers: This might be a great program–there’s plenty of information available on the subject. It could also fall under Family Health and Hearing or Community Service.

Watch Your Eyes!

Portions courtesy of Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands

For about three minutes on Monday, April 8, 2024, the sun will be blotted out by our celestial neighbor, the moon. While this solar eclipse will be total in a band stretching diagonally across the state from the Rangeley Lakes Region to Caribou, other parts of the state will experience a partial eclipse.

Protect your eyes. Do not view the sun at any time without wearing solar glasses. Be prepared for unpredictable weather. It could be winter-like. Please recognize that early April in the total eclipse band area is essentially still winter with frozen lakes and rivers, potentially deep snow, cold temperatures, and many unplowed roads and parking areas. Gravel roads that are clear may be very soft and muddy. Have an emergency kit in your vehicle, and do not rely on GPS in rural locations.

There are a number of “tips and tricks” for viewing, but the protective glasses (sunglasses are NOT sufficient) are not cost-prohibitive–they can be found online for less than $2 per pair. In bulk packs of ten, the price is closer to $1 per pair. Do not wait until the last minute to order! Have them in hand so you can have them on your face on April 8th.

Please also have this conversation with children. They will likely be fascinated by this phenomenon. Aren’t we all? Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Make sure they understand the risks!

Family Health and Hearing Chairs–share this concern with your members!

Community Service Chairs–consider a “viewing event” if your hall is located in a good viewing area–refreshments and free glasses included!

Communication Shorts 03-01-2024

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!

March Bulletin Coming Soon!

Officers and directors are reminded that columns and posts for the March Bulletin are due March 14, 2024. Remember, the past few Bulletins are available for downloading and printing on the Program Books and Information Page. We also do occasionally accept “guest posts” on topics of interest to Grangers. See the guidelines!

Update on Subscription Feature

This isn’t going to be a quick fix! In the meantime, I’ve instituted a manual workaround and will be creating regular emails to subscribers. These won’t be daily and will be based on posting activity. Communication will not stop! It may be a little slower, though. Thanks for your patience.

Grange Month Resources Available

The traditional resources (proclamation, sample press release, posters, etc.) are now available on the National Grange Website.

Free Publicity

Do you have news to share about your Grange? A summary of a past event? Advertising of a future event? These are exciting and fun ways to attract new members. Submit the details for a website post and event calendar listing! This is not difficult, and you get lots of free publicity!

Ideas for Granges

This one comes from a local library that has set up a FIX-IT Cafe. I could see it being themed-the basic idea is bringing together hobbyists with repair skills and people who need things fixed. There are certainly some challenges, but it’s something to think about. One of the most popular posts in recent history was Mill Stream Grange’s “Tool Library.” Hmmm, makes me think…

Thought for You…

The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”

Aristotle

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 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!

Notes from National – February 2024


  • March 18 – Join the National Grange Virtual Legislative Fly-In. Hear from Grange leaders, representatives from Congress, and issues partners about what the Grange is working on for all of rural America. Register at http://grange.biz/flyin2024
  • Please subscribe to the National Grange’s Good Day! magazine. Just $16 a year gets 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 April issue will be here before you know it, so now is a great time to subscribe or double-check your subscription.
  • Subscribe to the Patrons Chain and View from the Hill at http://www.nationalgrange.org/subscribe. These newsletters are released every Friday, containing information about National Grange programs, events, and more.
  • Do you have a local member with an interesting story in the Grange who might be willing to be on our upcoming podcast? Please reach out to Communications Director Philip Vonada!
  • 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 are in line 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 have been recorded and archived – if there’s something you missed and would like to see, 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, and more! By the end of March, the National Grange Lecturer, National Junior Grange, National Grange Chaplain, and National Grange Youth pages will all be merged into the National Grange Facebook page.

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

View from the Hill – February 2024

This monthly newsletter written by Burton Eller, National Grange Legislative Director, covers “what’s happening” in Washington on various topics of interest to Grangers.

March Grange Events

  • March 1, 2024, Community Potluck Supper at Trenton Grange, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., 1134 Bar Harbor Road in Trenton. For more information, see this post or visit the Trenton Grange Website.
  • March 2-3, 2024, Community Bazaar (crafts, farmers’ market, yard sale…) at Trenton Grange from 9 am until 2 pm both days. For more information, see this post or visit the Trenton Grange Website.
  • March 5, 2024, Open Mic Night at Trenton Grange. Doors open at 5:30 pm, and the event is from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. $5 donation cover. Trenton Grange Website.
  • March 9, 2024 Benefit Dinner at Norway Grange at 5:00 pm. Door prizes, auction, 50/50 and more. See post for more information.
  • March 14, 2024, Deadline for the MSG Bulletin
  • March 16, 2024, Excelsior Grange Anniversary Celebration starts with lunch at 11 am. FMI see this post.
  • March 16, 2024, Junior Grange Meeting at Danville Grange. Contact Director Betty Young for more information.
  • March 18, 2024, National Grange Virtual Legislative Fly-In. Hear from Grange leaders, representatives from Congress, and issues partners about what the Grange is working on for all of rural America. Register at http://grange.biz/flyin2024.
  • March 18-22, 2024, Agricultural Literacy Week
  • March 19, 2024, Ag Day with the Maine Legislature. Donations of fudge are needed! Contact Roberta Meserve, Ag Director for more information.

Have you submitted yours?

Excelsior Grange Celebrates

150th Anniversary Celebration – March 16, 2024

150th Anniversary Meeting, March 16, 2024. The meeting starts at 11 am with a ham dinner at noon. Please RSVP for the meal by calling 207-998-2301 or email Steve Verrill. The program will start at 1 pm and will consist of a history of the Grange, a presentation of membership certificates, and music by Kathy Hammond, a local entertainer. Pictures and other memorabilia will be on display.

Excelsior Grange #5 is located at 446 Harris Hill Road, Poland ME

Your Grange’s Position

by Walter Boomsma
Occasional Talking Head and Cage Rattler

The talking heads – and admittedly I am sometimes one of them – love buzzwords and catchphrases like “elevator speeches” and “value propositions.” Then we can ask “What’s your [fill in the blank]?”

As a talking head, I’d suggest that elevator speeches and value propositions create an internal focus. As a cage rattler, I have a different question.

Where does your community Grange fit into your community’s infrastructure?

“Infrastructure” is the set of facilities and systems that serve an area. Without digging too deep, hard infrastructure tends to be seen as physical-buildings, roads, etc. Soft infrastructure is all the institutions that maintain the economic, health, social, environmental, and cultural standards of an area.

Don’t get too overwhelmed.

We often talk about how important it is for a Grange to be relevant to its community. Maybe it’s time to think of our Granges as part of our community’s infrastructure. The Grange Hall falls under the category of hard infrastructure. The Grange is an institution that maintains the economic, health, social, environmental, and cultural standards of an area.

Or at least it used to.

How easy it is to take the infrastructure for granted…

What would happen if tomorrow you woke up and all the street signs in your area had disappeared? You lost some hard infrastructure. Or, suppose you decided to go to the library, and it was closed and boarded up? You lost some soft infrastructure–the building is still there, but the institution is gone. You might miss it for a while, particularly when you drive by the vacant building. Maybe your GPS will replace the need for street signs. The internet might substitute for the library.

Or maybe not.

Some years ago I talked with a school guidance counselor who expressed his frustration. His impression was that there were many resources available–the problem was finding them. He was happy to learn about what the Grange was doing and could do. But his question was “Why didn’t I know about this?!”

We attempted to develop a directory of community resources. It became part of the infrastructure describing the infrastructure!

If you’re a Granger (although that’s not a requirement) find a community leader and ask the question, “What’s missing in our community?”

Then figure out how to fill the void.

Voids create pain. You’ll get more members when you find people who share that pain and who feel the need to provide the missing infrastructure.

Here’s a not-too-creative example. Those monthly potluck suppers might be about fundraising, but we’re also starting to see monthly community suppers, sometimes free, provided by volunteers and donations. They are offered in part to address food insecurity but also to provide an opportunity for people to come together simply to be together, enjoy, and know each other. That’s pain relief, and it’s also infrastructure.

We have at least one Grange in Maine that has other organizations meeting in their hall nearly every night of the week. That’s infrastructure. That community has the hard and soft infrastructure that supports the efforts of non-profits like Alcoholics Anonymous, blood drives, birthday parties, and even celebrations of life.

What’s missing in your community? If you don’t know, start asking the question of your friends and neighbors. What’s one thing our community really needs! I’ll bet you get a lot of interest and dialog. Try it!