Note from National – August 2024

The National Grange is thrilled to announce our new partnership with Grouper, a social fitness movement that supports healthy living through social connections. 

By joining Grouper, eligible members can earn a $50 payment for signing up and $20 every three months for staying active in Grange community projects and gatherings. 

Join our Live Q&A Session to learn more and get your questions answered directly from Grouper and Grange representatives. 

Date: August 12th | Time: 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT | Join via Zoom: grange.biz/grouperzoom.

To see if you qualify for these benefits, visit hellogrouper.com/grange. For any questions, contact the Grouper Member Engagement Team at 833-445-2400 or info@hellogrouper.com.

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

Grange Today! 8-9-2024

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • This issue contains one article about using the material from the Rural Mental Health Resilience Program at Fairs.

Upcoming Deadlines:

  • September 1 – Applications/Entries due for most National Grange Contests

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

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Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. To save space, we only post the table of contents on the MSG Website.

Chaplain’s View – August 2024

Christine Hebert, MSG Chaplain
(207) 743-5277

God’s Image

“Know this: God has imprinted God’s image within you, and nothing you do and nothing that happens to you can erase this beauty, which is with you even when you ignore or betray it.”

Meister Eckhart

This statement is from “Meister Eckhart’s Book of Light & Darkness,”a collection of meditations arranged by Jon M. Sweeney and Mark S Burrows. 

Meister Eckhart lived from 1260 to 1328 during the Holy Roman Empire. He was a German theologian, philosopher, mystic, and member of the Dominican Order. His sermons encouraged people to “do good.” During the Inquisition, he was tried for heresy but died before the verdict was delivered.

Communication Shorts 08-07-2024

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!

August Bulletin Deadline

Articles and columns for the August Bulletin are due on the 14th! Recent issues of the Bulletin can be found on the Program Books and Information Page.

Information Wanted: Winthrop Grange

We have made the 2024 National Grange Digest available directly from the MSG Website. It is listed in the National Grange Section of the Program Books and Information Page. This booklet will answer many of your questions regarding Grange Law and Practice.

Information Available: Castle Hill Grange

The Castle Hill Grange Hall Preservation Society was formed in 1993 to save the Grange Hall in Castle Hill. We have now disbanded due to lack of funds and membership. We have some papers from Grange #260, which disbanded in 1976(?). If you would like any of these papers and certificates. you can contact me by email: Sheena McHatten

State Session Page is Available

A page dedicated to the 2024 State Session is now available with preliminary information. This will be a work in progress!

Many Contest Deadlines Are Coming Up

Get your entries in!

Consider this Idea!

Fall is a great time to celebrate the harvest! How will your Grange do that?

Think about this!

“So, the next time you visit a fair, take a moment to soak in the sights and sounds, to let your inner child run wild, and to appreciate the magic that surrounds you. Because in the world of fairs, anything is possible, and happiness is just a ride away.”

Unknown

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!

Fraternal Concerns

Submitted by Sharon Morton, MSG Secretary

It becomes my sad duty to inform you of the death of Laura Macomber, mother of Debra Ivers, State Flora, and mother-in-law of Peter Ivers, State Gatekeeper.  Condolences may be sent to Deb and Pete at 961 Duck Pond Rd., Westbrook, Maine 04092.  

Cards of Get Well/Thinking of You can be sent to Lorraine Goodness, mother of Missy (Melissa) Baldwin, State Lecturer, who suffered a stroke and is doing well.  Cards can be sent to Sister Lorraine at 8 Guillemette Street, Sanford, ME 04073.

Read All About It!

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

Elizabeth Walztoni wrote an excellent article about Maine Granges, published in the Bangor Daily News yesterday (August 4, 2024).

Once town centers of agriculture, these public spaces haven’t quite disappeared

(If you read news online, you are probably familiar with paywalls—but try it! I think BDN will allow a limited number of free reads. This article is definitely a very positive one that’s worth reading!)

I’ve always said, “It’s easier to make news than it is to write press releases!”

What’s your Grange doing?

Grange Heirloom — August 2024

Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Rituals and Declaration of Purposes.

Use the icons below to share this Grange Heirloom on social media and help others understand what the Grange stands for! If this heirloom has a particular meaning for you, click the “leave a comment” link at the left and share your comment with us!

For additional information and resources regarding the Heirloom Program, visit the Heirloom Resource Page on the Maine State Grange Website.

New Ideas from National Grange

Click to Register

Anyone who pre-registers AND attends the Zoom event will receive a special treat from the National Grange.

We invite you to register for a special program from the National Grange.Join us for “New Ideas, New Approaches,” led by Beth Westbrook,  Senior Director of Outreach for the Vasculitis Foundation and a member of the Grange Advocacy Board. 

If your Grange is stumped about how to raise funds, if it has been doing the same project every year but not getting results, please register! If you are thinking about what else you can do at your Grange that hasn’t been done before, or if your Grange has the Best Idea Ever but it costs too much to implement, this call is for YOU! 

Grange Today! 7-26-2024

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Presidential Perspective
  • Register for National Grange’s 158th Convention
  • SHIPmates Program welcomes Second Class aboard
  • New Ideas, New Approaches
  • National Grange’s Contest Deadlines approaching
  • View from the Hill
  • 6 Scams every older American should know about
  • Grange Store & Benefits: Introducing Aflac

Upcoming Deadlines:

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to Grange Today!

Read THE Current Issue
Subscribe to Grange Today!

Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. To save space, we only post the table of contents on the MSG Website.

Fourth Annual Wild Blueberry Weekend

Whether you’re from Maine or enjoying a Maine getaway, mark your calendar for this (wild) new Maine tradition.  Tour wild blueberry farms, pick (and nibble) wild blueberries at select locations, or try a new-to-you wild blueberry dish or drink.

Wild Blueberry Weekend is happening this summer in Maine (rain or shine)—how wild you get is totally up to you.  Be sure to map out your adventure online here.

August 3-4, 2024