President’s Perspective – February 2024

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

The password ciphers were sent to the Grange Secretaries when the December Quarterly Report Forms were mailed. The keys to the password will only be mailed to the master’s when all dues are paid up to date, including the December 2023 Quarter. If you have not received your key, check with your secretary or our office to confirm your dues are paid in full. Sharon did tell me recently that not all dues are up to date. 

I must remind everyone of your Obligation to the Grange you took when you joined. It states in part, “ I will not knowingly wrong or defraud a brother or sister of the Order or allow it to be done by another if within my power to prevent it. I will endeavor to be a true and faithful Patron of Husbandry… Should I knowingly or willfully violate this pledge, I will invoke upon myself suspension or expulsion from the Order.”  I have had several calls from members in different areas to complain about the use of profanity during meetings and public events. There is no place in the Grange for the use of foul language, no matter what you feel the circumstances are. Whether in a meeting or around the kitchen, whether guests, new members, or non-members are present or not, it is not acceptable behavior. Maybe you normally talk that way; you feel it is just words, but it is offensive to others.  If you feel the need to talk like that, I would suggest you go to the bar or sporting event where you will fit right in. But even those places have rules and limits, and even those places where that talk is common, you would be asked to leave! I am sorry if you are offended by this message, but it needed to be said. Sadly, those who do the cursing won’t be the ones to acknowledge.    

After four years off, the Northeast Leaders Conference held in January was a big success, with 87 enthusiastic members attending. Introductions by State Masters/Presidents of those attending from their respective states. Maine was represented by Mike Griffin, MSG Overseer; Missy Baldwin, MSG Lecturer; Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service & Family Health & Hearing Director; Brenda’s husband, Joe Fallo; and me. The Northeast State Masters/Presidents & Overseers/Vice Presidents (the Northeast Connection group) and New England Grange Building Trustees. Everyone attending could sit in on whichever meeting or break-out group they chose. 

The State Lecturers made plans for the Northeast Lecturers Conference, to be held June 21 – 23 at the Holiday Inn in Norwich, CT. This event is for all, not just Lecturers. Let’s support our State Lecturers and plan to attend. Details will be forthcoming.

The State Youth Directors started their plans for the NE Youth Conference hosted in NY July 19 – 21. I will share details when available.

 The NE Chaplains group decided to return to the Regional Church Sunday, similar to the ones in the past. This year, it will be held on July 27 at the VT Grange Camp, with family activities, games, and a potluck lunch. All are invited. Plans will be finalized soon.

The State Junior Directors and interested members met to discuss the craft for display at the Big-E in Sept at the New England Grange Building. The Junior craft for 2024 will be Crayola Model Magic.  The craft for 2025 will be Egg Carton Craft.

The Community Service, Family Activities, Women’s Activities, and others met as a large group, having good discussions on activities for their states and ideas all could try. Agriculture, Membership, Information/IT, and others also met during the weekend.

As the weekend progressed, interesting and helpful workshops were presented to the entire group: Harnessing AI to Our Advantage, Promoting the Grange in all Media, Leadership and Conflict Resolution, and Grant Writing.

Castine Granger Honored

Basil Clements receives his eighty-year certificate

“That’s a lot of years,” Basil said when he received his certificate from Maine State Grange Communications Director Walter Boomsma in a “sort of” Grange Meeting held at Emilio Estates in Corinth. While distance has prevented active involvement, Basil speaks of his Grange membership every day, and his room is decorated with certificates and Grange memorabilia.

Front Row: RN Breanna, Basil Clements
Back Row: Walter Boomsma, with Valley Grange Members Janice Boomsma, Mary Annis, and Jim Annis

The “sort of” meeting was attended by a support team from Valley Grange, several of Basil’s nurses and Emilio staff, a niece and her husband, and at least one resident of Emilio Estates. Boomsma explained that since circumstances have put some distance between Basil and his home Grange in Castine, Valley Grange has adopted him. “But we aren’t charging you dues.” Basil noted proudly that, as a Golden Sheaf (fifty-year) member, he hasn’t paid dues for some years but recalled when he did pay them, they charge was $1.25 per year. He also wasn’t sure when he last attended a meeting.

“So we brought a meeting to you,” Boomsma explained, conducting some of the opening and closing ritual, including the familiar Grange Salutation. During the meeting, Basil’s nurse, Breanna Bowman, was also presented with a special Certificate of Appreciation for her assistance with the meeting preparations and support. “You demonstrate Grange Values, and we are now considering you an ‘almost’ Granger.”

In good Grange fashion, the event included some socializing. When the event ended, Boomsma noted, “We’re Grangers. This is what we do. We take care of our communities, and we take care of each other.”

Those who would like to send Basil a card of congratulations may do so by addressing it to Basil Clements, Emilio Estates, 65 W Corinth Road,
Corinth, ME 04427. He first joined the Grange on March 20, 1943 and will begin his 81st year soon!

  • David and niece Linda
  • Walter and Basil enjoy a moment
  • The Valley Grange Team with Breanna and Basil
  • Walter, Nurses
  • Basil’s 80 Year Certificate

Grange Heirloom — February 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.

Community Matters More

Bangor Savings Bank has announced its annual Community Matters More voting. It’s that time of year when folks get to help decide how to distribute over $140,000 to nonprofit organizations in Maine and New Hampshire. Grants are awarded through the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation.

You can choose up to five nonprofits that positively impact your community or write in eligible nonprofits of your choice.

It’s also the time of year when some Granges will organize a campaign to be written in as a potential recipient. There are some important criteria you should recognize. First, in order to vote, you must be a resident of Maine or New Hampshire.

Second, the organization you vote for must be an eligible non-profit- a 501(c)3. As a reminder, local Granges (and the Grange in general) do not usually meet this criteria. For a brief explanation, read this article.

If you write in an organization that isn’t eligible, you are just wasting a vote. However, you certainly are encouraged to vote! Help a deserving organization! Voting takes place until February 29, 2024!

Click here to vote

Ernestine Keiser Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship fund was established in 2023 by friends and family of Ernestine “Ernie” Keiser. Ernie was a long-time Grange member in Virginia and a charter member of Beach Community Grange #958, VA, which was chartered in 1959. She was very supportive of the Youth program at the local, state, and national levels. Ernie was a firm believer in the importance of education, and her family and friends desired to continue her legacy by establishing this scholarship program. The value of the scholarship is $1,000.

Scholarship Requirements

  • Applicant must be a Grange member in good standing with a minimum of one year of membership.
  • Scholarship is available for graduating high school seniors or continuing two-year community college, four-year college/university, or postsecondary vocational school students attending an accredited school. Students pursuing graduate degrees or higher vocational certifications are also eligible to apply.
  • Scholarship is available to full-time or part-time students.
  • An applicant is eligible to apply for the scholarship each year; however, if selected, will only be eligible to receive it a maximum of two times.
  • Two (2) – Recommendation Letters are required. The writers of the letters of recommendation must be unrelated to the applicant.
  • One letter from a member of the applicant’s Community (local) Grange. It may be an officer or member of the Community Grange.
  • One letter from a teacher/guidance counselor/mentor. The letter should be on school letterhead or organizational letterhead, if applicable.
  • Essay – The applicant may use one of the prompts below for their essay. The limit is a maximum of 500 words, or the equivalent of two pages, typed and double-spaced.

How to apply

  • Paper applications must be typed, printed, and signed.
  • A checklist of the required application materials for a complete application is included.
  • Applications may be emailed to ngfb@grange.org and must be received by March 1.
  • Mailed applications must be received by March 1 and should be mailed to:

National Grange Foundation Board
Ernestine Keiser Memorial Scholarship Fund
c/o Joan Smith, Chair
39 Clubhouse Road
Rotonda West, FL 33947

Information and Application

The Patrons Chain 2-2-2024


Articles in this edition include:

  • The Presidential Perspective
  • Fellowship First Friday
  • Meet the National Grange Community Service Team
  • Grange Heirloom for February
  • Have you joined The Birthday Club?
  • Grant money still available for raising awareness about ACP
  • Grange Foundation’s Ernestine Keiser Memorial Scholarship
  • Last Chance: Register for National Grange/Rural Minds introduction to “Rural Mental Health Resilience” program
  • Rural Minds Receives National Advocacy Award
  • Register for the Virtual Legislative Fly-In
  • Making Mountaintop Removal Renewable
  • Grange Strong Fundraiser
  • Grange Supply Store: Seven-Sided Patch
  • Grange Member Benefit: Start Hearing

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

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Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent, 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 Gives!

Mill Stream Grange Master Judy Dunn (r) presents the annual Christmas donation to the Food Bank. Accepting, on the left, is member Rosie Baker, who is a volunteer at the Mt. Vernon Area Food Bank.

Communication Shorts 02-01-2024

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!

February Bulletin Coming Soon!

The deadline for the February Bulletin is Valentine’s Day! 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!

National Grange Email Addresses

Please note there is no “general” email address for National Grange–you’ll need to decide who to address your concerns and questions to! There is a Directory of National Officers and a Directory of Paid Staff on the National Grange Website.

Don’t Forget This!

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!

USDA Assistance for Severe Weather

If your farm suffers losses in this severe winter weather, you might qualify for USDA’s disaster assistance programs. Also, a reminder: if you have crop insurance, contact your agency within 72 hours if you suffer losses in this severe winter weather. (Compliments of UMaine Extension)

Online Directory of Granges

Yay! The online directory of Granges is updated! This round of updates was based on the most recent Roster. The contact person and information may be the master or the secretary. (It’s a long story.) Please check your Grange’s listing and email the webmaster if anything needs to be changed!

Ideas for Granges

Just because you’ve closed your hall for the winter, you don’t have to close your Grange! You can meet virtually, at someone’s home, or at a restaurant. It’s a great time of the year to “think spring” and plan some activities and events when the weather improves! Grange Month is two months away!

Thought for You…

The man who moves a mountain begins by moving small stones.

Confucius

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!

Subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website

Maine Primary Absentee Ballots

Maine citizens who are registered to vote may use the State’s free and secure service to request an absentee ballot for the presidential primary election on March 5, 2024.  Ballots must be received no later than 8:00 pm on Election Day. For more information, visit the Secretary of State’s Upcoming Elections page.  

207 Plus!

by John Lowry, Master/President of Porter Grange

MEGO Alert! [My Eyes Glazed Over] Our recent post regarding Maine’s 207 area code inspired John to share some additional information. Sure, there’s some technology involved–but isn’t technology involved in just about everything these days?

Tin can communication

It seems to be a point of pride for many communities and locations.  I remember when, in Massachusetts, 617 was split to include 508, and all the businesses that objected to having a 508 number and be assumed to be “in the sticks.”

Addressing is a thorny and sometimes fun issue that exists everywhere there is modern telecommunications.  Location is sometimes assumed and often desired but is not achievable.  It used to be possible with the telephone companies and pretty much had to be in order to mechanically route between switching centers. You knew if it had a prefix of abc that it had to go down the wire toward abc or toward some device that knew where abc was.  That’s not possible today, and you might be surprised to know that number portability has made the phone system very much like the Internet. 

In general, there is a mapping function from the phone number to an IPv6 address, just as there is for a phone number and an E911 address, which is maintained by the user. You can usually find the IPv6 address in your phone if you poke around in settings.

For cell phones, once the phone is connected to a tower, its POTS number (truly called that by engineers for “Plain Old Telephone System” is recorded in a database, but the phone is assigned an IPv6 address.  So when you make a call, the system looks up the POTS number you are trying to reach and then finds the associated IPv6 address and establishes a route to the remote system.  Some of this complexity, especially with the international calling schema, is what allows scammers to appear to call from someplace or someone you know.  (BTW: the phone companies know how to fix this, but it will cost some money, so we consumers lose.   The solution is called ingress filtering.

In any event, with number portability, you can keep your 207 number no matter where in the US/Canada you move to.  And if enough people do it, then a new area code will have to be assigned for Maine just to handle all the people who move to… Florida?

In Internet terms, blocks of IPv4 addresses are assigned and even bought and sold. They have nothing to do with the location of whoever is visiting your website except statistically in the same way that 207 usually means Maine.

This is irritatingly pleasant to those of us who want to limit our information exposure and who use a VPN or … Starlink.  (VPNs do work but are expensive and require some technical know-how).  Starlink, in this part of the world, enters the big Internet in an “Internet hotel” in NYC.  (An Internet hotel is basically a large building full of routers and connections to all the other big ISPs).  So when I go shopping at a large online retailer like Lowes, Costco, etc., they always want me to choose my “home store,” which is invariably in Queens.

My 978 number is routinely used by the Mass state government and politicos who want me to know about COVID-19 vaccine availability or political candidates.

In any event, I’m guessing that you’re bored now. If not, you might look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_address and  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System.

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