Junior Report – June 2024

By Betty Young
Terry LaCombe
MSG Junior Co-Directors

Thank you all for the cards, prayers, and get-well wishes. I took my rest seriously, and I am slowly getting back into the swing of things.

Maine State Junior Grange will meet at Headquarters in Augusta on the 29th of June, 2024 to celebrate Maine State Grange’s 150th Sesquicentennial. (1874-2024) We all look forward to participating. If you have a Junior Member and are interested in joining us on this day, please contact someone on our committee. Please find our schedule below.

  • 11:30 am Leaders will arrive. Set up, photo releases, discuss July and get ready for noon.
  • 12:00 pm Pizza lunch for Junior’s and families. Refreshments will be available between 1 pm and 4 pm. Many thanks in advance to the 150th Sesquicentennial Committee.
  • 12:30 pm Go upstairs, practice song, and check for Junior seats.
  • 1 pm Rest/Craft/Discuss July’s meeting.
  • 1:30 pm Outside to practice song/yard game before going upstairs. The bank will be closed. However, we will need to proceed with caution and depends on weather.
  • 2:00 pm Start heading upstairs for the program.
  • 2:30 pm Program starts. You can leave anytime after we sing or stay to visit.

*PLEASE NOTE: This schedule will be followed as closely as possible but may be altered if needed.

We have a fun summer and fall planned:

July- “fun in the sun” and we won’t forget the sunscreen! We will discuss this during the June meeting.

August 3rd-5th – Jr Grange Camp will be in the southern part of the beautiful state of Maine.

You don’t have to be a Junior Grange member to attend. We will teach you all about Junior Grange. Parents are welcome/encouraged to stay with your children if you would like. A background check is necessary. Big E Craft.

Sept 21st- Headquarters (Get ready for State session)

Oct- Meeting is State Session.

We will send the song and other details to each Junior family via email. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you.

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President’s Perspective – June 2024

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

June 29,2024 is our 150th Anniversary Celebration from 1 to 4 pm at our HQ home/office at 146 State Street in Augusta. Refreshments will be available all afternoon. We will have historical photo albums of Past State Masters to look through, Dot Brown’s Youth Department photo albums, memorabilia to see, lists of all the Granges organized in Maine over the past 150 years, other items to share, and a “Meet Our State Officers” game for all to participate in if you wish. We will have a short program at 2:30. All are welcome to attend. We do have a chair lift. Casual attire.

I’m very pleased to announce we cleared over $500 at our recent fundraiser event June 1st, with Visa gift card raffles, t-shirt sales, other Grange items and 50/50. THANK YOU to the many supporters and helpers, Granges and individuals selling and buying tickets. Each of the $100 gift cards were won by Grange members Gailene of Golden Harvest Grange in Carmel and Karen of Danville Junction in Danville. The 50/50 was won by someone in Vienna.

June is the time for election of officers. As soon after the election has been held, the elected Master/President selects the Committee Chairs and committee members for their Grange. This should be done right away, there is no need to wait for the installation of officers to get your committees set up; they will take over their term at installation. Some of the most common Committees in our Granges are Legislative-Agriculture, Women’s Activities, Youth, Junior, Community Service, Family, Health & Hearing, Membership, and Others. Other Committees may be named as needed and specific to your Grange. Special Committees are set up as required for a special event or activity. Please tell your secretary who will be the chairmen so she/he can report the roster information to the office.

It is important to provide the following information to us for each Grange for the 2025 Roster: Grange Name and number; street address and town of Grange Hall; meeting day(s) and time. (Maine State Grange By-Laws: ARTICLE XXII – MEETINGS Section 1. The Bylaws of each Subordinate Grange should definitely fix the day and hour of all regular meetings.) Include if you havesupper or refreshments and time.

Plus we need the following information for the Officers and chairmen.

  • Master/President: name; address; phone; (cell if they want it listed) and e-mail address.
  • Lecturer: name: name; address; phone; (cell if they want it listed) and e-mail address.
  • Secretary: name; address; phone; (cell if they want it listed) and e-mail address.
  • CWA Chairman: n name; address; phone; (cell if they want it listed) and e-mail address.

If you want to type the information out separately and mail or email it to us, that would be fine. We will be sending the 2025 Roster information forms to the Grange Secretaries. Please fill them out legibly and return them to the office as soon as possible.  

I know I am repeating myself again, but remember Resolutions are due in the office by August 15th. Every resolution must have a title already named by the presenting Grange and must be voted in the affirmative in that Grange, in a regular meeting opened in full form. Any resolutions to make changes to State or National Grange By-Laws must refer to the Article number; Section number; and sub-section number(s) and be written out in full as it currently appears in the State or National By-laws, then the new change written out in full with the change(s) to be made written out in full.

 Another reminder I have not mentioned for a while. I have only received 45 updated membership lists of the 80 Subordinate Granges. Obviously, I am still looking for the rest of them! Please get them updated and sent to the office or emailed to me.

Fundraising Report – June 2024

Norma Meserve, MSG Fundraising Chairperson
207 998-2586

Report of the 2024 Annual State Grange Yard Sale

What a beautiful day it was for the annual State Grange Yard Sale on June 1, 2024. Sunny and warm and people were ready to shop! This event was once again held at Manchester Grange. There were approximately 15 tables rented, including the Lions Club, which once again sold breakfast and lunch. The State Grange Fundraising Committee had a table with sales items available as well as a 50/50 and a Raffle for two $100 VISA gift cards. The winners of the gift cards were Gailene Friedly of Golden Harvest Grange in Carmel and Karen Gagne from Danville Junction Grange in Danville. The winner of the 50/50 was Dana Long from Vienna. Overall, it was a very successful day. We raised over $400. I would like to thank all those Granges and Grangers who sold raffle tickets ahead of time for us.

Your help is greatly appreciated and the Fundraising Committee couldn’t make these events successful without your help. I would also like to thank Manchester Grange for again hosting us, and a special thanks to Linda Cobb, who was very accommodating in meeting us and the renters at various times to set up.

Until next time, have a great summer and I hope to see many of you at Headquarters for the State Grange’s 150th Anniversary celebration on June 29th.

Answer This Question!

Line drawing with questions

I have been thinking about ways to give back to my community, and I am curious about what the Grange Halls’ main functions are today. There is a great deal of information regarding the history of the Grange Hall but not much about what the purpose is today. I have talked with a Grange member and know that they provide educational scholarships and hold public suppers to raise money but beyond that I am not sure.

Website Visitor Lisa

(Answer provided by Walter Boomsma, Maine State Grange Communications Director. But local Granges should also be providing their own answers. Make your interests, events, and programs known.)

Thank you for your question and desire to give back to your community. The answer to your question is an example of how sometimes an organization’s greatest strength is its greatest weakness.

The Grange is a grassroots organization and, therefore, a very diverse organization. In a general and national sense, the Grange has a “Declaration of Purposes,” but within that framework, local Granges tend to have different focuses and interests. A correct but not very helpful answer to the question could be “It depends.”

For example, I can think of Granges that are focused on being a community center and providing a home to community resources and hosting events. A number of Granges sponsor a “Words for Thirds” Program by providing personal dictionaries to third graders in local schools. Some Granges provide entertainment ranging from concerts to open mics and craft fairs. Given the Grange’s strong agricultural roots, some Granges focus on supporting farms and farmers in their area. Knitting and sewing activities and classes are not uncommon. It really does depend on the interests and commitments of the local members.

That variety means a local Grange is open to new programs and ventures. I’ve occasionally said, “If you have a passion, we have the place.” Originally, the Grange was about supporting and strengthening the American Farmer. Our purpose has expanded to supporting and strengthening our communities and residents of all ages. Any member with an idea for doing that can expect an opportunity to use the hall and Grange resources to achieve a greater sense of community.

An eye to the future would see additional possibilities that go beyond the physical Grange Hall as technology expands the definition of “community.” When the Grange first formed, farm families hooked up their horses and wagons to meet at Grange halls both for socializing and for learning together. The community was defined by how far one could comfortably travel in a horse and wagon. While the local and in-person aspects will always be a bedrock of the Grange, the impact of a local Grange program can readily and quickly reach much farther.

We need to keep asking what we can do and what we want to do while honoring our motto: “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things charity.”

The Chaplain’s View – June 2024

Christine Hebert, MSG Chaplain
(207) 743-5277

The Eight Beatitudes
  1. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  2. Blessed are the meek; for they shall possess the land.
  3. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.
  4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice; for they shall be filled.
  5. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.
  6. Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God.
  7. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.
  8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for the sake of justice; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Good Will Publishers Inc. Copyright 1961

The beatitudes, how many of us truly understand these?  We all have different understandings.

This is one of my understandings: As God’s children, I would like to think that we walk in love serving others, by feeding the hungry, helping the fatherless and widows, clothing people in need, and listening as God does to his children.

Grange Heirloom — June 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 Service/FHH – June 2024

By Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service/FHH Director
(207) 608-9193

There has been some confusion and questions regarding our “Coups for Troops” Program. Some of this is because the official program was discontinued some time ago and we are now involved in the “TroopOns” program. We just haven’t changed the name until now!

Troopons is a program in which the Grange participates to help the military and their families.

  • Coupons must be manufacturer coupons only.
  • Coupons that have expired up to six months ago can still be used. 
  • There are four categories: food, non-food, baby and pets.

Group coupons in baggies and label on the outside of baggie:

  • Expired or unexpired
  • Category: food, non-food, baby, or pets
  • Number of coupons in the baggie
  • Dollar amount of coupons in the baggie
  • Please include an email address so troops/family can email thank you.

Send to Community Service Committee:
Brenda Dyer, Director
9 Marial Avenue
Biddeford, ME  04005

The Community Service Committee verifies and documents the baggies, then forwards them to Troopons. Troopons distributes the coupons to commissaries.

Learn more about Troopons here!

PLEASE Keep track of community service hours for each member and non-member involved in each project.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

June is election of officers. Remember, “The office seeks the man and not the man the office.”

Survey – Ag Trades Show

MSG Communications Department

The organizers of the Maine Agricultural Trades Show are looking for input on what you want to see:

  • Why do you attend the show? 
  • What types of business services do you seek?
  • What makes an ideal conference session topic or presentation style? 
  • What is on your wish list for BPC re-certification credit topics?
  • Suggested topics for daily networking and listening sessions

Click here to complete the survey!

View from the Hill – May 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.

View Updates

Note this is the final issue of “View from the Hill.” The content will become part of Grange Today! The first issue will be released June 14, 2024.