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Maine State Grange Bulletin Maine State Grange

146 State Street

Augusta Maine 04330

http://mainestateGrange.org

DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE

The two words ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they

signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.

Sydney J. Harris

Note: The views and opinions expressed in contributed articles are those of the

author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Grange.

Highlights for Secretaries to Read In this section, we’ll try to help secretaries by providing a very short synopsis of each article. Try

just reading just this highlights section during “communications” and offer the Bulletin to those

interested in more information. Then post on the Bulletin Board or make copies so members can

read the sections of interest.

Master’s Memo— National Convention Report, Setting Goals for 2017

Agriculture Report— Ag Expo, Scholarships… help needed!

Communications Column— Where do Grangers come from?

Community Service/FHH Corner— lighting up lives

CWA Report— Mittens, and robes, and shawls, oh my!

Junior Report— Nine ladies dancing with the stars?

Lecturer’s Column– Let’s spice it up!

Membership Column— Give a gift to your Grange!

Exploring Traditions— Grange Emblems for classroom management?

View from the Farm— Ready enough!?

National Grange to Offer Magazine—information and subscription form for “Good Day”

Campbells Labels for Education Program Winding Down—give it one last push!

But wait, there’s more! — stories you may have missed…

Master’s Memo By Rick Grotton, Master

This month is flying by. The last three months have been extremely

busy. With State Grange, National Grange, Deputy School and a State

Officer's meeting behind us it looks like January and February will be

equally busy. Northeast Leader's Conference and Master's Conference

are on the horizon as well as the Agricultural Trade Show and Fair Association meeting.

National Grange this year was the 150th National Convention in Washington, DC. We

enjoyed our tour of DC going to Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath laying and

changing of the guard, a tour of the National Grange Building, the War Memorials and the

Lincoln Memorial. It was a great session and our National Master, Betsy Huber, did a great

job. We now have a new National Lecturer, Christine Hamp, from Washington State. Many

of you remember Sister Chris. She attended our State Session a couple years ago as our

National Representative with her husband Duane. Also, Brenda Rousselle, Vermont State

Master, was elected as National Lady Assistant Steward.

Congratulations to Riverside #475 as they received the 2016 Distinguished Grange

Award for the third year in a row and to Maple Grove #148 for receiving Honorable Mention

for their Community Service Book. Great job!!! A beautiful Memorial Service was done by

Sister Barbara Bordereaux, National Chaplain. A tribute to our own Nancy Clark as well as

other deceased past delegates and National dignitaries were part of the service. National

membership had a net gain this year! Our state needs to have all 120 Granges bring in 2

members apiece and we will be at that same level.

One of our convention speakers elaborated on a great point. The Grange was formed at

the time our nation was divided. It helped tremendously to bring people back together.

Today, our nation is divided again and the Grange is needed more than ever to help bring

this country back together. Let's work our magic and do what great Grangers do. Be there to

help others, provide a place for them to meet and socialize, and to support our communities.

Whether you are a small grange or a large one, let everyone know you are still the Grange

and the Grange is here for all. This is our time to shine and to grow. All the tools are at our

disposal and the mix of current events occurring nationally and statewide is where Grangers

prosper. Let us not miss out on this opportunity. Our communities need us!

December 4 was the 149th birthday of the Grange meaning 2017 will be the 150th,

meaning: You got it! Celebrations! I would suggest every Grange do a program or

celebration next year. Let your communities know we are 150 years old and proud of it!

Published by Maine State Grange

Walter Boomsma, Editor

Submit articles and info to: Walter@MaineStateGrange.org Additional Contacts:

Master Rick Grotton 582-5915

Lecturer Margaret Morse 439-0413

Chaplain Dolores Moore 843-7772

Secretary Sharon Morton 485-6197

Chief Deputy Maynard Chapman 998-5331

Agricultural Director Karen Gagne 592-6980

Communications Director Walter Boomsma 343-1842

Community Service/FHH Director Christine Corliss 457-6265

CWA Director Karen Flagg 225-2328

Fundraising Chairman Steven Haycock 998-2586

Junior Director Christine Hebert 743-5277

Legislative Director James Annis 564-0820

Membership Director Kay Khalvati 242-5521

Youth Director Christina Colson 453-4796

Historian Stanley Howe 824-2291

Address for bulletin submissions only:

17 River Road Abbot ME 04406

Deadline is the 15th of the month!

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Invite the public, provide visitors with a copy of the history of your Grange for all to enjoy and/or put on a meal or refreshments. Be

creative, be proud, and most of all, smile! State Grange will be hosting a celebration the first weekend of December so planning should

start soon! Whatever type of event you hold, make sure to take pictures and send a write-up for the website. Share with your Brother

and Sister Grangers throughout the state! After all, it is a milestone and we must show that we made it and will continue to grow!

We had a good time at Deputy school and a very productive State Officer's meeting. I would encourage all Directors to attend

Northeast Leaders Conference in Rutland, VT on Jan 27-29. Information will be on the website. This is a great opportunity if you are

on a State Committee as there will be breakout sessions for most committees. Our National Master will be in attendance.

By the way, whenever your Grange is considering changing your by-laws, there are certain steps which must be done. Ensure that

all members know that this meeting is happening; each member should be allowed the chance to attend this meeting. A two/thirds vote

is necessary for passage. By-law changes are not to conflict with National and State by-laws. Then, the new by-laws must be approved

by the State Master. Refer to the National Digest and State By-Laws if changes are forthcoming.

Have your Grange make some New Year's resolutions for the coming year. Write down some goals at or by your first meeting of

the year and strive to make them reality. Have fun doing it. Make resolutions for your own consideration and make them come true.

Make it a competition. Have members write down five (or whatever you choose) goals each member vows to do for Grange. At the end

of the year, see who has completed their list. Make your goals challenging; bring in 2 members next year, chair a supper or event

involving the community, set a fundraising goal of whatever number of dollars. Imagine if just five members could complete such a list

then your Grange would have at least ten new members, there would be five suppers/community events held and a good sum of

fundraising money. Sounds easy, doesn't it? It sounds easy because it is. Each example is highly attainable. You will be so caught up in

the hype and not want to be outdone by others that you won't even think about reaching your goals; they will just happen.

Agriculture Report By Karen Gagne, Agriculture Director

The Maine State Grange Agricultural Committee is busy planning for the New Year and all the activities and

events coming up. We are looking for a few volunteers to assist us sitting at the Grange booth at the Maine

Agricultural Trade Show from January 10-12 at the Augusta Civic Center. If you are willing to help, please call me at 207-592-

6980. Thank you!

We are also working on putting baskets together to raffle off in support of the Maine Grange Agricultural scholarships. We would

welcome items to add to the baskets, so if you are willing to donate items to the baskets (Maine-made, agricultural or Chocolate) please

contact me and I will arrange to meet you or pick up the items. The baskets will be at the Legislative Luncheon in March (date to be

announced later) so if you are planning to be in Augusta for that event bring your items with you!

I will be attending the Maine Agricultural Fair Association meeting in January to talk with fair superintendents about the possible

option to have Granges display an Educational/Informational booth at local fairs. I am hoping there are some Granges interested in

setting up an educational display at local fairs. If your Grange would be interested in setting up a display, could you please contact me

at 207-592-6980 or email me at Karen.h.gagne@maine.edu or snail mail at 217 Philbrick Rd Sidney ME 04330. This is a great

opportunity for Granges to get the word out to the public and our local communities and opportunities to grow membership.

Thank you for all you do for your Grange members, agricultural families and local communities.

Communications Column By Walter Boomsma, Communications Director

Just recently I had the opportunity to spend some time with two young ladies. When I say “young” that means

one was a sixth grader, the other a fourth grader. Even though this was not school-related, I tend to believe we who

are adults should always be “teaching” children, if only through good role modeling. So I stay alert for

opportunities.

They were having a conversation in the back seat that began with an announcement that an adult friend of theirs was pregnant. For

reasons I certainly do not understand, the younger asked no one in particular, “When the Mom is pregnant, can the Dad drink wine?”

I tried to look smaller and hoped that I would not be drawn into the conversation. Yes, I am a teacher. I also certainly qualify as an

SME (Subject Matter Expert) on this topic in a relative sense when compared to most kids. And I was reasonably sure a simple “yes”

answer was not going to be the end of the conversation.

Worry wasn’t necessary, the sixth grader accepted the challenge, explaining that while the Mom shouldn’t drink, it would be okay

for the Dad to do so. The fourth grader accepted this, explaining that she understood the Mom shouldn’t drink since the baby was in her

stomach.

The sixth grader gently corrected this, noting that she’d learned in health class that “the baby is actually in the nest mothers have in

their bodies.”

I drove on, both relieved and feeling a bit smarter having learned a new vocabulary term associated with reproduction. I now have

a better explanation of the process and successfully escaped from dealing with the topic.

That sixth grader was, in the truest sense, the “ideal adviser” because she was “one or two steps above the learner.” This is an

important concept we learn in teaching and communication. Sometimes the best teacher and communicator is not the most

knowledgeable. It’s easy to overwhelm the learner with too much information. The learner loses interest and gains very little knowledge.

The conversation between the girls continued briefly as they explored the topic at a level that met their youthful needs. In fairy tale

terms, we all “lived happily ever after.”

Sometimes knowing the answer just isn’t that important–or necessary! There are times when we need to bite our tongues and sit on

our hands so it’s truly about learning and not just about teaching.

A lesson for Grangers might be simply this: perhaps the best person to explain Grange Membership (or procedure or ritual) to a

new member is your newer member. They will, hopefully, be your most enthusiastic and—more importantly—will understand exactly

how much that newest person needs and wants to understand.

When we get asked a question, instead of thinking about how much we know, we would be better served to consider what our

questioner needs to know. There’s an old story about a kid who comes home from school and asks his father, “Where did I come from?”

After a lengthy and somewhat uncomfortable conversation about the fundamental facts of life, the father asks what triggered the

conversation. The now fully educated child replies, “We have a new kid at school who said that he’s from Chicago, so I wondered where

I came from…”

So where do Grangers come from?

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Community Service/FHH Corner By Christine Corliss, Community Service and FHH Director

The holiday season has been upon us and those feelings of giving, magic & love have surrounded

us. Watching the faces of those around us light up is the most delightful thing of all. Why not have that feeling

all year round? Join up with your Community Service Director and share those feelings all year long. Just take

the time and get involved. Light up someone else’s life, spread the love and joy not just when the weather turns

cold, but warm the hearts of your community all year long.

As Granges go forward to a winter schedule here in the north, why not try to make those meetings warm and inviting to the

community. Bring in some interesting guest speakers, put out some warm baked goods and warm apple cider and enjoy each other.

January is National Blood Donor Month, National Glaucoma Month, Birth Direct Prevention Month and Human Trafficking

Awareness Month. February is American Heart Month, Low Vision Awareness Month, Black History Month & National Children’s

Dental Health Month. Invite a speaker from one or two of the different organizations to come and speak, open your hall and your

hearts to the community. Just make sure to advertise, advertise, advertise. If that is not an option maybe have a Family Game or Craft

Night, but whatever you do just remember to have fun.

Maine State Grange Community Service making a difference “ONE” project at a time!

CWA Report By Karen Flagg, CWA Director

Happy Holidays to all of Mike and my Grange friends. Hope everyone is staying warm and working on projects

for all of the upcoming contests. How about making an extra pair or two of mittens to donate to the Little Wanderers

next year. Another idea I had was for any of you that ENJOY shopping after Christmas, consider picking up some

of those after the holiday sales for the children? Perhaps if there is enough interest we could do a toy or clothing walk to donate at State

session, sort of like we do for the "Penny Collection" for House in the Woods.

For those that like to stay busy, I have been told that the House in the Woods could always use lap robes and shawls for either

men or women. I will take any and all that are donated and store them until the "House" actually opens. As usual, any questions, please

feel free to call me. Until next year, have a safe entry into the new year.

Fundraising Report By Norma Meserve, Fundraising Committee Member

As 2016 is coming to a close and we look toward the new year, the fundraising committee is moving forward with several

projects.

One of our big fundraisers for 2016 was the State Grange sponsored variety show. This was so much fun that we have decided to

do it again in 2017. So mark your calendars! The variety show will be held on Saturday, April 29th (the 5th Saturday) at 6:00pm at

Topsham Grange. We are once again looking for acts for this event. So if you have a hidden talent or know someone who does please

let us know. You do not have to be a grange member to perform or attend. We are looking for singers, dancers, musical numbers,

comedy acts etc. (no creatures please). The performances need to be family friendly. More details on this will be forthcoming.

Junior Report by Guest Reporter Kathy Gowen, Junior Committee Member

Ten Lords a leaping, Nine ladies dancing… If you are a lord or lady that spontaneously taps your

feet or nods your head in beat to this fun and favorite Christmas carol, then you should consider being

part of the Juniors’ Assistant and Ladies Assistant Stewards Contest. The Juniors would like you to

“Dare to Accept the Challenge” and join us on April 8, 2017 from 1:00 to 4:00 at State Headquarters

in Augusta. Let’s make this a fun and educational event for all Grangers. As “not so junior” Grangers

we can show the youngsters how it is done.

Dust off those hidden ambitions of being on “Dancing with the Stars” and put together a team to put your best foot forward. Find

a partner and show us your best floor work. Who will shine -- the youth, the veterans or a combination? Who will the judges hail -- a

pair from a Subordinate, Pomona, or (dare we say) State Grange?

If you are not up to the challenge, please announce this event at your Grange meetings and encourage your members. Wouldn’t it

be wonderful to have representatives from every Pomona at this event?

Details are in the Junior’s section of the Maine State Grange website or for further questions contact Junior Director Christine

Hebert @ (207) 743-5277 or christinehebert@outlook.com.

Lecturer’s Column By Margaret Morse, MSG Lecturer

It is said the change is the spice of life, so spice things up. When putting your program together, mix things

up. Remember the Lecturer’s task is to inspire, entertain and educate. Your program doesn’t have to follow the

same pattern every time in fact changing the order will keep your members guessing what’s next. Make sure

whatever you have planned flows easily from one part to another.

A BIG THANK YOU to Sister Sherry Harriman for editing and printing the 2016-2017 program guide and labels. Without her help I

would not have gotten them out as soon.

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Membership Column By Kay Khalvati, Membership Director

I love this time of year! November and December are my some of my personal favorites. Everything has a festive air about it,

and it is such an inclusive time of year. As the carol says, everyone is full of good cheer! Gifts large and small are given and greatly

appreciated.

As we join in this festive season, I ask you all to give a gift to your Grange. Large or small is greatly appreciated. In fact, the

most valuable gift of all may not cost anything. Please commit to your Grange’s membership goals, by inviting your friends and

neighbors to become Grangers.

This may seem paradoxical when many Granges adopt winter schedules now. However, if you have a supply of membership

applications and/or your Grange’s Program Schedule handy before the winter break starts, January and February can be great times to

invite new members to join.

This is the best time of year to invite potential members to join (again). If you are taking a winter break, they will have an

opportunity to plan ahead for their new Grange schedule. If you do not close for a winter break, the schedule is generally more

flexible, given weather and other considerations.

By focusing on inviting and accepting applications during the lead up to spring months, your Grange will have a head start. What

a nice feature for Grange Month in April… to have new members introduced and/or taking their degrees!

So, I encourage you to make a commitment to give an invitation to join the Grange to anyone you greet this holiday season. It

may be the best gift you can give your Grange.

Exploring Traditions--Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life By Walter Boomsma

For several years now I’ve used our staves as part of our Valley Grange Dictionary Day

visits—whether the kids visit us at the Grange Hall or we visit their classrooms. They have

always seemed to enjoy learning about these “farmer’s tools” and often will mention them

when they write thank you notes. Occasionally a student will accurately draw each of the four.

When that happens, I confess to wondering if we Grangers can remember all four? I hope so

because I also explain to these third graders why we use them in our meetings. Historically that

explanation has been a general one. This year I decided to be a bit more specific and I turned

to the officer installation ceremony for help.

“Your emblem is the Spud, an ancient implement used by Stewards in passing through the fields to eradicate weeds that may have

escaped the notice of the laborers… Let it remind you of your duty as a faithful steward to remove all causes of dissension or strife, in

the Grange and in order.” When I’ve explained to the kids that all Grangers see the spud as a reminder to keep the Grange free of weeds,

they offer what some of the things are they as classmates, might want to eliminate for their classroom. Their answers often include

“bullying” and “bad words.”

“Your emblem is the Pruning Hook. The spear, beaten into a pruning hook is emblematic of peace. May it always remind you of

your duty to preserve peace in our order…” There’s a natural progression here. My dictionary day helpers know the staves must be in

the “right” order before I began—not just because of tradition, but because it makes sense. When we eliminate bad things (dissension

and strife or bullying and bad words) we begin building peace.

“I present you, the Lady Assistant Steward of your Grange with the Shepherd’s Crook, which symbolizes a sense of caring.” I will

confess that my instruction to the children takes some editorial license, in part because we have fun with this “tool.” I’ll select a volunteer

to be a sheep and demonstrate how the shepherd uses the crook “like a leash” to guide the sheep. The application is, therefore, that

seeing the crook reminds us that we each can be a leader, guiding others in our efforts to remove “weeds” and “build peace.”

The kids love the owl; he’s almost everybody’s favorite stave. When I remove him from the stand, someone always shouts, “He’s

cute!” (The one I use is wooden and quite realistic in appearance.) Upon receiving it, the Gatekeeper is told “I caution you to be vigilant

and watchful” with a comparatively lengthy explanation of the dangers to be kept from our Order. Usually the kids can come up with

why a farmer might like an owl to “scare away birds and mice.” In the Grange, the owl reminds us to see what’s around us, both to enjoy

beauty but also to protect it by removing dissension…

I confess the first time I tried this it was unrehearsed and probably didn’t hang together as well as it could and now does. As a

teacher, for the first time I saw these four staves as potential classroom management tools—even joking with one class that it’s too bad

they don’t have a set like we do—or maybe a photo poster of them. I also confess that I now see the staves a bit different myself. These

tools represent tools that we must use constantly to preserve our Order, an Order that strives to remove dissension and strife, build peace

and caring, and develop vigilance and watchfulness.

“The Order of the Patrons of Husbandry is the only association whose teachings accompany its members in their daily pursuits.

They form part of the farmer’s life. They do not call him from his work to put his mind upon any other subjects, but furnish recreation

in his daily duties, and, by cheerful instruction, lighten and elevate his labor.”

While the literal staves may remain in the holders between meetings, what they represent should accompany us in our daily pursuits.

I would encourage (uh oh, sounds like we’re going to get some homework!) each member to find or borrow a Grange Manual and

read/study the installing officer’s opening address. That address describes some of the reasons we need those staves—not just for four

people to hold and carry during the ritual but as a way of life.

View from the Farm By Heather Retberg

With the roof on the barn addition but one panel away from complete, half of this year's firewood has been

brought in under cover at last and Phil has declared us 'ready enough' for winter. Ready or not, here winter

comes! The ice on the water buckets and tubs is growing thicker now and outdoor running water has become a

thing of the past. The dairy cows are housed indoors and soon the fuzzy bulls, dry cows and goats will

follow. We're not quite so far along as we'd like to be just now in the season, with wood still to split and gable

ends and doors still to add to the barn to really make it snug for the wintry storms to come, but...we're ready enough. And, here winter

comes.

We've gone "attic shopping" and found the hats, gloves, scarves, coats and snow pants that ought to fit this winter, and, most

importantly...the ice skates! While single digits have made morning and evening chore times challenging, the ice on the pond is much

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more welcome, groomed even, in hopes of good ice for months to come. Each of the ABCs has hit the ice already in this early 'off

season' for skating and Ben has begun his skating hours log. Here winter comes. Ready enough. It's getting real.

Our newest bull calf is a hopping, prancing 10 day old, already keeping up with Lucy, weeks older, and oh, so much bigger. He

seems to have recovered completely from the hard arrival last week and is making great strides towards a happy calfhood. Mama

Charity, sweet Bumbles that she is, is not yet up to bouncing about, it can safely be said. She's doing tremendously well, all things

considered, but...is still recovering. Getting up after lying down is not yet an easy task and often requires a 3-farmer "lift assist". I

never knew that could be possible, but...we're figuring it out.

Mid-December brings us back to the elementals, slowing things down, requiring more time, more patience to complete the daily

necessities of care, food, water and shelter to all the Quill's Endian creatures. Ice brings joy and hours of pleasure, and also harder chore

times, tricky traversing, unpredictable machinery. There is talk from some quarters of spraying the walkways with water and just tending

the animals on ice skates. I'll let you know if we figure that one out. If we can lift a cow, maybe we can lug water and hay on skates,

too. We're getting this. We're ready...enough. Here winter comes.

May you enjoy all the challenges and joys that bless your days as we travel right headlong into winter. And, may you be

ready. Well, at least, ready enough.

###

Heather and Phil Retberg together with their three children run Quill's End Farm, a 105-acre property in Penobscot that they bought in 2004. They

use rotational grazing on their fifteen open acres and are renovating thirty more acres from woods to pasture to increase grazing for their pigs,

grass-fed cattle, lambs, laying hens, and goats. Heather is Master of Halcyon Grange #345 and writes a newsletter for their farm's buying clubs for

farmers in her area and has generously given us permission to share some of her columns with Grangers throughout the state.

National Grange to Offer Magazine By Karie Blasingame, TracFone Communication Fellow

The shortest month of the year will bring about one of the biggest new things in our Grange

communications arsenal. Good Day, a hard-copy quarterly publication will hit mailboxes this February. A

subscription only based magazine costing $14 per year will include great features, the latest information

about the Grange, contests, programs, benefits and more. This publication is being made possible by “grant

money that has been obtained to provide the start-up funding,” stated National Grange President Betsy Huber

in her Master’s Address at the 150th Annual Session of the National Grange.

At the Virginia State Grange Session, they voted that for the first year to provide a subscription for each

subordinate Grange, “the hope is that each Grange will see what it is like, enjoy it and order it for themselves

next year,” said Jimmy Taylor, Virginia State Grange President. “We’ve got to get it in people’s hands for

them to know they want it,” Taylor said.

In addition to the magazine being a communication and advertising tool for Granges, Huber hopes, “you will use it as a

membership tool to show all the great things Granges are doing and the various opportunities people have as a member of the

organization.”

The Good Day magazine will be self-supporting through advertising and subscriptions. Granges can submit stories for approval

and pay for advertising in the magazine.

Don’t forget to fill out your Good Day Magazine subscription cards and get them submitted before the first issue. You don’t want

to miss a copy. Additional subscription cards are available on the Maine State Grange website and from deputies.

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Campbells “Labels for Education” winding down

Brought to our attention by Vicki Huff… “Wanted to make Grangers across Maine that have been collecting Campbell Soup labels

aware that the program is going away. You can verify by going to the following

link http://www.labelsforeducation.com/. Cans already with labels may be on shelves into 2017

and schools and organizations can continue collecting through August 2017 and then the

program will be stopped. This program has been in existence for 42 years and I have not read everything as to why so do your due

diligence.”

A quick review of the site Vicki mentioned reveals:

“In the past few years participation in Labels for Education has declined and as a result, Campbell has come to the very difficult

decision to wind down the Labels for Education program. As of August 1, 2016, only UPCs with the Labels for Education logo will be

accepted and redeemed for points into registered schools’ bank accounts. We will continue to support American kids through our

Grand Stand for Schools Sweepstakes and our community efforts in which we annually contribute $70 million in food and funding to

tackle obesity and hunger among our country’s most vulnerable families.”

Since the labels will be around and valid until next summer, why not give this another big push!?

Note: do not confuse this with the Boxtops for Education Program which, as far as we know, continues!

But wait, there’s more! A sampling of articles posted on the website:

Remember, the MSG website is your “goto” place for news and information as it becomes available. Some recent articles on the

site include:

Information about “Lecturer’s Programs in a Box” available from National Grange;

North East Leaders’ Conference information and forms:

Information about the 2017 Census of Agriculture:

Update about the Unique Maine Farms Project:

Story about Granger Mike Sanphy being sworn in as Mayor of Westbrook;

An extensive list of volunteer opportunities available around the state with the Veterans’ Administration;

Daily Reports from National Convention from Vicki Huff, Roving Reporter;

Copies of “The Patrons Chain” published daily during National Convention; and

Several “Exciting Grangers and Granges” stories and photos.

Word of thanks… From Walter Boomsma, Communications Director

As we come to the end of another year, let me offer a word of thanks for those who have been supportive of the Bulletin this past year: writers,

contributors, and especially readers! I am also grateful to those who offer encouragement and the occasional compliment!

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new

things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing

things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.

Neil Gaiman

Officers and directors, please remember that meeting and conference information must be submitted at least two months ahead to

be printed in the Bulletin. (For example, the Bulletin published in January will include events taking place in March.) Please also

remember to send us copies of new program books, contest rules, and applications, etc. as they are developed or revised.

PLEASE POST A COPY OF THE BULLETIN TO YOUR GRANGE’S BULLETIN BOARD!

All articles and information must be submitted by the fifteenth of the month. Our goal is then to have the issue assembled, printed and mailed

by the end of that month. (Articles will be posted to the website as received unless otherwise requested.)

All letters or articles submitted for publication must have contents relating to the Grange and may be edited for length and grammar. When

submitting future events, please allow lead adequate lead time and include all the details such as date, time, Grange (and location) and a contact

for more information. The complete policy is available on the Maine State Grange website.