Good Day! Winter 2018/19 [V2I4]

Good DAY!

A quarterly publication of the National Grange Vol. 2, Issue 4 l Winter 2019

FUTURE

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Good DAY! 9

NATIONAL NEWS & VIEWS

SPECIAL SECTION: 2019 Contest, Program Guide

43

National President looks to Youth for answers to fulfill “Esto Perpetua” motto

Every member can shine with new, continuing contests, programs

Elections results announced

Plus 2018 winners listed

Editor says Grange need not be rebuilt, but adaptation and openness key to continued relevance and success in year 151

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3 Rural Champions honored New Trademark Manager welcomed, past Membership Director returns to staff

PERSPECTIVE: 152nd Annual Convention

Year’s major event offers opportunities for all; recognition opportunities for many 2 receive Goss Award for service to Youth

TOOL: Grange Inventory Phone survey of all Granges will help fill gaps for better service, future

VIEW: Junior recounts fun had over week of service as host region volunteer at session

VIEW: Members encouraged to “DO SOMETHING” First round of irreplacable National Grange documents digitization, partnership introduced after state sees successful pilot SMS program tested, plan announced that is scaled for use by any Grange

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MEMBER NEWS & RECOGNITION

33 35

Granges celebrating milestone anniversaries

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STATE & LOCAL GRANGE NEWS

55

California State President passes unexpectedly, new State President installed Hall gets extreme makeover thanks to local TV station, volunteers

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LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

69

Delegate actions set 2019 course; new policies presented

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GRANGE FOUNDATION

71

1 in 1,000 Club holds first event in Stowe

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JUNIOR GRANGE

73

Starting in 2019, all Junior volunteers for regional, national events required to complete background checks through new firm New Passport focuses on Kelley Farm

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GRANGE YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS

81

New Youth Director announced 2018 female Youth Ambassador profile VIEW: Sixth-generation member looks back on family legacy Grange team earns honors at National Junior Horticulture Association convention

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HOBBIES

88

2019 contest’s quilt block designed by 2017 winner, ready to be made Maine Granger pens book celebrating Grange traditions, interpretting for modern world

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FOOD NEWS & RECIPES

94

Mushrooms offer delicious way to consume needed vitamin D during winter months Master’s Recipe: Creamy Mushroom Soup

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LAST WORD

97

Outgoing Youth Director expresses joy from years of service, thanks

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CLASSIFIEDS

98

Fundraising items, member kudos and more

Good Day! Magazine is a quarterly publication of the National Grange. located at 1616 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20006.

All comments and questions can be directed to communications@nationalgrange.org

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE ®

www.nationalgrange.org

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WHAT’S THE GRANGE? The National Grange was founded as a fraternal organization for farm families in 1867 – opening its doors to men and women equally from the start.

From rural free delivery of mail to the direct election of U.S. Senators by the people, Grangers have influenced so many aspects of American life and culture.

Today we continue to advocate for rural Americans and those interested in all areas of agriculture – including those who just like to eat – and our local Granges provide millions of dollars and hours of service to their neighbors annually.

Each Grange operates as a grassroots unit, taking on projects most appropriate for their communities and advocating based on their members’ beliefs.

®

Officers William “Chip” Narvel, DE, National Steward

F. Philip Prelli, CT, Overseer philip.prelli@snet.net

John Plank, IN, National Assistant Steward

Leroy Watson, NH, Executive Committee Chair

Brenda Rousselle, VT, National Lady Assistant Steward

Lynette Schaeffer, IL,

Executive Committee Secretary schaeffr@att.net Susan Noah, OR,

Executive Committee Member master@orgrange.org Stephen Coye, NY,

Executive Committee Member & Grange Foundation Board Chair steve@nygrange.org Chris Hamp, WA,

National Lecturer lecturer@nationalgrange.org

Betsy E. Huber, Publisher National Grange Master (President) & President, Grange Foundation betsy@nationalgrange.org Amanda Leigh Brozana Rios, Editor Communications & Development Director & Grange Foundation Associate communications@nationalgrange.org Loretta Washington, Subscription Manager Sales, Benefits, Programs & Membership Recognition Director lwashington@nationalgrange.org

Stephanie Tiller, Copy Editor Convention & Operations Director stiller@nationalgrange.org

Betsy E. Huber, PA, President betsy@nationalgrange.org

leroyawatson@nationalgrange.org

Staff

Stephanie Wilkins, Subscriptions Assistant IT Director swilkins@nationalgrange.org

Learn more at www.nationalgrange.org.

OUR

OUR

Joe Stefenoni Membership & Leadership Development Director membership@nationalgrange.org

Barbara Borderieux, FL, National Chaplain Dwight Baldwin, IO, National Treasurer Judy Sherrod, TN, National Secretary Christopher Johnston, MI, National Gatekeeper

Burton Eller Legislative Director beller@nationalgrange.org Mandy Bostwick Youth Development Director youth@nationalgrange.org Samantha Wilkins Junior Grange Development Director junior@nationalgrange.org Pete Pompper Community Service Director communityservice@nationalgrange.org

Cindy Greer, CO, National Ceres Kay Stiles, MD, National Pomona Welina Shufeldt, OK, National Flora

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE

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www.nationalgrange.org

Stewart Hughes Controller shughes@nationalgrange.org Spencer Sanders Trademark Manager trademark@nationalgrange.org Mujo Mrkonjic Building Engineer

Features HIDDEN HEROICS

31

WARRIOR’S GRIN

44

2019 Theme celebrating superpowers of Granges, members and everyday acts of heroism unveiled

77

Connecticut Junior, diagnosed with Leukemia, takes fight to disease

MEET CLARABELLE

Mascot enlisted to help make annual Junior awareness topic fun, interactive

ADVERTISE WITH US Our quarterly publication welcomes advertisers. Up to a 20% discount may be offered to Grange members on their ad purchases.

All rates shown are for pre-designed content submitted at least 2 weeks in advance of press date for an issue. You may request rates for ads to be designed by our staff.

GOOD DAY!™ PRESS DATES 2019 Issue Due Date Hits Mailboxes Spring

Feb. 1

March 1

Fall

Feb. 1

March 1

Summer Winter

May 1

Nov. 15

June 1

Dec. 15

Classified ads are also welcomed at $0.50 per word up to 25 words, $1 thereafter; $2.50 per website, email, or other link regardless of word count; $5 per photo (will appear no larger than 1.5”x1”). Special requests (bold design, font increase) available for extra charge. All copy should be submitted no later than 10 days prior to the due date.

National Grange assumes no responsibility for that which is advertised in Good Day!™ and reserves the right to reject ads deemed offensive or irrelevant.

Please contact Amanda Brozana Rios at communications@nationalgrange.org or by phone at (301) 943-1090 for details.

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE ®

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Grange Membership

BENEFITS Below is an overview of some of the benefits that are available to Grange members across the country.

A full, detailed list can be viewed on the National Grange’s website: www.nationalgrange.org/benefits

$

SHOP

We have partnered with Office Depot/Office Max and The Azigo CashBack Shopping Mall. When you shop at these locations or use these services, you are giving back to the National Grange and receiving special deals in the process.

FINANCE

The National Grange has partnered with TSYS Merchant Solutions, which has been serving merchants for more than 30 years and offers a payment processing program tailored to your business needs. If you have a small business, this advantage could help you.

TRAVEL

R/

X

With discounts from Choice Hotels, Wyndham Hotels, Hertz, Dollar Car, and Thrifty rental car services, as well as other hotel and rental car businesses, these exclusive Grange benefits are sure to help you when planning your next vacation.

HEALTH

Our partnerships with Comfort Keepers, one of the top companies in the eldercare industry, Life Line, and the Medical Air Services Association, the oldest prepaid emergency transportation and screening organization, are sure to give you peace of mind about your health.

PHARMACY

We have multiple partnerships to help Grange members obtain discount pharmacy cards. CVS Caremark offers the RxSavings Plus Card. The U.S. Pharmacy Card is a free discount prescription card available to Grangers.

Last offer excludes members in NC. Also a partnership with National Affinity Services allows access to the public subsidized government marketplace.

INSURANCE

We have partnerships with United of Omaha Life Insurance Company and MetLife Home and Auto Insurance to give our members discounts on insurance rates and deals. We are proud to announce a new benefit partner, Clouse Insurance Agency.

State-based and property-based restrictions apply. Contact agency directly.

Excludes Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and North Carolina.

... and many more plus new ones added regularly. Check our website for all active benefits. www.nationalgrange.org/benefits

designed for We plan our layout so that many of our pages can be pulled out and either completed and returned or copied and given to members or friends.

Help us share the news of our Order and encourage people to get their own subscription to Good Day!

distribution

Complete & Return 8

Esto Perpetua: Appeal Letter

51-52

Junior Cape of Honor Report Form

89-90

Grange Revival Individual Event Registration & Lodging Reservation Form

Copy & Hand Out/Post 6

Grange Member Benefits

16

Guest Column: DO Something

18

Membership Zoom Meeting Schedule (1/2 page)

74 77-78

PSA: Superpower of Civility (1/2 page)

79

Junior Grange Passport: Grange Adventures #4, Kelley Farm + Worksheet

21-22

TOOL: Grange Inventory

88

2019 Grange Revival Save the Date

43-54

SPECIAL SECTION: Grange Contest & Program Guide (including Junior and Youth)

96

Mushroom Recipes

99

Grange Store @ Monroe Classic Sales

67-68

2019 Theme and Use Guide

Back

2019 Grange Theme Promo Poster + Sales info for Super G Capes

WRITE FOR Good DAY!™ This is your magazine. Your voice is welcome. From questions encouraged for the FEEDback section to guest columns, we are always looking for ways to include our members’ work.

All submissions must be your own original writing or photography and must be made via email to communications@ nationalgrange.org or by mail to National Grange ATTN: Good Day!, 1616 H St.

NW, Washington, DC 20006.

There is no guarantee of publication and all content should represent good moral values and Grange ideals. No pornographic or explicit language or photos will be accepted. There is no age restriction on any creative submission, and we always welcome short stories (fiction or nonfiction), poetry, short skit scripts and photo essays.

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE ®

www.nationalgrange.org

We are also on the lookout for writers to help produce high-quality journalistic articles covering Grange news and topics of interest to our readers. Some contract work is available. Submit a letter of interest along with writing samples to the editor.

Not a writer but know something that should be included in Good Day! magazine? Submit tips by email or mail as well.

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Esto Perpetua Ensure the

Grange future in 4 easy steps

Contribute to the National Grange Building Fund or Other Worthy Projects

With necessary repairs like the chiller unit, the National Grange is in need of your help. You can make a difference by donating directly to the National Grange. Donations to Grange Foundation help in many ways to strengthen our organization and ensure it truly lives on forever.

STEP 1. SELECT FUNDS OR PROGRAM(S) YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT.

Please indicate the amount you wish to donate to each fund or project. Choose as many as you wish to support and indicate the percentage or amount of your total donation you wish to go to each fund or project selected. If you do not indicate amounts, an equal distribution of your donation will be made to each. Unspecified donations will be credited to the Grange Foundation Endowment/General Fund.

NATIONAL GRANGE

STEP 2. CALCULATE YOUR TOTAL DONATION. 100% of all proceeds go to the programs you wish to support.

A nonprofit, agricultural fraternity designated as a 501(c)(5) by the IRS.

I am making a $_________ donation to National Grange.

$______ National Headquarters Building Fund

I am making a $_________ donation to Grange Foundation.

$______ Internship Program $______ Legal Protection Fund GRANGE FOUNDATION

A nonprofit organization, focused on the betterment of rural America and agriculture based on education and leadership development, designated as a 501(c) (3) by the IRS. Donations to the Grange Foundation may be tax deductible. Consult your financial advisor.

$______ Endowment/General Fund

STEP 3. PROVIDE YOUR PAYMENT DETAILS. Check one. _____ I have enclosed checks made payable to National Grange and/or Grange Foundation. _____ I wish for my donation to be made via credit card.

(Visa, MasterCard and Discover accepted) Name on card ___________________________________

$______ Junior Grange Fund $______ Grange Youth Fund $______ Community & Leadership Development Fund

Card Number ____________________________________ Expiration Date ________/_________ CVC __________

$______ American Arts and Culture Fund $______ Kelley Farm Fund

Signature _______________________________________

$______ Communication Fellows Program $______ Grange Radio Project

You may also go online to www.nationalgrange.org/give or call Amanda Brozana Rios (202) 628-3507 ext. 102 to make your contribution today.

STEP 4. SEND YOUR COMPLETED FORM to the National Grange at 1616 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20006 and relax, knowing you have honored our past and helped to secure our future.

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE

8 ÂŽ

www.nationalgrange.org

MASTER’S CORNER Betsy E. Huber

We had a great National Grange

active website to answer their inquiries.

Convention in Stowe, Vermont — it truly

Generation Y is looking for what we

was a winter wonderland with snow every

have that would benefit them in their

day! Fortunately the weather did not

personal lives or professional careers.

cause too many problems and we were

They are looking for associations to

able to complete all our business and

deliver continued, quick and easy access

other activities. The annual convention

to new information, valuable services

is like a family reunion each year, with all

and products, meaningful relationships,

ages from 1 to 104 attending. In fact we

and experiences that deliver a real return

had a couple members over 100 years of

on investment. We need to start thinking

age in attendance this year!

less about getting people to join, and

In my Master’s Address, I talked

more about what we offer that is truly

about Generation Y, those between

engaging and worthwhile. Generation Y

36 and 23 years old, and how we need

is busy, but they will invest in making a

participate more in the real action of the

them in the Grange.

difference for their communities and the

convention, actually seeing what the

previously about Robert Putnam’s book

world.

delegates do here all week. Could they

“Bowling Alone,” and how generations

We

We have talked

youth

participate in committee discussions on

since the Baby Boomers are not joining

and young adults who are dedicated

resolutions, or listen in to floor action

organizations

people

Grange members committed to this

and debate?

just don’t want to join our Grange.” I

organization. I have recently formed a

Experience is available to them but it

challenged us to examine our structure,

Young Leaders Council that met for the

is limited to one or two youth per year.

study the characteristics of the younger

first time at convention and will continue

With sufficient funding in the Grange

generations, and be willing to make some

to meet from time to time electronically,

Foundation Youth Fund, we could open

changes to at-tract them to Grange.

to brainstorm ideas about all aspects of

the Trimble Experience to more of our

I recently read “Knowing Y” by Sarah

Grange. We need to hear from our youth

youth who are interested in the resolution

Sladek, who states it is not true that

what made them join, what keeps them

process of our Order.

Generation Y does not join – they’re just

interested, and what would make their

The young leaders suggested we

looking at organizations in a different

friends want to join us. It’s a cliché, but

offer different tracks for youth to follow

way. It was interesting to me to learn

I want them to think outside the box or

at the convention:

that this generation hates to be sold

even outside the galaxy and give us their

leadership training, community service

anything, so our sales pitch membership

best ideas. Lots of good ideas came from

activity, etc. This would take a lot more

work and elevator speeches are not the

our meeting in Stowe and I look forward

organization by our leaders, but would

right way to approach them. We can’t

to more as we add more members to

possibly increase interest in attending

just give them our sales pitch, hand

the Young Leaders Council. If you are

convention.

them an application, and expect them to

interested in participating, please email

I’m sure our youth have a great time

sign up. They search everything on the

me at betsy@nationalgrange.org. I’ll be

and love to come to convention but they

internet before purchase, even where

scheduling a Zoom meeting soon.

could be learning so much more to make

and

“younger

have

some

excellent

The Trimble Legislative

legislative action,

they will go out to eat or purchase a pair

Also part of the Young Leaders

their time and expense worthwhile, and

of shoes, so we need to have information

Council’s mission will be to suggest ways

experience a program that just may hook

about our Granges on Facebook or an

the youth officers and ambassadors can

them into Grange for life.

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GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

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From the desk of the AMANDA LEIGH BROZANA RIOS New year. New you. New Grange?

No need.

151 years after its founding, the Grange is still relevant, still necessary to the pursuit of a better America through better Americans.

From civic education to civil discourse, the Grange matters and has a place in every hometown, big or small, across the American landscape.

Recently I heard someone quip that they believed a certain Grange Master would take his Grange’s charter with him to his grave. He was not mentoring, not training, not engaging anyone inside or outside the organization in a discussion about the importance of Grange. Instead, he and some of his family and a few others are plodding along, Granging at a minimum but still in ways that are important to their community, and knowingly writing a sad last chapter of a once vibrant Grange.

We shook our heads letting reality sink in. I know this person and I know he means well. He loves the Grange and among peers has spoken eloquently as to its value and necessity in society. He and most of the members of his Grange just cannot make the connection when it comes to a more skeptical, boisterous and brazen generation that has been raised in a world that functions in the “now” with more immediate action; that expects answers and invitations to appear on websites and social media; that wants to streamline some processes baked into our bylaws; that is deeply passionate but expresses that passion in ways that are often seen as disruptive.

These generations - Xennials like me, Millennials and the post-millennial generation whose name is not yet solidified but who are more than old enough to be full voting members in your halls - ask things like: When someone is injured that we know, why does it take weeks or more to make a decision as a Grange to hold a bake sale or

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change an already scheduled Friday night contra dance into a fundraiser for our friend when in minutes I could create an online crowd-source fund?

Why are we not collecting dues through automatic monthly debit the way we pay for things like Netflix and a gym subscription?

Why do we have positions with no real responsibility except looking pretty and reminding us of the value of good food reserved only for women but all positions men can hold have some responsibility?

Why are our in-person meetings focused mostly on business and less on skill building or outreach? Can’t we empower committees to make decisions or for larger issues, come to the body as a whole with recommendations, have short discussions and vote to accept or reject the small group’s suggestion?

Why do we have no policy on issues affecting the daily lives of our generation like student loan forgiveness, maternity leave and pre-K or childcare funding but pages and pages on issues like Social Security, Medicare and more? Isn’t there a place for both ends of the spectrum in our advocacy and who is making sure all ages coming from or hoping to live one day in rural America or be part of the agriculture producer cohort are spoken for by Grange?

And it’s time for some answers.

But those answers cannot be having Granges for the young and Granges for the old, separate charters, separate groups, separate spheres just because of generational differences alone. That would change the face of the Grange experience, as we are an organization proud that we have welcomed all members of the family into its halls from our founding and empowered grandson and grandmother to speak and vote equally on an issue in front of them.

Intergenerational exchanges are some

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GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

Editor of the most important we will ever have as individuals and as an organization. There can be no better evidence of that than what happened in front of me as part of the 152nd Annual convention in Stowe in November when the Communication Fellows members ranged in age from 16 to 84.

Our two oldest members each got new social media account s- one Facebook and one Snapchat - thanks to their interactions with our younger members who introduced them to different platforms and encouraged them to socialize and promote Grange using those forums. They also found out that these younger people wanted to care about issues of importance to older generations but needed a personal story in order to understand and connect - and they found ways to tell those stories so the younger members became emboldened advocates.

Our youngest members found ways they can be a bridge - taking information often disseminated online only, like our monthly newsletter, and getting it to members who are not online. They also learned more about issues the Grange deals with often but they sometimes ignore because it doesn’t pertain to their lives in the moment. And they considered ways to translate Grange for their peers so others could have the same experience and be enriched by working with Gen X-ers, Boomers and beyond.

There are sometimes good reason for distinctly different Granges to be formed in an area, but never should they be sold as the “old Grange” and the “young” because that approach just deepens the divides we see in our nation rather than brings together people of different backgrounds and world views to discuss and reach consensus in their approach to making the world a bit better one meeting, one project, one program at a time.

2 elections turn to 3 after National Pomona elected to Exec Committee

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director At the recent National Grange Convention in November, the election resulted in the seating of two new officers - one for the first time to the officer corps - and one by re-election.

In even years, typically only two Executive Committee seats are up for election. However, as happened at the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention, if a current member of the officer corps from another position is elected to the board, a special election is held for a one-year term to fill the newly created vacancy.

In this case, the vacancy was that of National Pomona when then-Pomona Susan Noah, State Grange President of Oregon, was elected to the board.

Following Noah’s election to the board, several rounds of balloting were held, resulting in the election of Maryland State Grange Treasurer and First Lady Kay Hoffman Stiles as the new National Pomona.

Re-elected to the seat he previously held is National Grange Executive Committee Chairman Leroy Watson, who was later renamed chairman by the board in their organizational meeting on Friday, Nov. 16.

Special this year was a change to the election structure that has been in place at the National level since the early 1870s.

That change allowed for voice suggestions for offices - meaning a delegate would stand and offer a suggested name of someone they felt could and would fill the seat up for vote at that time.

In this case, several names were suggested for potential executive committee members, including Duane Scott who was currently holding the seat

Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Kay Stiles, of Maryland, left, was elected National Pomona at the 152nd Annual

National Grange Convention after Susan Noah, of Oregon, right, was elected to the National Grange Executive Committee. Leroy Watson, of New Hampshire,

was re-elected to the Executive Committee, and selected to continue serving as chairman of the board.

eventually won by Noah. Scott served on the National board since 2010.

Stiles said she was delighted and surprised by the election results.

“It certainly came as a surprise, but I am deeply honored and excited to be part of the National Grange Officer team,” she said.

In addition to serving at the national and state levels, she currently holds the office of Lady Assistant Steward for the Medford Grange where she and her husband, State Grange President Allen Stiles, are members.

Noah has been Oregon State Grange President since 2012, directly following a one-year term of her husband, Mark, in the same position. Both received several votes in the election that resulted in Susan’s move to the National Executive Committee.

The couple lives in Springfield,

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GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

Oregon, with their dog, Bailey.

Watson, of Walpole, New Hampshire, formerly, served as the National Grange Special Director for Trademark Protection and Brand Management and National Grange Legislative Director for many years. He previously served as the Grange Advocacy Chairman and is part of the Grange Foundation board. He is Overseer for Potomac Grange No. 1 in Washington, D.C.. and a member of Walpole Grange, along with his wife, Cheri, and daughter, Rachel.

He has a degree in political science from the University of Vermont, and a law degree from George Mason University in Arlington, VA. He also studied administrative law at the University of Exeter in Exeter, England, and is admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

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FEEDback

?:

been beneficial for us in gaining members. But I don’t feel

?:

other than getting their discount for Hall usage. What can

look at having convention in a more affordable location and

“My Grange is really good about finding additional sources of income such as a

farmers markets and hall rentals, and it has

“I have attended a number of National

Grange conventions, but haven’t been in a number of years. This is because it has

become too expensive and I don’t get any information I

that our new members are invested in the organization

can bring back to my Grange. Can the National Grange

we do to change this way of thinking?”

having activities beneficial to community Granges

It’s wonderful that your Grange is reaching out into the

We encourage you to give it another try! We have

community with rentals and a farmers market. This is a

numerous workshops on Friday and Saturday of the

good way to find new members who may be interested in

convention that are of interest to local Grangers in their

what your Grange is doing. Surveying the members who

Grange work. The Showcase has information displays

don’t seem invested may be a good way to find out what

from several of our partners that can give you ideas for

they would be interested in. Everyone has something in

programs and projects at your local Grange. Each National

their life that the Grange could get involved in, whether

Department also has a display about their activities

it is partnering with another organization on a project, or

throughout the year. The best source of information can

hosting workshops on topics of interest. Finding out what

be your discussions with fellow Grangers from around

that might be could encourage these inactive members to

the country about what they do in their local Granges.

attend a planning session and get more involved. If your

Regarding costs, it is difficult to find a hotel that has the

new members are attending meetings but just haven’t

huge amount of meeting/exhibit space that National

seemed to connect to the organization as a whole,

Grange convention requires, so we are compelled to go to

consider getting them a subscription (or encouraging

cities, where room and meal prices are higher than in small

them to subscribe) to this magazine and make sure

towns. We also must be near an airport hub to make travel

they’re on our mailing list for the monthly e-newsletter,

more convenient and less expensive. We negotiate for the

Patron’s Chain. This may open their eyes to what the

best possible prices for the space and facilities we need.

Grange can be and the world of Grange beyond your

Additionally, there are regional conferences each year that

community. Also, encourage them to read the degrees

may be more affordable. We encourage those organizing

and discuss how the lessons in it fit with modern life -

these conferences to have information that is useful to all

what can they apply to their own lives? Of course, they

members and leaders, and we encourage you to consider

should also be encouraged to see the degrees in person

being part of a coordinating team to find presenters and

when they are performed in your area.

come up with workshops that will be most beneficial to general Grange members and leaders in your area.

?

One of the fundamental goals of National President Betsy Huber is to be transparent and responsive to members across the nation.

In conjunction with that effort, we invite you to submit questions and get answers on Grange concerns or observations. We believe including the answers here can be helpful not just for the readers who asked, but for everyone connected to the Order.

We hope you, too, wil send your queries for inclusion. You can email them to communications@ nationalgrange.org or send them to 1616 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20006 ATTN: Good Day!

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GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

Photo by Amanda Brozana Rios The 2018 National Grange Champions of Rural America received their awards December 4, 2018, at a reception held

by Grange Advocacy at the National Grange Headquarters building. From left FCC Chairman Ajit Pai with National Grange President Betsy Huber; Sen. Pat Roberts, Kansas, center; Alan Morgan, CEO of National Rural Health Association, collecting on behalf of the organization, and National Grange Vice President Phil Prelli.

Grange names 3 new Rural Champions

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director On its 151st Birthday, the National Grange presented a gift in the form of the Champion of Rural America Awards during a reception at the organization’s historic headquarters near the White House on Tuesday evening to three deserving recipients.

The award, given last year for the first time, was presented to Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and the National Rural Health Association, the first organization to receive the honor.

“This award is not just something to put in a case. The selection of our recipients is taken very seriously,” National Grange President Betsy Huber said. “After 151 years of nonpartisan work on behalf of America’s farmers, ranchers and rural residents, we make sure those honored with this are true champions of our members yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

Huber said the criteria for the award was established in line with the grassroots organization’s priorities and values.

“Our recipients are expected to show a clear understanding of the importance of agriculture in our economy and as part of our national security; they fight to ensure equitable access for rural Americans in relation to business, healthcare, educational and other opportunities; they place a value on doing the right thing and serve the public above any political party, and they consistently

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work across the aisle, placing an emphasis on bipartisanship in their legislative work or advocacy,” Huber said. “But also, we expect that each recipient show perseverance in the fight for rural Americans and embody our core values of faith, hope, charity and fidelity and live by our motto: in essentials, unity; in nonessentials liberty; in all things, charity.”

With this in mind, after nearly two years of work with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai as part of the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Board, Huber said she stands behind the decision to present Pai the award.

“Chairman Pai has been devoted to the cause of expanding broadband into rural America since his appointment as chairman of the FCC,” Huber said. “As an organization, and individually, we have been very impressed by his continual focus on this goal and the many regulatory changes he has initiated to accomplish the goal of equality of access for all areas of our country.”

Pai, who grew up in Kansas, has made the expansion of affordable rural broadband a cornerstone of his work at the FCC, noting that without equitable access, rural communities will suffer in deep and various ways.

“My number one priority at the FCC is to bridge the digital divide—the gap between Americans who have access to the Internet and advanced technologies and those who don’t. That’s because the Internet is increasingly critical in our daily lives,” Pai

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said. “I’ve seen this for myself in my travels across the country, especially in rural areas, and that’s why the FCC has taken aggressive action to extend Internet access.

Every American deserves to have access to digital opportunity. Having grown up in rural America, I will continue to be a strong advocate for rural America.”

Additionally, like one of the four 2017 recipients, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (DMN), this year’s honoree Senator Roberts continues to champion agriculture and work with legislators and advocates of all stripes to get the best deal possible for America’s farmers, ranchers and rural residents with the Farm Bill and other legislation, as he has for just over 20 years.

“Senator Roberts has proven himself to be a champion in so many areas to benefit rural Americans – housing, nutrition, broadband deployment, emergency disaster response, energy, transportation and care for rural seniors,” Huber said.

“We are honored to recognize him with our Champion of Rural America Award.”

“It is an honor to receive the Champion of Rural America Award today from the National Grange, a true partner in government that has always given me sound advice and counsel,” Roberts said. “Every day I work to preserve and protect our rural way of life whether the challenge is health care, housing, broadband, transportation or in agriculture. You can continue to count on me to lead the fight for rural America’s needs in Washington.”

Huber said that while those at the top rungs of government who have received the award have done much for rural residents, a lot of the work to “bring the horse to water” is done by respected groups with a history of leadership in areas that matter most to rural Americans.

Such is the case with the National Rural Health Association, Huber said.

“National Rural Health Association has been an advocate to help rural citizens build, maintain, and improve the institutions that can meet their health care needs,” Huber said. “We value their work in providing relevant and timely information through workshops, technical assistance, and best practices to all people who care

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about the health of rural America.”

Alan Morgan, CEO of NRHA, was on hand at the reception, hosted by the affiliated Grange Advocacy, to receive the award.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by the National Grange as a Rural Champion,” Morgan said. “We have enjoyed the close partnership and collaboration with the National Grange when advocating for rural communities. It is important for rural America to have a strong voice at the national level, as well as champions who are working together to make rural America great and share stories of rural success.”

Morgan said the Grange and NRHA are up for the challenge of providing a view of rural needs and potential solutions to the newest Congress set to begin work in January.

“As we move into the 116th Congress, nothing matters more for rural advocates than educating new Members of Congress and reaffirming the support of returning Members. Though Congress may be divided, rural health is an issue that provides opportunities for bipartisanship. With the support of NRHA’s members, who will be joining us in Washington this February for our 30th Rural Health Policy Institute, we believe we can secure policies next year that create opportunities for innovation and stabilization

for rural providers,” Morgan said.

The inaugural awards were presented to Senator Stabenow as well as Sen. Susan Collins, Rep. Collin Petersen and Rep. Greg Walden on Dec. 4, 2017, the 150th birthday of the fraternal organization founded to bring America back together after the Civil War by uniting farm families in service, social life and advocacy.

“The strength of rural America comes from the outreach done by members of organizations like the Grange to present issues of our communities and our people to our elected and appointed officials and to other organizations working on similar causes, and then for the officials and organizations like these three we honored here tonight to work on our behalf.

Without champions like these and the four we inducted into the first class last year, rural America would be very negatively impacted,” said National Grange Vice President and Grange Advocacy Board Chairman Phil Prelli.

Prelli said the organization will “continue to look for people who are rural champions, who present the issues to our elected officials or as elected officials take up the banner for rural citizens” and positively impact those in hometowns across America and those taking part in the agriculture industry.

Photo by Amanda Brozana Rios The National Grange Champion of Rural America Awards are on display before being given to recipients on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 at the National Grange Headquarters building.

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New Trademark Manager welcomed to Grange

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director In late October, the National Grange welcomed J. Spencer Sanders II to the Washington, D.C., office. Spencer has been hired to replace Nelson Drake as the National Grange Trademark Protection Manager.

Drake is preparing to take the bar exam and wishes a pleasant farewell to all the members he has worked with over his past 18 months at the Grange.

“It has a been a privilege to work with the Grange over the last year and a half,” Drake said. “It has not only been a great learning experience as I continue to move forward in my career, but it has also connected me to a variety of people and points of view. I know that Spencer will be a fantastic replacement and I hope you work as well with him as you did with me.”

Spencer is a third-year law student at the American University Washington College of Law and graduated from Florida State University in 2015 with a degree in Marketing. He is supervised in part by the Grange’s Trademark attorneys from Smith, Gambrell and Russell, LLP. “It is a real benefit to the National Grange to work with a third-year law student, especially Spencer who has studied trademark law and can step right into the position formerly filled by Darlene Tzou and Nelson Drake,” said National Grange President Betsy Huber.

“Protecting our Grange trademarks is a continual process and we’re pleased to have a staff person dedicated to that task.”

Spencer specializes in intellectual property law, including trademark, copyright and internet and privacy law.

Additionally, Spencer is a member of the Intellectual Property Law Society and Symposium Editor for Vol. 8 of the American University Business Law Review. He previously interned with URAC (formerly known as Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) and Erik M. Pelton & Associates, PLLC. In his personal life, Spencer is an avid soccer and college football fan, with a special affinity for the Florida State Seminoles, and holds the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America.

In 2010 Spencer worked with his Troop to clear a quarter-mile hiking trail in Tiger Bay State Forest in Daytona Beach, Florida, for his Eagle Scout project.

Spencer grew up in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, but, despite missing the beach, truly enjoys living in Washington, D.C. “It’s wonderful to apply all of my previous knowledge and experience to the specific needs of the Grange,” Sanders said. “The Grange has a lot of important, strong trademarks. I love getting to be the one who makes sure they remain that way.

I’m really excited to continue working with the wonderful team here at the National office but also to work with and meet Grangers from all across the country and to learn more about the grand history of the organization.”

Photo by Stephanie Tiller Third-year American University law

student Spencer Sanders came on board in October at the National

Grange to become the new Trademark Manager for the organization.

As part of his role with the Grange staff, Spencer will provide members with information about our long-standing trademarks, monitor and work with licensees and help with enforcement efforts

against

those

infringing

on

Grange trademarks. If you wish to use the Grange in the name of your business or operation, please contact Spencer immediately in order to attain a license for use. If you are a member seeking verification of use of the Grange name or emblem, please contact Spencer, who

“The Grange has a lot of important,

can provide documentation necessary

strong trademarks. I love getting

Spencer can be reached by email at

to be the one who makes sure they remain that way.”

and other advice. trademark@nationalgrange.org or you may leave a message on his phone at (202) 628-3507 ext. 105. He has limited hours in the office, so email is preferred.

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GUEST COLUMN

Words overheard inspire director to ‘Do Something’

By Barton Snedaker New York State Grange Membership Director The following is a slightly revised version of the speech Snedaker delivered to the delegate body at New York State Grange annual session in October 2018.

At the end of a truly uplifting assembly at the Mid Atlantic Leaders Conference earlier this year two words which I have attributed to National Master, Betsy Huber, were uttered not to me specifically but within my hearing. I’m not sure to whom she was speaking or about what topic.

“Do something,” she said.

Nothing profound or deep, nothing emotional or spiritual.

Just two ordinary words.

They got stuck in processing the entire conference in my mind and I spent my drive home from that conference in Westminster, Maryland, thinking a lot about those two words.

They sounded kind of similar to “Just do it!” but that phrase, besides being trademarked, implies knowledge of what IT is.

“Do something” leaves you with endless possibilities if you say them right.

If you put the emphasis on the first word you get DO something. As if there is an exclamation point after it, making it an imperative sentence.

If you put the emphasis on the second word you get Do SOMETHING. The first way makes it sound as if an emergency is taking place. DO something: call 9-1-1, call the plumber. Get that cat off the couch. The reason for doing something has been identified, and it may not be life or death, but...

Now if you say Do SOMETHING, it sounds like my mother on a sunny day when my siblings and I were sitting indoors. Or it could be that the house is

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falling down around you and you are not sure what it is that needs to be done. That is more or less a declarative sentence ending with a period.

The two words can also be spoken as a question or interrogative sentence. Like: “You want me to do some-thing? Like what?” Ever heard that as a response?

The subject in any of the three sentences is understood as being - you.

Other punctuation which could follow the two words are a colon, which would suggest the beginning of a list of what you intend to do: call people, make a tri-fold brochure, advertise your meeting, etc.

You could use dot, dot, dot which could mean you are going to add words about what or how you are going to do something - wonderful, unusual, quickly, amazing, special, etc.

As if I needed further encouragement in my thinking process as I drove through the small village below my town I saw two people with dogs. The first was a young woman who was running with her dog across the street just in front of me. They were definitely doing something.

Not more than 50 yards up the street stood a young man with his little dog on a leash. I could almost hear him thinking to the dog, “Will you do something? It’s cold out here.”

So here is the question for you to take home to your local Granges.

How are you saying the words?

What do you want them to mean?

Are you on the brink of a crisis in leadership or membership so you need to DO something?

Are you unsure of where to go or how to proceed?

So you are telling your members to Do SOMETHING. Not sure of what.

You can tap your chin and say “Do something,” as if you are pondering your first, next or more important move.

Or are you complacently asking “Do something?” as if there is nothing wrong and you have your heads in the sand? Why

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should we do anything, we’re fine. I think that sentence may have the most frightening meaning and consequences of any of them.

The two words followed by a colon may be the most exciting way to say it. The colon implies that you are compiling a list of possibilities. How long can you make it?

When I was teaching fourth graders how to write complete answers to their state exams I constantly referred to the “W” questions: who, what, where, when, why (and how). If they gave the reader the answers to those questions in their written response, they would have a very good chance of receiving a higher score.

If your ellipsis (the dot, dot, dot ending) can be completed by answering those questions then your “do some-thing” has greater likelihood of being based in honesty and reality and thus be achievable.

Betsy also said at that meeting, “The Grange is not the building, but the people working together for the good of the community.”

I would like to add to that.

A thought struck me during her presentation on the nuts and bolts of leadership and I wrote it down.

“There has to be a reason for your Grange to exist.”

“The Grange Way” is the cooperative spirit that works in the community for the benefit of that community. And you can do something with Faith, Hope, Charity and Fidelity – “the Grange Way.” Many of our speakers at State Session alluded to the idea that we don’t need members as much as we need Grangers.

It came to me as I listened to them that Membership and Leadership are so mutually intertwined that perhaps my position as New York State Membership Leadership Director needed to be renamed Grangership Director.

So what now will be your take on “Do Something?” And how is that DO·ing and what is that Something that makes it truly “the Grange Way?”

Missing generations in focus for returning director

By Anna Maria Wagerer Communication Fellow “To paraphrase Shakespeare, you can’t have too much of a good thing, and it’s good to be back at the National Grange.”

So said Joe Stefenoni, former National Grange Membership Director who returned to the position on Oct. 15 in a temporary role and as of January 1, officially becomes director again.

The 26-year-old fifth generation member from California is now living in Pennsylvania with his wife, Hannah, as she works on her Ph.D. in animal science at Penn State University, and their corgi, Louie.

In his time away from Grange employment, Stefenoni earned a graduate degree of his own in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University, but never strayed far from his work for the Grange.

“Even though I reduced the amount of Grange work I was doing while completing my Masters Degree, talking to Grange members across the country about their membership building efforts and participating in Grange events across the Great Plains region were still an important part of my life in Oklahoma”, Stefenoni said.

When he and his wife had the opportunity to have dinner with National Grange President Betsy Huber in September while Huber was at Penn State for a Trustee meeting, it became clear that her desire for the organization to connect to younger people and welcome them into the order and Stefenoni’s ideas about where else the Grange could advance and strike a chord with potential members were much the same.

“I was delighted to learn that Joe was available and eager to come back to work for the Grange in the membership field,” Huber said. “Our membership efforts had stagnated in the two years when, for financial reasons, we were without a director. Joe had been studying the millennial generation and their characteristics, and I look forward to seeing his new ideas put into practice for the Grange’s benefit.”

Stefenoni had also been talking

Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Joe Stefenoni, who served as National

Grange Membership Director from 2015-16, has returned to his post.

frequently since coming to Pennsylvania with Communications Director Amanda Brozana Rios who had been picking up some membership department duties since Stefenoni’s exit while the position went unfilled.

The two had a similar reading list, including two books by membership organization researcher Sarah Sladek entitled “The End of Membership as we Know It” and “Knowing Y.” Brozana Rios had also recently shared both books with Huber.

“When Joe and I started talking, you could tell we had literally been on the same pages in recent weeks, unbeknownst to either of us,” Brozana Rios said. “It clicked.

There is so much of a future for the Grange with our generations coming on board and taking an active part, even those who have never heard or interacted with Grange before. I’m excited to see where we can collaborate to reach out in new ways.”

Stefenoni said it’s not just with marketing and communication that he expects to collaborate as he returns to the role with some fresh ideas.

“Coming back to this position with the experience of my previous tenure, one

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of my main focuses coming back in is to develop interdepartmental programming with my fellow directors. Building sustainable membership growth isn’t just about the members we bring into our halls today, but the relationships we build with future generations,” Stefenoni said. “I look forward to working with our Junior Grange and Youth department directors on promoting the organization in a way that will connect with and is relevant to the Millennial and postMillennial generations.”

Other directors have already jumped on the wagon after Stefenoni’s return.

“I am so incredibly excited to be working with Joe,” Wilkins said. “I wasn’t on staff when he was before but I did hear him speak then and knew his passion for the Grange.

His young outlook will make him a great ally and asset for the Junior program.”

Wilkins said she and Stefenoni talked a great deal while in Stowe, Vermont, for the 152nd Annual Convention, about how a continuity of membership across Junior and Subordinate Grange ages must become part of the mission of both directors.

“Every moment of membership must be meaningful from the first day as a Junior and there must be building blocks so today’s Juniors become strong, capable leaders for our Grange in the future,” Wilkins said.

She said the two are planning workshops and gathering ideas to bring to regional conferences throughout the next year.

Legislative Director Burton Eller has also started early conversations with Stefenoni of how issues of importance in rural communities can turn a spotlight on the need for a Grange or the essential role of a Grange in a community.

“Joe’s a bright young fellow with deep knowledge of the Grange,” Eller said. “It’s great to welcome him back to the staff.”

Thanks to the delegates of the 152nd Annual Convention, Stefenoni also has a new assignment: figure out how to make the e-membership program, now with a $40 annual price tag, an attractive alternative for those who wish to affiliate with our century and a half old Order but not “Grange in the traditional member way.”

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“It’s going to be important to make sure the e-members are ‘getting their money’s worth’ but also that they are not just part of our revenue stream but truly part of our fraternity,” Stefenoni says. “The question now is how to make that possible and successful, and that’s something I’ll be exploring in the coming months.”

Stefenoni said as part of that exploration, he plans to partner with at least one State Grange who is interested in piloting potential outreach for new e-members, connection/communication with those who join as e-members and building a viable online community for those who wish to interact with our organization in an electronic fashion.

As Membership Director, Stefenoni said he knows another part of his role is to be a conduit for the free sharing of ideas between the Granges.

“There are Community Granges all across our country that are coming up with new and innovative ways to serve their communities.

Although we live in a time where we can instantly communicate

with each other, it seems like there is room for improvement when it comes to Granges communicating with each other. To accomplish this, I plan on utilizing the National Grange Zoom conferences as a way to share ideas between Granges and spark thought-provoking discussions among members,” Stefenoni said. “These short evening sessions will also include guest presenters who will bring a new perspective to the selected topics. I would encourage all members to join in these discussions.”

He is going to promote new and innovative methods on how to reach out to members and those who have not yet joined the Grange.

Stefenoni is planning to strengthen the relationships between the levels of Grange, Subordinate-Pomona-State and National. His main focus is going to be on changing the mindset of how to interact and communicate with the youth. He is looking forward to connecting the Grange to new organizations and associations.

Membership Matters Monthly Zoom Meetings Through Zoom teleconferencing, join National Grange Membership Director Joe Stefenoni and select guests

on the third Tuesday of each month to talk about membership issues and share your successes, ask questions and focus on what it means to be a Grange and a Granger today.

Zoom is available for your connected device via the app at zoom.us or landline telephone.

Go to tiny.cc/1867 or call (669) 900-6833.

A New Year, A New Way to Help

Use meeting ID 279 165 699 to log in.

Young and Willing

Tuesday, January 15 @ 8:30 p.m. Eastern Co-hosted by National Grange Community Service Director Pete Pompper

Tuesday, March 19 @ 8:30 p.m. Eastern Hosted by National Grange Youth Ambassadors/ Young Patrons (2017-18; 2018-19)

Pompper will introduce great community service ideas from Granges around the country and talk about how a Grange can “get out of the slump” and take on a new project

Youth leaders will talk about what excites them and how Granges can include youth in their programming, outreach and decision-making. This interactive discussion will encourage each Grange to think of new ways to talk to and about young potential members and those already in our Halls.

with new relevance to their community in 2019.

Gear Up for Grange Month

Where will we be when we get where we’re going?

Tuesday, February 19 @ 8:30 p.m. Eastern Co-hosted by National Grange Communications & Development Director Amanda Brozana Rios

Tuesday, April 16 @ 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Get ready for Grange month 2019. Joe will be talking about planning events, connecting with your community and building your membership and incorporating the 2019 Grange month theme “Grange: a fraternity training heroes for our hometowns since 1867.”

Join Joe as he walks you through a step-by-step guide to making a membership plan, setting goals and benchmarks, and evaluating success.

Have an idea for a topic? Contact Stefenoni at membership@nationalgrange.org or by phone at (707) 328-0631.

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It’s time to step off the elevator

By Joe Stefenoni National Membership & Leadership Development Director 120 million.

By itself it’s a large enough number to make people pay attention, but when you apply it to organizations (like the Grange) it takes on a whole new meaning.

In her book The End of Membership As We Know It (2015) Sarah Sladek emphasizes organizations need to connect with the 120 million people in the U.S. who are members of generations X (ages 53 to 37) and Y (ages 36 to 23). In America, there are currently about 78 million members of the Baby Boomer generation. These 78 million have been, for years, the generation of DO·ers and joiners supporting numerous causes and community organizations.

However, as successive years pass, more and more Baby Boomers are leaving our community organizations, leaving the mantle of responsibility to the next generations.

Community organizations and associations have faced a challenge reaching out to, recruiting and retaining members of generations X, Y and Z (postmillennials). How often have we heard that “we can’t get new young members into our Grange?”

Sladek argues that this is not because generations X and Y are disinterested in joining organizations, but they are not like their parents and grandparents when it comes to allocating their time and scarce financial resources.

Members of the Baby Boomer generation joined community associations because it was “the right thing to do.”

Members of generations X and Y are more likely to ask “what’s in it for me?” Younger generations seek a return on their investment (membership) that includes tangible member benefits, high levels of accountability, a sense of community and opportunities to serve in associations.

Connecting with generations X and Y is going to require a shift in the way we approach membership from top to bottom. In terms of our narrative as an organization, we will need to reconsider some ingrained habits we have practiced over the previous few decades. When we promote our organization, we have become used to talking about the various activities we participate in as a Grange. While it is important to talk about Grange activities,

younger generations want to know how you as an organization and how they as a member can make a difference in their community.

For years we have focused on the features of membership instead of the outcomes. Generations X and Y are much more interested and attracted by the outcomes of joining your Grange.

Another major shift in our narrative will be in how we invite non-members to become part of our Grange family. Sladek emphasizes that Gen X-ers and Millennials hate to be sold things.

They are the generation of instant information from Google to Yelp. They don’t even go out to dinner without looking up other people’s experiences. We cannot push membership applications into the hands of potential new members; it will most likely backfire on you. For decades we have practiced our elevator speeches where we “sell” the idea of Grange membership in 30 seconds to one minute (about the length of an elevator ride).

While we still need to be able to talk about the Grange to anyone who might inquire, it is time to start stepping off the elevator.

The effectiveness of selling our organization in 30 seconds is lost on the newest generations. We need to start working towards developing relationships with people who we want to join the Grange and point them towards the information so that they can arrive at their own conclusion to join our great fraternity.

Sladek also identifies three major objectives of generations X and Y: the ability to lead, the opportunity to learn, and the opportunity to make a difference. These are all core features of the Grange and have been throughout our entire history.

With these three objectives in mind, take a look at your Grange, evaluate what your Grange is doing to support younger members, and consider the following questions.

Are you providing them with leadership opportunities?

A leadership opportunity is not always an elected office, but can also be the chance to lead a project or program in your Grange.

Are there ample opportunities to learn in your Grange programs and activities?

Learning opportunities exist in all places in the Grange. From learning how to effectively and efficiently run a meeting to learning about a relevant and timely topic from the Lecturer’s program, it is important to provide educational opportunities as the fabric of your Grange culture.

“Younger generations seek a return on their investment (membership) that includes tangible member benefits, high levels of accountability, a sense of community and opportunities to serve in associations.”

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Finally, younger generations are looking to make a difference in their community and world. How is your Grange making a difference in your community?

For a century and a half the Grange has made a difference.

As your Grange plans out its program of activities for the year, look for ways that your Grange can help build a better community.

The responsibility is on our shoulders as the current leaders of the organization to mentor and support the next generation of leaders.

Planning is critical to a healthy Grange; it allows members to have input into the future direction of your Grange, but it also is a way to show potential members what the vision is for your Grange.

Younger generations are opposed to stagnation; they want to see that an organization is forward looking and moving if they are going to invest their limited time and money to participate.

Included on the next two pages is a template membership plan that your Grange can use to set a common direction. This

membership plan prompts your Grange to consider certain questions like where will we work to recruit new members and what are our core values as a Grange? The challenges and solutions to them are also considered in this plan. Finally five year and one-year goals should be set with the one-year goals being broken down into 90-day benchmarks.

At times, change can be difficult; however, the changes mentioned here are small and easily adaptable. As an organization and as members we must evolve with the times to ensure our perpetual success in making a positive difference in the communities that make up this great nation.

Appealing to and connecting with generations X, Y and Z is going to require us to reevaluate what we have known and practiced about membership recruiting for many years.

So I ask you now to join me in stepping off the elevator as we move our organization forward for our next 150 years.

Rooted: Cultivating Community in the Vermont Grange goes inside the Grange to explore how it has worked to strengthen and preserve rural communities since 1867.

The documentary, which is about 50 minutes long, explores the social, economic, political, and agricultural effects the National Grange has had on Vermont’s rural communities for the past 150 years. The film weaves archival images and oral histories with footage of modern-day Grange events to paint a comprehensive picture of the organization and the New Englanders it supports.

Get your copy today. Order by email at info@grangefoundation. org or by phone with Amanda at (301) 943-1090.

A limited number are available for $10 each, payable to the Grange Foundation.

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The

Grange

Foundation

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GRANGE

Inventory

FOCUS Purpose/Passion: Niche:

5-YEAR VISION Date: Retention: Recruiting: Finance: Our Vision:

MARKETING STRATEGY

CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

Member Values: 1.

Challenges: 1.

2.

3.

2.

Core Member Benefits: 1.

3.

2.

Solutions: 1.

3.

Target Market: Target Venues:

2.

3.

MISCELLANEOUS Who is our leadership team?

90-Day Target: Quarter 1 Quarter 1 Date: Retention: Recruiting: Finance:

What new plans/systems/processes will we try?

Quarter Goals: 1.

What relationships/networks will we work to build?

2.

What do we want to accomplish as a leadership team?

3.

90-Day Target: Quarter 2 Quarter 2 Date: Retention: Recruiting: Finance: Quarter Goals: 1.

2.

3.

ONE YEAR GOAL Date: Retention: Recruiting: Finance: Goals: 1.

2.

3.

90-Day Target: Quarter 3 Quarter 3 Date: Retention: Recruiting: Finance: Quarter Goals: 1.

2.

3.

90-Day Target: Quarter 4 Quarter 4 Date: Retention: Recruiting: Finance: Quarter Goals: 1.

2.

3.

CONTACT JOE STEFENONI WITH QUESTIONS. Email membership@nationalgrange.org or by phone at (707) 328-0631

New partnership can be boon for membership

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communication & Development Director Grange at your fingertips; reminders right to your phone.

That’s not a look into the future but a slice of the present thanks to an initiative by the Membership and Communications departments launched in November and enhanced after a successful start and negotiations.

The SMS service allows those who text the word GRANGE to 24365 (an easy code to remember if you think that messaging and communication can happen 24 hours, 365 days a year) to receive messages sent from the National Grange for useful reminders and more.

“For our current members, we think this will be a great way to connect them to Grange at a larger scale. We can push a reminder about an upcoming regional conference or the national convention or use it to inform them of any big developments in Grange world,” newly rehired Membership Director Joe Stefenoni said of the product.

Attendees to the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention were encouraged to test-drive the system and allow Stefenoni and National Grange Communications and Development Director Amanda Brozana Rios to learn and identify concerns with the platform.

“Overall, it’s a really easy system to work thanks in large part to the fact that our contacts at Rally have been very hands-on, helping schedule messages and identifying issues before we were even aware in some cases,” Brozana Rios said.

More than 150 people signed up for messages and received reminders about workshops and special features of the session.

But what is more exciting from the membership side, Stefenoni said, is that

it will allow us to gather a quick contact method for people who are interested in learning more about the Grange but who are not yet members at things like trade shows, fairs, and other venues or events.

“Imagine if we put this code out in our material about the Grange at a booth at say the National Junior Horticulture Association’s convention,” Stefenoni said. “Within a few seconds, people who have walked by our booth can begin receiving information about our organization that may make them want to know more about a Grange local to them or how to start their own Grange.”

Your Grange can get Onboard While Rally Corp, the company who owns the platform, helped the Grange team set up and send the first few messages because of the time constraints of convention on the small staff, it didn’t take long before the whole thing “was a breeze,” Stefenoni said.

“At first, even the thought of watching the tutorial we had seen a few weeks before again while in the midst of convention was just a little overwhelming and we worried if we were going to be able to have a successful trial, but as we got more acquainted with the system a few texts in, we came to see it as a manageable platform for even some of the most technophobic among our members,” Brozana Rios said.

After working with the system for a few weeks and brainstorming, Brozana Rios and Stefenoni took to the Rally Corp founders, the company who owns the platform, a proposal: work with us to create a partnership that will allow local Granges to use the system for a relatively inexpensive cost and strengthen the entire organization.

“Rally Corp is very excited to work with Grange members helping them connect and serve their communities. Rally’s mission is to bring people together, and working with an organization with the

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history and commitment to our nation is a real honor,” said Rally Corp CEO James Martin.

The partnership between the startup and the 151-year-old fraternal organization allows Granges to select a plan that is appropriate for them at a greatly reduced cost from the buy-in at the large organizational level.

As such, local Granges who vote to enter into a monthly or yearly contract with RALLY – even those without a lot of technical skills among their current members – can do things like have an automatic meeting or event reminder sent once or twice a month to anyone who has signed up for their Grangespecific texts. More active Granges can make more regular contact and have more freedom and variety of messages they send.

Each Grange will have a unique code – based on the state and Grange number – that allows people who text that code to 24365 to get messages specific to the

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Grange in their community.

“No matter the size of your Grange, this should be something that helps you connect to those in your community who often drive past your building but don’t know what goes on inside,” Brozana Rios said.

Stefenoni said those who sign up for the texts will be asked simply if they are already a Grange member or if they aren’t.

This will help determine what type of messages they may also want to receive in addition to those direct meeting reminders.

“If you’re not a member, once in a while we may tell you of a great program or initiative that all Granges or members are eligible to take advantage of and kind of tease people into learning more about becoming a Granger,” Stefenoni said.

“While if you’re a member, you may get a few messages in the year reminding you of things like open registration for National Convention or time to renew your magazine subscription.”

The two said their departments are also working together to provide all Granges information on how to best interact with these more technologically connected members so that anyone who signs up and ultimately comes into a hall or meeting considering membership will not feel a disconnect between an organization embracing SMS technology and the Grange they enter.

“People signing up for products like this, ways to be informed, are also looking for that same organization to ‘greet’ them online with frequently updated social media accounts and an accurate and streamlined website,” Brozana Rios said. “It’s our job to help members learn how to have those communication methods in place and up-to-date, and Joe and I are working hard to make sure we have presentations ready to present at many regional and state conferences and events in the coming year that will break all of that down into easy, manageable bites.”

LOCAL GRANGE PLANS ANNOUNCED Basic A perfect fit for less active Granges in smaller communities who have only a few regular meetings or activities that occur on the same day/time of each month to remind people about. $10 per month or $100 for the year (annual plan only) Up to two standard texts per month that do not change.

Up to 50 unique phone numbers registered (a total of 200 max messages) Standard Great for small Granges who want to remind their members or community about monthly meetings that may vary in location or frequent on-off events. $20 per month or $225 for the year (annual plan only) Up to three messages per month Up to 100 unique phone numbers registered (a total of 300 max messages) Advanced Great for very active Granges with multiple events per month who want to invite the community to participate differently for each. $40 per month or $400 for the year Up to five messages per month Up to 200 unique phone numbers registered (a total of 1,000 max messages) If more than unique numbers registered than your plan allows, you can buy a 500 message pack for $25.

GET STARTED TODAY! Go to rallycorp.com/partners/grange or contact James at james@rallycorp.com or by phone at (858) 736-5358 to learn more and established your plan.

Established in 1978, we are a family owned, second generation, independent insurance agency.

Our decades of Grange service combined with decades of insurance experience give us a deep understanding of the challenges Granges face. As an independent insurance agency, we are not locked into one way of thinking. We find the carrier to fit you. Call us today.

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844.472.6431

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GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE

www.nationalgrange.org Mitch Clouse Martha Stefenoni

WWW.CLOUSEINS.COM

Preparing the way ahead requires data

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communication & Development Director You cannot be successful if you don’t know who you’re working for and what is working for them!

That’s the view of many when it comes to being better prepared to assist members in organizations like the Grange.

However, most organizations have built into their system modes of collecting data; some more carrot, some more stick.

For more than two years, the National Grange has provided tools for feedback and information to be relayed from our grassroots to our headquarters on a voluntary basis, but the low response rate and skew of data only from states who provided some incentive or set some expectations that Granges take part makes the material almost unusable.

But why does it matter?

“We’re going to miss out on a great program for our members and one that could attract new members,” Sales, Benefits, Programs and Membership Recognition Director Loretta Washington said recently.

Washington was approached by a partner organization, American Senior Benefits, who wanted to begin a program that would allow Grange members to buy into a deeply discounted group supplemental Medicare plan backed

by United Health Care/AARP with no underwriting. All they needed to get the process started: date of births and zip codes (no associated names, medical conditions, etc.) of our members.

That’s where the conversation took an unexpected turn for the company who expected the National Grange would have at least that information on members.

Washington said this is not the first time the lack of data held about members at the National level has hurt when seeking new member benefits.

But it’s not just for discounts or offers.

Even with the technology of immediacy, we do a poor job of getting information from one end of the Grange to the other - up, down, across. It hinders our ability to be a more successful, vibrant, relevant organization.

“How do you get down to the grassroots, make sure you’re tapping every member and encouraging them to be part of the legislative process if you don’t know how to get in touch with them? If you don’t have emails or phone numbers or the right mailing address for the Grange? How do we find partners who would put dollars behind initiatives if we can’t guarantee that we can get in touch with initially and then follow up with local Granges,” Legislative Director Burton Eller asked. “It’s a challenge but it doesn’t have to be that way.”

National Grange Communications and Development Director Amanda Brozana Rios and newly reappointed National Grange Membership Director Joe Stefenoni agree.

The two worked together for about a month to come up with a survey that they plan to administer by phone to every Grange in the country in the first half of 2019.

“It’s going to be a big project that will rely on some of our younger, eager members to help make calls and capture data,” Brozana Rios said, like those trained as Communication Fellows over the past several years and recent State and National Youth Ambassadors and Young Patrons.

Stefenoni said the survey will ask about the health and initiatives of local Granges.

“It’s not meant to be invasive. There’s no ‘gotcha.’ We just need to know what reality is for our Granges, not what we hope or think or wish,” Stefenoni said.

Stefenoni said the concept of capturing information about Granges and members is not new.

“Secretaries a generation ago filled out

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surveys or provided information about their Grange regularly to their State and National Grange. Deputies collected information.

There was a lot to work with,” he said.

Brozana Rios said she recently spoke at length to former Membership Director Roger Halbert, who was in that role for several years in the 1990s. One of his first initiatives was to do similar outreach and gather information.

“It was really helpful to see patterns and learn what was working in one community that may work in others,” Halbert said of the data collected.

From it, he said the team he worked with learned how vital Grange still was, but what changes may be effective in some though not all - communities to attract and retain a new generation of members.

Now that new generation has moved into leadership roles and are the parents and grandparents of the next generation of members.

“But we only understand how to connect with new members and the world if we know what our Granges look like today,” Brozana Rios said.

ASSIST Make sure your Grange’s contact information is up to date. Log into the Grange Membership Database and confirm Master and Secretary are identified. Or you may provide your Grange’s information to Joe Stefenoni at membership@ nationalgrange.org or by phone at (707) 328-0631.

If you have a few hours to spare to make phone calls to Granges across the nation, we’d welcome your help with survey administration. Contact Amanda Brozana Rios by voice or text at (301) 943-1090 or email abrozana@nationalgrange.org

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All encouraged to attend regional conferences in 2019

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director Each year comes opportunities for members to gather, learn, lead and enjoy a weekend together in their region.

National Grange President Betsy Huber said there has been an emphasis on making sure each conference has something for members of all levels, all interests, all abilities, to learn. And every member can bring something to the table said Huber.

“If you feel like there’s little left to learn in your Grange journey, know that it’s now time to become a mentor to a younger or newer member who is seeking just that,” she said.

She also said that while members are encouraged to go to a regional conference in their area, they are welcome to attend a meeting in any region.

“Sometimes different regions have different tours and events or you get to meet new Grangers, and that’s fun in itself,” Huber said.

“No matter which you go to, definitely mark your calendar and plan to attend a regional this year.”

Huber said for conferences with Youth, Juniors and other members invited offer exceptional opportunities for the intergenerational interaction that the Grange is known for and has served our Order well for 150 years. Also, she said several programs administered under the Youth Department are also open to members of all ages including public speaking, Sign-a-Song and drill competitions.

In 2019, members on most of the East Coast will gather early in Pennsylvania or Connecticut in March.

The Mid-Atlantic Leaders Conference - which includes activities for all members from Juniors to the most senior of Grangers - will be held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, over the St. Patty’s Day weekend, March 15-17 at the Eisenhower Hotel.

Grangers with or without sashes or current leadership roles are invited to attend because, coordinator Ellen Wadsworth said, there will be something for everyone at the three-day event that for only $70 includes all meals and activities for adults. Special Junior pricing will be posted soon.

“Our schedule has tracks that allow those who attend to find something that’s right for them at every time slot,” Wadsworth said.

“We have a leaders track, a lecturer track, Junior activities, a Youth track and others.”

Wadsworth said several National Grange staff and officers will be in attendance to present workshops on programming, communications, membership and more.

“There is a lot of value to attending these conferences,” Wadsworth said, who negotiated a $115 per night room rate when attendees use the room block under the name of PA State Grange.

Reservations can be made directly with the hotel by calling (717) 334-8121.

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2019 REGIONAL CONFERENCES

March 15-17: Mid-Atlantic Leaders Conference, Gettysburg, PA; contact Ellen Wadsworth at (417) 967-6474 or sswads@hotmail.com March 29-30: Northeast Leaders Conference, Norwich, CT; contact George Russell at (860) 8247056 or president@ctstategrange.org June 14-16; Great Plains Leaders Conference, Waco, TX; contact Samantha Wilkins at (210) 838-7892 or junior@nationalgrange.org June 28-30; Midwest Leaders Conference, Camp Alexander Mack, Milford, IN; contact John Neff at (574) 202-4924 or littlejohn2002@comcast. net or Lecturer Paula Lohrman (317) 966-7708 or pklohrman@gmail.com July 12-14: Northeastern Youth Conference, Connecticut; contact Dawn Anstett at (860) 3093217 or youth@ctstategrange.org July 19-21: Southeastern Youth & Junior Conference, Knoxville, TN; contact Judy Sherrod at (865) 4064036 or judysherrod@netzero.net August 2-4: Western Leaders Conference, Montana; contact Marilyn Johnson at marilyn_e_johnson@ yahoo.com Registration is open at pagrange.org, and she encouraged members to register early and consider one of the optional tours.

Connecticut will hold the Northeast Leaders Conference at the Norwich Quality Inn hotel March 29-30.

Youth and Juniors as well as Lecturers of the seven states will still have their own separate conferences, however State Grange President George Russell said each of these members could also find a lot of interest at the Northeast Regional.

“We’ve been working on the details to make sure there is a lot of value for the weekend. We hope everyone will come away with new leadership skills and ideas for membership,” Russell said.

Russell said soon there will be a letter mailed to State Granges and communicated to all members in the State with details about the cost for registration and workshops planned.

“This isn’t just for state leaders but for every member down to Subordinate,” Russell reiterated.

Russell said people could contact him in advance with questions by email at president@ctstategrange.org or by phone at (860) 8247056.

Other conferences are planned for summer months and all details available including contact information for organizers are listed above.

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

Photo by Lisa Metzger Jamie Cameron, left, and her sister-in-law Shelley Cameron, staff a booth at FarmAid in September 2018 that helped connect the dots for concert goers of the importance of rural broadband for farmers.

Members introduce FarmAid goers to Grange

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communication & Development Director In September, the National Grange again took part in the benefit concert known as FarmAid. The concert, however, isn’t the only element of the organization by the same name, started in 1985 by co-founders Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young.

The organization also offers year-round educational events for the public related to the struggles of farmers and aid to those who contact them through a national toll-free farmer crisis hotline.

To date, they have raised more than $50 million “to support programs that help farmers thrive,” according to their website.

Additionally, FarmAid often partners with organizations like the Grange to tell the story of modern agriculture for the general public and policymakers in states and on Capitol Hill.

The 2018 concert was held in Hartford, Connecticut, and several State Grange members took part by staffing a Grange booth and assisting with two Youth Market stands selling locally grown produce to event attendees.

J Allen Cameron, a 26-year-old member who works on a cattle farm, and his wife, Shelley, along with his sister, Jamie and parents, Jody and Jodi Ann Cameron, used a robotic arm and homemade wooden box as part of a display in the HomeGrown Village to

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Photo by Amanda Brozana Rios Connecticut Junior Grange members and leader help sell produce as part of the Youth Market at the event and educate consumers about the locally grown products.

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help concert-goers better understand precision agriculture and the need for broadband in rural and agricultural communities.

As an exhibitor in the HomeGrown village, you cannot just table and hand out materials – in fact, you can’t hand anything out at all, so you must have some activity and engage concert-goers in a discussion about your organization’s mission or priority areas.

“The amount of people who attended that really care about agriculture was amazing,” J Allen Cameron said. “Everyone was alive with energy and passion and wanted to make sure America’s farmers are

able to continue to feed us and the world.”

“For us, it was a unique opportunity to educate and engage with the public in support of the Grange and farming.

We met people who knew of the Grange, Grange members, and people who have never heard of the Grange,” J Allen said.

“It was amazing to hear stories from members that wanted to share their own stories and experience as Grange members to the public that had mostly not heard of us, but had a definite intersecting interest as ours.”

Cameron said he and his family, as well as Juniors assisting with the Youth Market

talked about what the Grange has to offer locally and nationally, and said the group “came away with a feeling that the day was a huge success, especially since several people gave us their name and contact information, saying they were interested to start their own Grange journey.”

One of the Junior Grangers in attendance, Quinlan Maus, was even able to thank one of the artists - FarmAid board member John Mellancamp’s nephew, Ian Mellancamp, who performed early in the day – for caring about farmers and gave him a Grange t-shirt.

Inclusion of Juniors shines positive light on Grange, ag futures

By Lillian Sharpe President, Ekonk Junior Grange #101 Connecticut Apple pie, steak, chicken, macaroni & cheese, seafood, and salad are just some of my family’s favorite foods.

These and all other foods are the results of a farmers’ work.

Just imagine in your mind that without the farmers who grow your food you wouldn’t be alive. Your grocery store gets all of its food from farmers too.

At the 33rd Annual Farm Aid held Sept. 22 in Hartford, Connecticut, at the Xfinity Center, my friend Abbey Dexter and I, as well as a couple other Juniors from the state of Connecticut sold food at the event’s “Youth Market.”

The fruits, cookies, and juice drinks all came from Lyman Orchards, a ninth-generation family farm established in 1741 in central Connecticut, currently with 1,100 acres.

Farm Aid provides funding for farmers struggling and for projects and organizations helping farmers – more than $50 million to date.

Farm Aid has a crisis hotline for farmers, 1-800-FARM-AID. The organization helps farmers after natural disasters, like hurricanes, and others in a different type of crisis. Something they highlighted this year is the surge in suicides among farmers, especially dairy farmers who often see death as a way to deal with high debt incurred from dairy farming and low milk prices.

Farm Aid knows farmers are vital to life itself and the organization has created ways for farmers to get help.

The organization also raises awareness about agriculture and the needs of farmers.

“Buy fresh, Buy local” was the theme of this year’s Farm

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Aid, something we can all be part of.

We can all help the future of agriculture by buying fresh and local products from our local farms.

On the road that I live, my grandfather, Russell Gray, remembers there being 17 active dairy farms; now they are all gone – my grandfather’s dairy herd being one of them, sold nine years ago. My grandfather now raises beef animals and crops.

A few months ago, my cousins sold their dairy cows and theirs was the last dairy farm on Ekonk Hill. Today, there remains only one dairy farm in my town.

My brother and I are part of the fourth-generation to live on Ekonk Hill.

We raised Jersey calves, selling them to a dairy farm when they were ready to get bred. Now, my brother and I are raising six Nubian goats.

Too many kids (and adults) think that their food comes from a grocery store, but it actually comes from a farmer.

Farm Aid helps support this effort to let people know where their food comes from, and for people to understand how important farmers and their farms are to life itself.

Our Grange promotes the importance of agriculture. We have an annual fair and our Junior Grange has raised bed gardens on our Grange property. We also take an active role in the annual Sterling Farm Day, held each October.

It is awesome that organizations like Farm Aid and the Grange help promote agricultural awareness and spread the word about how important agriculture, farms and farmers are to all of us, and I am proud to be part of it.

Abbey Dexter and I had a great time helping National Grange at FarmAid, along with other Juniors.

It was an awesome experience and yet another benefit of being a Junior Granger!

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

From boxes to bytes

Preserving Grange history in perpetuity histories, the heartbreaking reality is that as some of these

By Cam Thomas

chapters have disappeared so too have their histories.

Ask someone to show you the history of the Grange, and, chances are, they will show you boxes.

Boxes stacked on boxes. Bookshelves full of boxes.

Inside the boxes you’ll find newsletters and binders, photos and stacks of dusty, yellowing paper, but take a closer look and you’ll find something special – stories of family and faith, rich traditions from the past and detailed visions for the future.

The stories of the Grange are stories of the men and women who helped build the nation’s oldest agricultural advocacy organization. These stories are precious and irreplaceable, and yet they’re at risk of being lost forever due to decay, disorganization and disasters like floods, fires or man-made mishaps.

Since being established in 1867, the National Grange has seen its number of chartered chapters dwindle from more than 40,000 to roughly 1,700 in existence today. While many of these chapters’ legacies are still celebrated through oral and written

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Today, Grange chapters from across the country are facing the same challenge. With their historical documents strewn in various locations – in various conditions – how do they preserve and protect them for generations to come?

A Vision Becomes a Reality for One State Since 1873, there have been more than 2,100 chartered chapters in Pennsylvania. Over the years, these chapters have consolidated, merged or disbanded, and the result is that less than 10 percent of the original 2,100 chapters remain active in the Commonwealth today.

The desire to capture and preserve the state’s history began many years ago and involved many dedicated individuals. In 2005, the Pennsylvania State Grange established the History Committee, and in 2006 the committee formed a partnership with the State Archives who agreed to microfilm their paper

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records. However, due to an unexpected equipment failure at the State Archives in 2016 and state budgetary restrictions, the State Archives would no longer accept paper records, which left the History Committee scrambling for a solution once again.

“Up until that point in time, we had been very fortunate in Pennsylvania, thanks to the State Archives” says Doug Bonsall, a Grange member for more than 50 years and the current Chairman of the Pennsylvania State Grange History Committee.

“Once that option was no longer available, we had to ask ourselves: where do we go from here? How do we continue the preservation process?”

The challenge was clear: to preserve and safeguard all of their historical records, some of which dated back to the late 19th century. The records include Journals of Proceedings, Charter Applications, newsletters, minutes from Executive Meetings and other articles and documents published over the years.

The Pennsylvania State Grange considered handling the large-scale scanning project on their own but quickly eliminated it as an option due to the amount of time and resources required.

One of their contacts at the State Archives recommended IMR Digital, a leading provider of document scanning, imaging and indexing services located in West Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

After several conversations with IMR Digital, it became clear to the History Committee that converting the records to digital format was the way to go. IMR Digital tested samples and provided the committee with cost estimates for their services.

The project was funded in part by generous donations from individuals, as well as contributions from several Subordinate and Pomona Granges, and IMR Digital was also willing to work within the constraints of the committee’s budget. Once the budget was finalized and approved, the committee turned their attention to establishing a project plan and getting organized.

Jenn Nauss, a lifelong Grange member and member of the Pennsylvania State Grange History Committee, was responsible for preparing all of the records for IMR Digital. “We had some work to do on our end before IMR could start the file conversions.

We went through all of our records, organizing, ordering and labeling everything, to ensure our records were in good order.”

For Nauss, who has been active in the Grange at all levels – local, county, state and national – the project has been a labor of love. “I grew up in the Grange, so I care deeply about our history,” says Nauss. “I also believe it’s important for us to have

a good understanding of where we come from so that we know the best way to move forward.”

Moving forward is exactly what the committee has been doing since the project began in May 2017. Phases 1 and 2 of the project were completed in September 2018, meaning that all Newsletters, Journals of Proceedings and Charter Applications were converted to microfilm and delivered to the Pennsylvania State Grange in digital format via flash drives. That’s no small feat when you consider that these records span more than 100 years.

The third and final phase of the project is ongoing and will be completed as time and funding become available.

Improving Accessibility Is Just Part of the Process The benefits of backfile conversion go well beyond historical preservation. Bonsall explains, “We knew we needed to preserve the information in perpetuity, especially when we saw how fragile some of the documents were, but we also wanted to take advantage of today’s latest technologies to improve accessibility.”

“One of the nice things about working with IMR Digital is the way they imaged our records. You can search our PDFs for words or phrases, so, if you’re looking for a specific name or place, it’s as easy as doing a quick search. Our digital records are easier to access than our original paper records.”

Once the files are digitized, the History Committee uploads them to the Pennsylvania State Grange website (PAGrange. org) to enhance accessibility even further. Uploading all of the documents to the website will take time, but the end result will be that anyone, member and non-member alike, can visit the website and download the files they need immediately.

This ease of access cannot be overstated. That’s because, in years past, if you were looking for a record, it would’ve necessitated a trip to Harrisburg where the files were likely being stored in – you guessed it – boxes. Even then, however, there was no guarantee that you would find the file you were searching for and, if you did, its condition might be extremely fragile.

“Books, pictures and even microfilm do not last forever,” says Michael Glaser, Sales Manager of Conversion Services at IMR Digital. “By delivering everything on flash drives, we’re essentially providing them with a Disaster Recovery Solution, helping safeguard these records against things like fire, smoke and water damage, which unfortunately can happen.”

About IMR Digital (IMRDigital.com) Operating out of its state-of-the-art facility in West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, IMR Digital offers digital and microfilm conversion services, specialized and preservation scanning, indexing, data entry and data extraction. To learn more about IMR Digital’s document conversion services, contact Michael Glaser at michael.glaser@keymarkinc.com or call 717-364-3777 (office) or 717-836-4346 (mobile).

IMR Digital is owned by KeyMark, Inc., a leading OnBase reseller and Platinum and Diamond Support Partner. OnBase by Hyland is a single enterprise information platform designed to centralize your most important data and documents and deliver the information you need, wherever you are.

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Excitement Spreads, and a Legacy Is Born During the Pennsylvania State Grange Family Festival in July 2018, the History Committee presented a preview of the conversion work being done to a crowd of more than 100, which included National Grange President Betsy Huber.

When Huber was elected President in 2015, she was shocked to see the conditions in which the original documents of the Grange’s founding were stored and was eager to do something to preserve them for future generations.

“When I learned how cooperative IMR Digital was with the Pennsylvania State Grange, and how reasonable their costs were, I asked them to come to Headquarters and look at what we have,” Huber said.

The excitement surrounding the project continued when IMR Digital set up a display at the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention in November.

“We were honored to be part of the convention in Stowe, Vermont, and we want to thank everyone who stopped by to see us,” says Glaser. “We see the Pennsylvania State Grange project as the first step on a long journey of preserving the Grange’s national history.”

Huber agrees. As someone who comes from a long line of Grange members (five or more generations), Huber understands the importance of legacy – both the legacy of the organization and her legacy as the National Grange’s first female president.

She is already thinking about what her legacy will look like when the time comes for her to pass the gavel.

“To think that I can touch and read the journal of O. H. Kelley in his travels through the South in 1867, the original writings of the Degree work and the Declaration of Purposes, and correspondence among the Founders as they laid out the design for the Patrons of Husbandry—these are precious, irreplaceable documents that must be preserved,” Huber said. “In addition, they are valuable source documents for historians studying agricultural history, society in the 19th century, and what people were concerned about back then.

We can not only preserve the information

Submitted Photo Irreplaceable documents are part of the trove preserved by digitization by National Grange and the Pennsylvania State Grange in 2018. but also make it available to researchers and historians. What an invaluable service!”

National Initiative To Benefit State and Local Chapters The National Grange and IMR Digital are now working on ways to roll out a national backfile conversion initiative – one aimed at preserving the organization’s most important documents while lowering the costs for all state and local Granges. In fact, IMR Digital is already testing samples that were provided by the National Grange.

For Granges concerned about cost considerations, IMR Digital has already expressed a willingness to be flexible whenever and wherever possible. “We understand that budgets are tight and that people have limited amounts of time to devote to it,” says Glaser. “We’re happy to work around the availability of volunteers and spread out the costs of our services over months or even years.”

Under this initiative, the National Grange would receive duplicate copies of any digital

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files provided to the state or local chapters so that the National Grange can begin building a centralized Digital Archives Library. Over time, these records would provide all Grange members with a clearer and more complete picture of the organization’s history.

“It’s a great way to share our history with our members,” says Huber. “Imagine if our most important documents, stories and traditions from the across the country are being collected and preserved forever. The value of the Grange organization will always be available for generations to come.”

How You Can Help If you believe the history of the Grange needs to be preserved, protected and shared for all to see, we invite you to contact us about ways you can help.

If you’re interested in making a financial donation through our 501(c)3 nonprofit Grange Foundation, please contact Foundation Associate Amanda Brozana Rios at info@grangefoundation.org or by phone at 301-943-1090.

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Honoring

L egacy

THE BUILDERS OF OUR

GRANGE ANNIVERSARIES 125 YEAR GRANGES

100 YEAR GRANGES

• Harmony Grange #125, NH

• Long Beach Grange #667, WA

MEMBERSHIP ANNIVERSARIES 85 YEARS CONTINUOUS MEMBERSHIP Maine • Barbara Wilson, South Sangerville Grange #335

Connecticut • Richard Doolittle, Cheshire Grange #23 • Esther Rebillard, Winchester Grange #74

New York • Israel Woodford, Cuyler Grange #449, NY

Idaho • Marian L. Jones, Harrison Grange #422

80 YEARS CONTINUOUS MEMBERSHIP Connecticut • Frank Ajello, Jr, Oxford Grange #194

Maine • Helen Edgerly, South Sangerville Grange #335

Maine • Harold Beisaw, North Jay Grange #10 • Gerald Foss, Danville Junction Grange #65 • Barbara Griffin, North Scarboro Grange #495 • Barbara Hutchinson, North Jay Grange #10 • Wilson Shores, Benton Grange # 458 Massachusetts • Lauria Mitchell, Hinsdale Grange #19

New York • Edward Roberts, North Barton Grange #45

New Hampshire • JoAnne Blake, Lower Intervale Grange #321

Ohio • Gladys Wilhelm, Mile Branch Grange #933 Pennsylvania • Emily Way, Half Moon Grange #290 If your Grange is celebrating 100, 125 or 150 years of service to your community, please contact Loretta Washington at the National Grange six weeks in advance of your celebration to receive a plaque and letter for $10, including shipping. The names of Granges celebrating 150 years will also be engraved on a perpetual plaque hung at the National Grange Headquarters.

As of March 2017, shipping and handling (s/h) charges for Golden Sheaf and 75 Year membership awards increased to match all other Grange Supply Store s/h charges. Golden Sheaf certificates and 75-Year Diamond Certificates are $10 each plus shipping & handling based on order total. Order total up to $10: $4 s/h; $10.01-$19.99: $5 s/h; $20-$49.99: $7 s/h; $50-$74.99: $9 s/h; $75-$99.99 : $10 s/h; $100$124.99: $12 s/h; $125-$249.99: $15 s/h; $250+: $20 s/h.

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75 YEARS CONTINUOUS MEMBERSHIP

New York • Barbara Denhoff, Dryden Grange #1112 • Herman Lyman, Jr., Rose Grange #1051 • Mary Louise Lyman, Rose Grange #1051 • Kenneth Marquis, Dryden Grange #1112 • Marie McAfee, North Barton Grange #45 • Howard Smith, North Barton Grange #45 • Viola Smith, North Barton Grange #45 Ohio • Betty Bair, Cove Spring Grange #2414 • Edna Greenawalt, Smith Grange #1141 Rhode Island • Ann Beals, Perryviille Grange #14 • Nancy Beals, Perryviille Grange #14 Pennsylvania • Martha Anderson, Hartslog Valley Grange #375 • David Richards, Port Matilda Grange #1284 • Emily Way, Half Moon Grange #290 Washington • Robert Rowe, Ten Mile Grange #399

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MEMBER RECOGNITION

50 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS MEMBERSHIP Connecticut • Heidi Field, Coventry Grange #75 • Craig Leifert, Winchester Grange #74 • Marilee Mannino, Coventry Grange #75 • Cynthia Sposito, Coventry Grange #75 Iowa • Robert Bierman, Bloomington Grange #2057 Maine • Arlene Harris, Excelsior Grange #5 • Wendall Harris, Excelsior Grange #5 • Norma Quimby, Medomac Valley Grange #175 • Steven Verrill, Excelsior Grange #5 • Susanne Verrill, Excelsior Grange #5 Nebraska • Alice Doane, Waverly Grange #369 New Hampshire • Donald Atwood, Lower Intervale Grange # 321 • Patricia Bailey, Hudson Grange #11 • Carolee Burrett, Golden Rod Grange #114 • Frances Pepau, Stratford Grange #238 New York • Madelyn Gibbs, Monticello Grange #1357 • Thomas A. Lawton, Oxford Grange #894 • Jane Milem, Rose Grange #1051

Rhode Island • Harold Stedman, Sr., Perryville Grange #14 • Keith Tucker, Perryville Grange #14 Washington • Duane Kuhlman, Garden City Grange #280 • Vaneta Malone, Adna Grange #417 • Judith L. McCormick, Ten Mile Grange #399 • Shirley Meserve, Espanola Grange #698 • Janice Radmer, Espanola Grange #698 • Richard Stoddard, Adna Grange #417

North Carolina • David Eller, Ferguson Grange #809 • Margaret Martine, Ferguson Grange #809 • Frank Shuford, Jr., Ferguson Grange #809 Ohio • Michael Bair, Cove Spring Grange #2414 • David Barnett, Mile Branch Grange #933 • Donald Barnett, Mile Branch Grange #933 • Wayne Doner, Unity Grange #2116 • Lynn Eisele, Collinsville Grange #2264 • Beverly Foutz, Collinsville Grange #2264 • Norma Gillifillan, Cove Spring Grange #2414 • William K. Ginnery, Jr., Richland Grange #1899 • Dan Hiegel, Cove Spring Grange #2414 • John Jess, Cove Spring Grange #2414 • Michael Johnson, Mile Branch Grange #933 • Rick Knife, Cove Spring Grange #2414

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Pennsylvania • Terry Albright, Half Moon Grange #290 • Doris Bickle, Half Moon Grange #290 • Martha Colbert, Half Moon Grange #290 • Gloria Ellenberger, Half Moon Grange #290 • Samuel Gray, Half Moon Grange #290 • Deborah Holmes, New Vernon Grange #608 • Jeffrey Holmes, New Vernon Grange #608 • Cora McAdams, New Vernon Grange #608 • Larry McAdams, New Vernon Grange #608 • Patty McAdams, New Vernon Grange #608 • George Peters, Jr., Half Moon Grange #290 • Rodney Reese, Half Moon Grange #290 • Vern Robinson, Fassett Grange #1567 • Gerald Voorhies, New Vernon Grange #608 • Susan Voorhies, New Vernon Grange #608 • Brooks Way, Half Moon Grange #290 • Donald Way, Half Moon Grange #290 • Emily Way, Half Moon Grange #290 • Hugh Wilson, Half Moon Grange #290 • Teddie Wineland, Half Moon Grange #290

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In October, 103-year-old Harold Bergeron, Past Master of the Vermont State Grange (1980-84), was installed as a member of Blue Spruce Grange’s Executive Committee for a three year term. The amazing dedication of this 72-year member is inspiring.

Members of the Installing team included Past State Masters Lester Gibbs, Brenda Rousselle, Errol Briggs, along with Elizabeth Lowry and Linda Sanderson, voting members of the Assembly of Demeter.

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

MEMORIAL NOTICE ED KOMSKI California State Grange President Edward Louis Komski was born Jan. 12, 1958, in New Jersey to Louis Komski and Helen Kotula Komski. He was raised in the Polish National Catholic Church and served as an altar boy until age 18.

He attended Cedar Ridge High School in Old Bridge, N.J., where he became heavily involved with many activities including madrigal choir. Ed toured Romania during his high school years with the choir, earning several acclaimed international awards.

Ed learned the accordion at age 5 and as time went by he picked up and could play almost any instrument. Many Bar mitzvahs and Polish Polkas were his side jobs throughout his younger years.

Ed graduated from Shenandoah University (previously known as Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music), Winchester, Virginia in 1980, earning a BS in music management, an AA in business administration and established many life-long friendships.

He then moved to the Washington D.C./Maryland area in 1981 and entered the banking industry. By the late 1980’s, he had relocated to the West Coast where his quest for sunshine, the beach and Southern California lifestyle was realized.

Ed met Cynthia Lynn (Plies) in 1990 and they wed November 2, 1991. In 2000, they moved from Orange County, Calif., to a farm in Fallbrook to enjoy and relish the rural lifestyle that they loved.

Together they raised horses, dogs, miniature donkeys, exotic birds and a slew of other farm critters.

Ed joined Rainbow Valley Grange in September 2003. Over the last 15 years, he served as the Grange’s Youth Fair Director, founder and director of the Show Season Opener, Master (President), and chief renovator of the hall’s interior. At the state level, Ed served as Youth Fair Director, Property Manager, and State Master/President from 2013 until his death.

He enjoyed and loved to mentor the next generation of Grangers on the state and national level, working on legislative issues.

Ed was a totally amazing dad to daughter Aspen Lee Komski, nephew Tate R. Nelson and Aspen’s countless friends. Ed died Nov. 12, 2018, from heart attack complications in Burlington, Vermont, while at a National Grange Convention. He was preceded in death by his brother Louis (age 6 weeks), father Louis Komski, niece Haley Anne Nelson and mother-in-law Anita Irene Plies.

The family invites those who loved Ed to pay tribute to him on January 12, 2019 to celebrate and share memories of him on what would have been his 61st birthday. Details of the event will be shared on social media once details are finalized.

New California State President installed at session A few shorts days after the sudden passing of Ed Komski, sitting California State Grange President, prior to the start of the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention, his successor, Kent Westwood was installed in a special ceremony during the session.

Westwood, who had been serving as Overseer of California State Grange, was installed by California native Joe Stefenoni, National Grange Membership Director, just before the newly elected National Grange officers on Friday, Nov. 16.

Stefenoni presented Westwood with a rather large version of the emblem of his office - a gavel owned by the California State Grange that Komski had brought with him to Vermont to show officers and delegates at the session. The oversized gavel, weighting about (10 pounds), was fashioned from the wood of one of the two original naval orange trees sent by the National Grange’s first president, William Saunders, then Superintendent of the U.S. Propagating

Gardens, to Luther and Eliza Tibbits of Riverside, California. The tree had died after many years of bearing fruit and part of it was carved into the gavel that has been held by the State Grange.

“It was a privilege to install Brother Westwood into this new position, albeit in the midst of the passing of Brother Komski,” Stefenoni said. “The installation of a Grange leader signifies the peaceful and seamless transition from one member to another and is the starting point of their service. I look forward to seeing the growth of the Grange in California under Brother Westwood’s leadership.”

“All delegates and Grangers were very welcoming to Kent as he was suddenly swept into the maelstrom of National convention,” National Grange President Betsy Huber said. “We were all heartbroken at the loss of Brother Ed, but satisfied to see that our process works and the Overseer assumed the duties of Master automatically without any disruption.”

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Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Kent Westwood, left, is presented the emblem of his office, a gavel, by Installing Officer Joe Stefenoni, right,

on Friday, Nov. 16 at the 152nd Annual

National Grange Convention, Vermont, as Marshall Roger Bostwick looks on.

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Protect Essential Veterans’ Phone Services The Lifeline program was created by the Reagan Administration to provide low-income Americans with access to affordable phone services.

Lifeline Today:

1.3 MILLION VETERANS RELY ON LIFELINE 12% OF LIFELINE SUBSCRIBERS ARE VETERANS Lifeline connects veterans with opportunity and lifesaving resources, including: Jobs Healthcare & Emergency Services Education Suicide Prevention Resources Proposed changes in DC will damage the ability of low-income Americans – including 1.3 million veterans – to access essential phone services. If the proposed changes are enacted: • 8.3 million Americans will lose access to their current phone services • Up to 85% of Lifeline subscribers will be unable to afford phone services • Basic phone service costs will increase while service quality plummets • Veterans in need & other qualified Americans will be barred from the program

ACT NOW TO PROTECT VETERANS’ LIFELINE TO OPPORTUNITY

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Text VETERANS to 52886 or go to VETS.LIFELINEFACTS.COM L GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

Connecticut Junior fights with a smile

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director Sometimes phones bring you closer to your loved ones – but it’s not always in the way you expect.

So was the case with the Sharpe family when they heard the news from doctors at Hartford Children’s Hospital on October 8: 13-year-old Lillian had cancer. Leukemia to be exact. And just like that, the world of the seven-generation Grange family from the Ekonk area in Connecticut was rocked to its core.

That evening at 6:30 p.m., just hours after Lilly had gone to see a doctor with few symptoms of note, they learned the teen’s recent sluggishness was not a byproduct of her busy lifestyle - filled with the duties as Master of a very active Junior Grange, making her own jams and jellies to sell at an upcoming Grange Christmas bazaar, and top-notch schoolwork.

Instead, it was the only symptom her parents could point to before their seemingly healthy teen woke on Saturday, October 6 with many unexplained bruises on her legs.

As a child with a younger sibling, one would assume her brother Russell may have had something to do with the bruises!

But the brother and sister, who are best friends, had not so much as tussled, so out of precaution on Monday the family set an appointment with what became the first of hundreds of medical staff who have seen Lillian since early fall.

It started with blood work at that local doctor’s office and led to a race to pack things into the car and head to Hartford Children’s Hospital that evening where, nearly as fast as she arrived, she was transferred to what is the region’s best facility to treat the child whose smile would not be dampened - the Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Boston Children’s Hospital.

At the Massachusetts hospital, she would spend 35 days, enduring procedure after procedure with her mother, Deb, by her side.

After the diagnosis, the treatment schedule came fast and furious for the young woman preparing to attend her first National Grange session where she would represent Connecticut as the Junior Ambassador and compete with three other impressive young people for 2019 National Junior Ambassador.

“It was a tough month, emotionally and physically, for Lilly,” Deb Sharpe said. “She started chemo on Friday, October 12.

On this day she also had a lumbar puncture with intrathecal chemo and a bone marrow biopsy.”

This was the first of a 32-day induction phase where each day Lilly received a variety of IV and chemotherapy medications.

She also received two blood transfusions and the first of

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Submitted Photo Connecticut’s Ekonk Community Junior Grange President Lillian Sharpe, 13, was diagnosed with Leukemia in early October and has a long road ahead. In this, she cuddles two stuffed animals given to her early in her treatment at the Dana Ferber Cancer Institute in Boston. platelet transfusions – more of which would come at the Jimmy Fund Clinic when she finally got to the outpatient stage.

The petite red-head endured numerous side effects including weight loss, hair loss, mouth sores, back pain, jaw pain, headaches, and of course, general exhaustion.

Deb said even while she saw the physical changes in her child she knew the role she was needed in most -- to be a cheerleader.

“Every day I would encourage her to stay strong and positive, focus on our blessings, and remember that each day we finished was one day closer to getting her healthy and getting her home,” Deb said. “It is heartbreaking to watch your

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Submitted Photo

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™ the Lillian Sharpe and her brother, Russell, 11, take a moment family home to show off their Christmas GOOD DAY!at MAGAZINE tree. Lilly has lost her hair as she has undergone treatment for Leukemia, but her smile remains bright. www.nationalgrange.org

child suffer through this. You spend years taking care of your child, and protecting them from so much, but in this situation, you feel completely helpless. There is not much you can do, other than be there as a constant source of love and support.”

And there were other positive rays of light along the road of that first month, too.

“Even though it was a lot for her to endure, physically and emotionally, her spirits were brightened by the amazing nurses and staff at Boston Children’s Hospital, and of course the daily mail, which brought in cards and letters from people all over the country, many of whom were Grangers, sending messages of strength, hope, and love,” Deb said.

Her mother said the way Lilly has taken the news, handled the procedures and the pain, and her whole outlook has been amazing.

“She is so very strong and an inspiration to all of us. She has already endured so much more than what most people will ever go through,” Deb said.

Leaving the hospital may have brought her closer to family, but it did not end her journey – both literally and figuratively.

In the first two weeks home from the hospital, the family made the 172-mile round trip to the Jimmy Fund Clinic eight times for treatments.

While the family has been able to have a visiting nurse come to start some of the treatments at home, as new phases of treatment begin she will again make trips like the one on December 7 for another lumbar procedure and the start of a new round of chemotherapy.

Deb said while she’s not sure exactly how often Lilly will have to take the trip to the clinic, overall they’ve been told to expect about two trips a week for at least two more years.

“As the months go by, we should be able to go less often, as long as she continues to do well with the treatments,” Deb said.

The toll was not just on Lilly but the entire “family,” blood, Grange, community and more.

“It was pretty tough being away from my family for such a long time,” Lilly said a few weeks after she returned home. “I missed my family, but also missed being a part of school and Grange activities.”

And the brother who in another story could have been the cause of the mystery bruises but was any-thing but the culprit?

“I really missed Lilly and mom being home, but tried to enjoy my time with them at the hospital when I got to visit,” Russell, 11, said.

Word of her illness began to spread throughout the small community where she is well known and the Grange family across the country.

“It was shocking to hear. I had just met Lillian at FarmAid two weeks before and her smile was infectious,” National Grange President Betsy Huber said. “We all continue to keep Lilly and the Sharpe and Gray family in our prayers in this difficult time.”

Her maternal grandparents, Russell Gray, a former State President in Connecticut, and his wife, Sue, were part of a team that helped Grangers focus their rallying cries for the young girl on what to do next and what was needed.

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“The family has done so much for the Granges, and this child, all of them have done so much for the Granges in Connecticut and they are willing to support anyone else who is in trouble. They’re our Grange family and we have to support them.”

As their annual Turkey Dinner prior to Thanksgiving neared, the members of Ekonk Community Grange decided it was appropriate to donate all profit from the event to the Sharpe family to cover expenses like the twice-weekly trips for treatment.

An event that fed more than 200 people in 2017 more than doubled in size when the community heard of the fundraiser, with more than 400 people served and 80 take-out dinners purchased.

Jody Cameron, a member at Ekonk Grange, said the way Grangers have pulled together shows indeed that the organization is a family.

“The outpouring of support near and far has really proven that,” Cameron said. “She’s been adopted into the hearts of people all across the country who are invested in her fight.”

In addition to the profit from the meal, the Grange also gave to the family dollar bills collected with the letter L, designating that it was minted in San Francisco.

The entire event raised more than $5,000.

At their State Convention just a few weeks prior, the Connecticut State Grange Foundation Board approved the creation of a fund called the Love for Lilly Fund that will allow people to donate through the 501(c)3 for tax-deduction and accounting purposes and allow the donations to be distributed to the family.

“The family has done so much for the Granges, and this child, all of them have done so much for the Granges in Connecticut and they are willing to support anyone else who is in trouble.

They’re our Grange family and we have to support them,” Connecticut State Grange President George Russell said.

Outside of the Eastern Connecticut hamlet and Nutmeg State, others also felt deeply for the Junior that they had not met in person but felt connected to just the same.

And when it was confirmed that the articulate Junior with deep Grange roots would not be able to compete for Junior Ambassador, National Junior Director Samantha Wilkins

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created a position - not to be seen as a title without substance - that she hoped was fitting: Honorary Junior Ambassador.

“She has been an extremely influential Junior in her state,” Wilkins said. “It’s impossible to know what the next year holds so I’m not sure exactly what the duties will be that Lilly takes on, but I know one thing just from the stories about her and from her application: she is not afraid to work and wants to work for the Grange. In this capacity, she will have the opportunity to serve and assist in programs from afar as she is able.”

Wilkins said she hopes Lilly is well enough to attend a regional conference in her area - which is slated for March in Connecticut - and that she may even be able to do a workshop or write to other Juniors or help conceive an outreach project for the Junior Grange.

“But I want to wait and give her time.

At this time, one more thing could be overwhelming or it could be a needed distraction. Only Lilly and her family will know what’s best in any given stretch, but whatever works for Lilly will benefit the Grange,” Wilkins said. “She is truly a source of inspiration for our organization and not because of her fight with this disease, but because of her leadership and drive at such a young age. It’s the first thing you take away when you read her letters, her essays, her application mate-rials for the Junior Ambassador program. I can’t wait to see an even stronger Lilly, battle tested and ready to take on the world.”

Lilly said she was honored to receive the title of Honorary National Junior Grange Ambassador.

“I was upset about missing State and National Grange, but am looking forward to helping out and being involved when I feel better,” Lilly said. “People were so thoughtful when I was in the hospital, and I am looking forward to returning the favor by giving back to the community that has helped me so much.”

She may have a lot of favors to return as there have been many events beyond just the Turkey Feast so far and the outpouring continues for the well-loved girl.

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LOVE FOR LILLY Stay in the loop A facebook group has been created to update those interested on Lilly’s progress. Search for Love & Support for Lilly and ask to join Donations accepted If you or your Grange would like to send a financial donation for Lillian’s family to help cover some of the costs associated with the care required for her recovery, please address to: Connecticut State Grange Foundation PO Box 1393 Glastonbury, CT 06033 Make sure to indicate in the memo line or on a note that the contribution is for the Love for Lilly Fund. You are encouraged to submit your donation with the Foundation’s donation form attached. You can download it at ctstategrangefoundation.org Show your support The wristbands being sold by the Student Council at Woodstock Academy as well as Love for Lilly mugs are being sold by individuals as fundraisers for the Sharpe family. You can find more information on the Love & Support for Lilly Facebook group or contact Sue and Russell Gray by email at russell_gray@ sbcglobal.net who can help coordinate.

Write to Lilly Lillian Sharpe 396 Ekonk Hill Road Moosup, CT 06354 At Woodstock Academy, where her mother in the school librarian, a student blood drive in her honor was held. The student council also purchased and is selling orange wrist bands with Love for Lilly imprinted. All proceeds go to the Sharpe family. Orange is the color for childhood cancer.

“It is going to be a long, difficult journey. However, we are thankful that she is being treated at the best place possible, and are thankful for all of the amazing support we are receiving from family, friends, and the community. We

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are truly blessed to have such an amazing support system,” Deb said. “Words cannot express our gratitude for the outpouring of love and support, especially from her Grange family. She received cards and letters from Grangers all over the country when she was in the hospital, and they brought her so much joy. It is unbelievable to know that so many wonderful people all over this country are keeping her in their thoughts and prayers, both now and as she continues to fight this battle and endure treatments for the next two years.”

Photo by Chris Hamp The Hall of Green Bluff Grange #300 in Colbert, Washington, underwent a stunning transformation thanks to community and member efforts in early fall.

BELOW, see the hall before the work was complete. LEFT, see after the makeover by the KXLY Extreme Team and many others.

Hall unites community, gets ‘extreme’ makeover

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director TV cameras and personalities in Grange Halls often cover a major community event. In this case, the personalities were there to make an event happen – and what a happening it was!

In late August, Green Bluff Grange in Colbert, Washington, underwent an extreme makeover thanks to the KXLY Extreme Team.

The TV-station personnel along with volunteers from the community gathered at the more than 80-year-old Hall to complete

necessary

improvements

including a new roof, new siding

the building up to code to a ramp for

Spokane county.

handicap accessibility, the building was

Since eating is definitely on the menu

necessary improvements like asbestos

transformed from hall on the brink of

of options for use of the building, it was

abatement.

closure to a modern facility for residents

important to update the kitchen as well.

of the unincorporated community in

Additionally, volunteers helped to

and many other upgrades and some

From electrical updates to bring

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add insulation, something that will help the Grange save its

faces to those involved in the weekend event.

hard earned and generously donated dollars with reduced

KXLY Extreme Team spokesman Mark Peterson said that

heating costs. They also added new paint throughout the

there were several requests sent to the team to help with the

inside and improved the landscape and parking lot.

projects needed, and the team ultimately saw great value in

This was a capstone project for the beautification committee, started in 2014 by members who wanted to see the Hall become a central community service facility once again.

“One hundred and fifty years ago when the organization began, Grange halls were the social and cultural centers in rural areas,” National Grange President Betsy Huber said in a letter congratulating Green Bluff on the project. “These buildings can serve the same purpose today, but it takes constant effort by the members to keep them in good condition.”

Brandy Donough said the effort was also a tribute to longtime member Sherm Simpson who had helped build the hall over the years since its initial construction in 1935.

Donough said Simpson and his sons have helped maintain the building and grounds for more than 50 years, efforts that have truly allowed the community a place to meet, greet, eat, celebrate and grieve depending on its use from Grange events to area resident rentals.

Donough said she first reached out to the Extreme Team about three years prior to the actual renovation, but progress to get them on board was slow.

However, it was the variety of events and the magnitude of impact the loss of the hall could have on the small community that finally drove the point home: Green Bluff Grange is an asset that cannot become a memory.

The group showed the breadth of the facility’s importance: from monthly free community events to the community Harvest Festival that spans the first three weekends of each October, Green Bluff Grange is indeed a hub that volunteers and the KXLY Extreme Team should see value in preserving.

They reminded the Extreme Team and others of their efforts to help women veterans and that the hall serves as a home for those participating in an annual retreat held by the nonprofit Cowgirls and Women Warriors, providing meals and smiling

the venue.

“We know how important community is and we love agriculture, so after a pancake feed and some meetings with our enthusiastic community partners, we knew we could do some great things at the Grange,” Peterson said.

In addition to looking to the Extreme Team, the group also held building-specific fundraisers. In all, their goal was to raise at least $10,000.

In traditional Grange fashion many of the fundraisers revolved around food: a pie auction, a chili cook-off, and “last Sunday” breakfasts that netted about $200 to $250 each month.

Donough said while the events themselves were not financially as profitable as they would prefer, the continued outreach to their community – to remind people of all the things they’ve done in the Hall, from getting married to mourning the loss of a loved one – was helpful in telling the story of why the hall is important in Colbert.

There was the barn dance and silent auction as well as the quirky but successful chicken poop bingo – events that may have harkened to a different time or just a different lifestyle, but all the same were welcomed in Colbert and beyond.

A GoFundMe page was established that took the project far beyond the limits of the community to people who had experienced events at the hall in the past but now live out of town.

They even reached out to a local leader in the banking community and struck a deal: open a new checking or savings account at BECU (officially founded as Boeing Employees Credit Union) and not only will you receive $50 but also $50 will be donated to the Grange for the restoration and renovation project. The few-month promotion raised about $2,000 – nearly two-fifths of the total the group netted, well short of their $10,000 goal.

It was the work of volunteers from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through four days in September that helped hang drywall, put gravel in the parking lot and do many other tasks that helped reduce the overall cost of the project. Several organizations committed to assist including BECU, the Green Bluff Lions Club, Spokane County Fire District 4, the Green Bluff Growers and Spokane Rock Rollers. And of course members and their families were also part of the work crew thanked by meals provided and the admiration of a community who reveled in the new look of the hall when they held an open house on Sept. 20.

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NEW FOR 2019

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2019 National Grange Membership Department Contest

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The goal of this contest is to create a display promoting your Grange and to use it in the community your Grange serves. Grange displays should promote the active role your Grange takes in its community by highlighting the activities and functions your Grange puts on, the community service projects it engages in, and the future vision of the membership. The displays can also briefly highlight the history of the organization. Displays should be visually appealing, including pictures to enhance the viewer’s experience.

Displays can be both active and passive in nature. Active displays are ones where Grange members are there to talk to potential new members and answer any questions about what your Grange does. Passive displays are ones that are set up for the public to view without anyone being there to answer potential questions. Both displays should have the information necessary for someone to find out more information about your Grange including, but not limited to: website, meeting date & time, email, social media addresses, etc. Displays should also be stocked with pamphlets about the Grange and membership applications for anyone wishing to fill one out.

In developing your display, consider what your Grange does to improve your community and the things that would entice people to join your Grange and become active members. Also consider what are the outcomes of being a Grange member, not just the features of membership.

There are two categories to this contest: 1) Digital Displays and 2) Non-Digital Displays Digital displays can be a video, or a collection of images and text that showcase what your Grange does to serve its members and better its community. Digital displays can be created in a variety of programs including, but not limited to: Microsoft PowerPoint, Prezi, Google Slides, Keynote, iMovie, Adobe Spark, Windows Movie Maker, and Impress. Digital displays can also have audio laid over the images with a narrator explaining the outcomes of being a Grange member and why someone should join the Grange.

Digital displays should be viewed on a laptop computer or TV screen that is set up at the events your Grange is working.

To enter this contest, please submit to the National Grange Membership Director a short (up to two page) write-up of where your Grange placed it’s display and what interest the display generated; did you take in new members? Develop new contacts within you community? Develop a new program based on the needs of your community members? Along with the write-up please submit up to five photos of your Grange display in action. Digital displays need to be created in some form of digital media that can be universally shared and viewed. If your Grange created an information or membership pamphlet specific for your Grange to go along with your display, please include it as well.

The top four displays in each category will be displayed in the Showcase at the 153rd National Grange Convention.

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Congratulations to the State Granges with net gains 2017-18

Congratulations to the 2018 National Lecturer’s Photography Contest winners

California Florida

Kansas

Montana

Oklahoma Oregon

Virginia

1st Place – Ashley Sears (RI) 2nd Place – Jean Goffard (WI) 3rd Place – Steven Hood (CA) Details for the 2019 contest will soon be available through your State Grange Lecturer.

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Grange Youth Leadership Exchange Grange Youth Leadership Exchange

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The Grange’s fraternal bonds connect our members from coast to coast. To strengthen the bonds of State Grange Youth Departments, the National Grange Youth Department is launching its leadership exchange program.

This program is designed to have a team of Grange Youth and Young Adults travel with a team leader to another state to experience a Grange event in another state or provide assistance to a Grange Youth Department for a state-level project. The Grangers will also have the opportunity to explore the host state.

Exchange programs provide opportunities to travel, sightsee, meet new people, make new friends, explore expanding interests, experience how others live and see other Grangers in action. Exchange programs, properly planned and conducted, can be an important educational experience. Once the forms are received, the National Grange Youth Development Director will work with interested states to pair up states. Once paired, it will be the responsibility of the two states to finalize when and what activities will be included in the exchange.

To participate: 1. The State Grange Youth Director or Master will submit an interest form to the National Grange Youth Director on March 1.

The list will include members of the Youth Leadership Team and a team leader.

2. The team leader must be at least 22-years-old and appointed by the State Master and/or Youth Director. State Youth Directors can serve as the team leader.

3. Team members are responsible for raising funds to cover their travel costs, including housing, meals, travel and other related costs.

4. Host states will be responsible for organizing at least one fun event for the visiting team to experience the state outside of a Grange function. It could be to visit a state capitol, popular landmark, or other location.

5. Participants should be involved in the design and implementation of the exchange.

6. Events Youth could assist with include, but are not limited to, youth camps, Junior camps, State sessions, Grange lock-ins, teen weekends or another state-level event that includes Youth participation. The teams can assist with workshops, interactive activities or other activities the host state believes will benefit both states.

7. Members are expected to participate in the majority of leadership team functions.

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Grange Youth Leadership Exchange Form can be found at nationalgrangeyouth.org/ExchangeApp

DEADLINE APPROACHING — MARCH 1

Grassroots Activism Award Sponsored by Potomac Grange #1, DC Any Youth or Young Adult who has completed the Sapphire and Emerald John Trimble Legislative Achievement Award requirements is eligible to apply for the Grange Grassroots Activism Award program, which requires an application to the National Grange Legislative Director along with supporting documents showing your previous advocacy efforts and an essay on the merits of a National Grange policy, as well as two letters of reference. Find the online application at nationalgrangeyouth.org/ActivismApp You can inquire about the award with National Legislative Director Burton Eller at beller@nationalgrange.org or National Youth Director Mandy Bostwick at youth@nationalgrange.org Two $800 travel scholarships to attend the 2019 National Grange Legislative Fly-In will be awarded. All other entrants will receive certificates of participation.

GRANGEYOUTH

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Youth Community Service Award

Junior Mentor Award

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Community Service is an integral part of the Grange that allows local members to interact and serve the communities where they reside. The National Grange will continue to recognize winners on the state level. The National Grange Youth Department and National Grange Community Service Department are pleased to announce the National Grange Youth Community Service Award.

State Masters, State Youth Committees and/or State Community Service Committees can nominate a Grange youth/young adult, between the ages of 14 and 35, or a group of Grange Youth for the award.

State winners will receive a certificate and be recognized at National Session during Youth Leadership Days.

The Community Service and Youth Departments will organize a committee to select one overall winner. The overall winner will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievements.

If you have questions contact National Grange Youth Development Director at youth@nationalgrange.org or National Grange Community Service Director Pete Pompper at mbeachgranger@gmail.com or (609) 820- 6239 (c).

Electronic applications can be found at nationalgrangeyouth.org/commserviceaward

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Grange youth and young adults can have a powerful impact on the Grange experience with our youngest members. These youths invest into our Junior Grangers at multiple levels – at the community, Pomona and state levels.

This award is designed to recognize the Grange youth and young adults that go above and beyond to guide and mentor Junior Grangers.

State Masters, State Youth Committees and/or State Junior Grange Committees can nominate a Grange youth/young adult, between the ages of 14 and 35. The application deadline is September 1, 2019. State winners will receive a certificate and be recognized at National Session during Youth Leadership Days. The Junior Grange and Youth Departments will organize a committee to select one overall winner. The overall winner will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievements.

If you have questions contact National Grange Youth Development Director Mandy Bostwick at youth@ nationalgrange.org or National Junior Grange Director Samantha Wilkins at (515) 739-1030 or junior@ nationalgrange.org.

Mail the applications to Youth Director. Electronic applications can be found at nationalgrangeyouth.org/JrMentorAward

2018 Honorees Community Service

Best overall body of work - Amber Long, NC Project of the Year - Marissa Yager, OR Additional honorees Megan Babb, VA; Grace Wadsworth, PA

Junior Mentor

Best Overall - Andrew Kieffer, PA Additional honorees Megan Babb, VA Rylee Furr, NC; Natasha Ignacio, CT; Elizabeth Williams, OR; Kegan Williams, OR

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Grange Youth Focus Area Award

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The best and most viable programs for large-scale use or replication will be included in the Grange Youth Program Guide. The Grange encourages all Grange Youth to develop programs around the following topics, test them in their Subordinate, Pomona or State Granges, and develop a summary of the project using the following format.

TOPICS: a. Making a Difference in Your Community b. Agriculture Advocacy/Education c. Citizenship/Grassroots Advocacy Submit to the National Grange Youth Development Director a summary of the way in which your Grange took on the topic, the program/project developed around the focus area, the roles designated by the group and how the group made decisions, the timeline, project funding/support necessary, and outcome. The summary should include a list of all Grange participants and numbers on those who actively participated and an estimate and description of those who subsequently benefited from the event/program. You should also include a summary of media coverage/ media content distribution related to the program or event such as an overview of articles found in your Grange newsletter about the program, copies of advertisements/posts made on social media about the program and/or news stories.

Submissions will be judged based on creativity, repeatability at other Grange events and advancement/education of the topic area. First place for each category will receive $50. All submissions will receive a certificate and will be included in a youth idea book.

Electronic applications can be found at nationalgrangeyouth.org/commserviceaward

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Can you crack the Grange code? If so, you can present your skills at the National Grange Session and test your skills against other Grangers from across the country. You can obtain a copy of the code book and the cipher by request from the Assembly of Demeter, High Priest Bruce Croucher, 2514 County Road 25, Clifton Springs, NY 14432, (315) 462-3067, or croubr@fltg.net, or contact your State Master or State Youth Director for additional information.

There are two categories: Novice and Patron. Find out more details in the 2019 Youth Handbook starting on page 11.

Parliamentary Procedure Contest Sponsored by North Carolina State Grange The purpose of this contest is to encourage Grange Youth and Young Adults to learn to effectively participate in a business meeting and to assist in the development of their leadership, public speaking, and problem solving skills using parliamentary procedure to conduct an orderly and efficient meeting, following the meeting format, including the Grange opening and closing as prescribed in the subordinate Grange manual.

As part of the contest, they will: • Demonstrate knowledge of parliamentary law • Conduct Grange business effectively • Present a logical, realistic and convincing debate on motions • Record complete and accurate minutes • Present memorized speaking parts during the opening and closing ceremonies State Grange Youth Departments will host the State contest and may choose up to two teams to represent their state. Multi-state teams are permitted. More details can be found starting on page 14 of the 2019 Youth Handbook.

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2018 Winners Novice Code Reading 1st - Phil Vonada, PA 2nd - Matt Horton 3rd - Mandy Bostwick, KS

Patron Code Reading Jenn Nauss, PA

Parliamentary Procedure

*Prizes sponsored by NC State Grange

1st - Pennsylvania State Team 2nd - North Carolina State Team 3rd - New York State Team

Grange Jeopardy

*Prizes sponsored by DCI

1st - Chris Szkutak, MA 2nd - Derek Snyder, PA 3rd - Phil Vonada, PA

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G.R.O.W. Club Scholarships

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National Grange G.R.O.W. Club Scholarship is to assist in the educational expenses of Grange members from across the United States. Any member in good standing enrolled fulltime in a college, university, community college, technical institution or trade school.

The G.R.O.W. Club Board will award at least one scholarship in the amount of $500. The number of scholarships will be determined by the amount of funds available. Selection will be based solely on the application. The selection committee will consist of the members of the National G.R.O.W. Club Board.

Chosen recipient will be notified by October 1.

Find the application online at www.nationalgrangeyouth.org/GROWScholarship or in the 2019 Youth Handbook.

Travel The G.R.O.W. Club has established a scholarship to assist Horizon Leadership or National Youth Officer Team participants cover some of their costs to attend National Session. Find the online application at nationalgrangeyouth.com/GROWtravelscholarship or in the 2019 Youth Handbook.

2018 Scholarship Recipients G.R.O.W. Club Academic Scholarships

G.R.O.W. Club Travel Scholarships

Margie Griffin, North Carolina Anthony Papol, Massachusetts

Lexi Suing, Oregon Katie Fallon, New York

Change to Youth Achievement Certificate Program Starting in 2019, anyone completing the requirements for any of the five levels of each of the eight Youth Achievement Awards will earn a seal to be placed on a

National Grange Youth & Young Adult Achievement Awards Record

Caroline A. Hall Talent Award

john trimble legislative award

This certificates captures the work of

single Youth Achievement Record poster.

The poster allows those working toward achievement

john thompson ritual award

seals to keep them in one place and display them within their home, in their hall or another place of pride.

william saunders agricultural award

francis mcdowell trivia & Current events award aaron b. grosh mentoring award

grange drill award

To request a poster, contact the Youth Director at youth@nationalgrange.org. When you have completed the requirements for a seal, present the information to

william ireland deaf awareness award

oliver hudson kelley public speaking Award

your State Youth Director or directly to the National Youth Director to be verified and to receive your seal.

There’s something for Every Member

You can find the details and deadlines for all contests and programs in the 2019 Grange Youth and Young Adult Handbook at nationalgrangeyouth.org

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The new Junior Historian Award will be taking place of the Super JG Award. This award will represent a Junior Granger who has gone above and beyond to prove that they demonstrate a superior knowledge of the Junior Grange and Grange History. The purpose of this award is to challenge Junior Grange members, of at least two years in good standing, to learn and become fluent in the Rituals and History of our organization.

This award is supervised and administered by the National Junior Grange Director. All candidates are expected to submit a completed application and all required documentation including a completed Junior Grange Knowledge test with a score of 80% or higher, and confirmation that the applicant can recite the Junior Grange Pledge and use the grip; be able to adequately explain procedures used when opening and closing the Grange (opening the Bible, Flag presentation/retiring, and retiring the emblem); produce a 200-word biography for each of the founding Grange members and create a display about the history of the applicant’s State Grange. In addition the applicant will write a 1-page typed summary of what their hopes and dreams are for the future of the Grange and submit two letters of recommendation. Requirements must be certified by Junior Leader, Subordinate Master, or Junior Deputy.

Special recognition and certificate will be awarded at the National Grange Convention Junior Grange Breakfast.

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Sponsor an Animal at the Kelley Farm

NEW FOR 2019

The Oliver Hudson Kelley Farm in Elk River, Minnesota, is home of one of the founders of our Order. The Kelley Farm is a teaching institution that helps others learn about agriculture. Part of the farm is in working order as it would have been in the 1860s while other parts show how the life on the farm has changed over the past century and a half.

Junior Grangers can become more aware of the changes in the agriculture industry over the past century and a half while learning about the workings of the Farm, now owned and operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, and become better advocates for agriculture.

Have your Junior Grange take part in a project to sponsor an animal on the farm. Here is a break down of how much it costs just for grain to feed the animals on the Kelley Farm:

Care for a horse per year = $,1800 Care for a Cow per year = $900 Raising a pig from birth to finish = $150 (one season) Turkey hen (14 weeks) = $17

Care for an Ox per year= $1,000 Lamb birth to yearling = $150 Turkey Tom (18 weeks) = $19 Broiler hatch to finish (5 weeks) = $5

DONATION FORM Name of Junior Grange: ___________________________________________________________ #____________ State: ____________ Junior Leader __________________________________________________________________ Number of Members ______________ Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We wish to sponsor a _______________________________________. Our total donation enclosed is $_______________.

Make your checks payable to “Grange Foundation” with KELLEY FARM - JUNIOR on the memo line. Send your check and this form to Grange Foundation, 1616 H St NW, Washington, DC 20006.

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Agricultural Awareness Project

Junior Grange Jeopardy

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The 2019 Agricultural Awareness Project is focused on dairy. From the most basic: what is dairy, what animals are involved in the dairy process and what products are dairy; to the more complex issues like dairy margin pricing, dairy equipments and more, Junior Grangers can connect with a major piece of the American agricultural community.

To earn the award, Junior Grangers will research the importance of milk production and how milk gets from the farm to your table. Juniors will speak to a dairy farmer or someone that works in the dairy industry about the importance of dairies and local production of products.

Juniors will then create a collage from recycled resources (i.e. newspapers, grocery ads, etc) of items that can be made from dairy products, create a flyer to be distributed or hung up at your Grange Hall or local establishments, to support local dairy farms, and speak at your Junior Grange and/or Subordinate Grange about the importance of supporting local farmers and dairies. Juniors will also make something edible from dairy products and in order to garner the award, must participate in the Kelley Farm Project found on page 51 of this magazine (with full details found on page 11 of the Junior Program Book).

More details about the 2019 Awareness project can be found in this issue on page 75.

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Junior Grange Jeopardy is an exciting event that brings together Junior Grangers Interested in Grange trivia and history. Individuals have the opportunity to gain knowledge about the Grange and Junior Grange, its history, and impact on rural America. Junior Grange Jeopardy gives you the opportunity to expand your knowledge of the organization in many different topics, while enhancing your critical thinking, problem solving, communications and listening skills.

Each state can send up to three Juniors, age 5 to 14 by December 31 of the competing year, to be part of the event at the Annual National Grange Convention. Contestants will compete individually, and earn points for each correct answer and lose points for incorrect answers during the three rounds - two regular rounds and Final Jeopardy. Contestants may only move on to Final Jeopardy, if they have at least 1 point on the score board. The top three contestants with the highest scores will win a cash prize.

In order to compete, the State Junior Grange Director or State Master must submit the name, age, and information on Junior Grange membership to the National Junior Director by November 1. States may determine their own qualification rounds or other procedures.

Junior Grange Digital Talent Show

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Junior Grangers from around the country will showcase their talents through a digital talent show. All variety of talents will be accepted, so send in your best performance. All Juniors ages 5 to 14 are eligible to submit one appropriate entry of between 3 and 5 minutes. Submissions deemed inappropriate or longer than five minutes will be disqualified. By submitting an entry, you are automatically waiving rights of publication and are allowing the use of submission to be used by the National Grange as they see fit. Each entry must be introduced with the name, age and state of the performer, as well as their Junior Grange name and number or details on their Junior 1+ standing, and the type of talent being displayed.

Submissions must be made with a downloadable file such as Dropbox and sent to junior@ nationalgrange.org or uploaded via youtube.com through the National Junior Grange YouTube Account.

Information can be found on www.nationaljuniorgrange.org under the contest tab. Submissions may be sent via mail on a flash drive or CD Judging will be based on creativity and overall performance.

Cash prizes for first, second and third place will be provided. Winners will be announced at the National Convention.

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Do you have a Junior Granger who has gone above and beyond for the Grange and their community? Now it is the time to honor them in a special recognition during the National Grange Session. Junior Grangers who plan, participate, and serve their communities will have the opportunity to be honored for their hard work. In line with the 2019 Grange Month theme - Heroes in Training - Juniors are challenged to put on their capes and get out into their communities.

The purpose of the Super JG Award is to spotlight our Junior Grangers that are doing the work of true Grangers and going above and beyond our expectations. Every Junior that submits an application and meets the tier requirements will be recognized during the Junior Breakfast at National Session, however, the Junior Granger with the most community service hours served in a 1-year time frame will be named as Super JG of the Year.

All Applicants are required to meet the following criteria: 1) Must be a Junior Grange member in good standing 2) Must be between the ages of 5-14 at time of submission and not yet received the obligation into a Subordinate Grange.

3) Junior Granger is expected to keep track of community service hours between November 1 of the current year through October 1 of the following year. (example: November 2018- October 2019) 4) Junior Granger must keep track of their projects throughout the year.

All Applicants must submit the following: 1) Application form found in JG Program book 2) Letter of recommendation from one of the following: JG Leader, State JG Director, Subordinate Master, or State Master.

3) A letter from Junior applicant stating why they have a passion to serve their communities and what their favorite service project was from the last year.

4) A list of service projects done throughout the year- along with how many hours each project took from start to finish.

5) The number of community service hours completed.

TIERS FOR AWARDS: WHITE TIER: Junior must complete between 10-30 community service hours to complete this tier.

RED TIER: Juniors must complete 30-50 hours of community service to complete this tier.

BLUE TIER: Juniors must complete 50-100 hours of community service to complete this tier.

GOLD TIER: Juniors must complete more than 100 hours of community service to complete this tier.

Use the cape outline on the following page to keep track of your projects and hours. Photocopy as many as necessary.

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Make sure Juniors are getting the most out of the program!

There are even more great contests open to Juniors like the Felt Storyboard Contest, Creative Art Contest and programs like the Pen Pal Program available in the 2019 National Junior Grange Handbook at nationaljuniorgrange.org

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CAPE OF HONOR SERVICE RECORD Project name

____________________________________________________ Name of Junior (Age) _______________________________________________________ (_______) Membership (Jr. Grange name, state OR 1+ Junior, State) ______________________________________________________________________ Number of hours you put into the project from start to finish ________ Description of the project ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________

Adult supervising project Name _____________________________________

Signature ___________________________________________

Hooray for the 2018 Junior Grange Contest Winners & Award Recipients Awareness Award Recipients

Mini Scrapbook

Oregon State Junior Grange Camp Mayfield, WA Middle Branch Junior Grange, VT Brianna Gervais, Ekonk Community Junior Grange, CT Kaelyn Sullivan, Ekonk Community Junior Grange, CT

5-7 years old

Super JG Recipients Sydney Bach, VA Brianna Gervais, CT Billy Greer, CO David Lehmann, MA Gregory Lehmann, MA Lillian Sharpe, Ekonk Community Junior Grange, CT Russell Sharpe, Ekonk Community Junior Grange, CT

Public Speaking Prepared

*

1st: Carlie Conrady, OK 2nd: Sydney Bach, VA 3rd: Annette “Nettie” Hartley, RI 4th: David Lehmann, MA Short Story 1st: Colton Tarbell, NY

Photography

*

1st: Kimber Newman, KS 2nd: Tilden Wilkins, TX 8-10 years old 1st: Emily Leatherwood, TN 2nd: Zachary Wilkins, TX 11-14 years old 1st: Daniel Wilkins, TX 2nd: Haley Leatherwood, TN

1st: Daniel Wilkins, TX

*

1st: Kimber Newman, KS 2nd: Landon LaRoue, MN 3rd: Hayden LaRoue, MN Honorable Mentions: Lucas Carlson, MN and Greyson Hebert, MN 8-10 years old 1st: Brianna Gervais, CT 2nd: Alexis Carlson, MN 3rd: Emily Leatherwood, TN Honorable Mentions: Kayden Wright, WA; Amber Gelhar, MN; and Maddie Keefe, MN 11-14 years old 1st: Ione Sheldon, WA 2nd: Madison Shimkus, WA 3rd: Audrey Griffitts, WA

*

Sign-a-Song Individual

Creative Art 5-7 years old

5-7 years old 1st: Tilden Wilkins, TX 2nd: Kimber Newman, KS 8-10 years old 1st: Zachary Wilkins, TX 11-14 years old

*

1st: Colton Tarbell, NY 2nd: Sydney Bach, VA Group 1st: Virginia State Junior Grange Team (Hayden Campbell, Rayvn Morris, Sydney Bach)

Creative Writing 5-7 years old 1st: Landon LaRoue, MN 8-10 years old 1st: Zachary Wilkins, TX 2nd: Alexis Carlson, MN 11-14 years old 1st: Daniel Wilkins, TX

*

* indicates Best of Show

THANKS TO THESE STATES & JUNIOR LEADERS WHO SUBMITTED AN ANNUAL REPORT Texas State Grange Colorado State Grange Washington State Grange Oregon State Grange

Virginia State Grange Montana State Grange New York State Grange Maine State Grange

Illinois State Grange North Carolina State Grange New Hampshire State Grange

Cibolo Junior Grange, TX

Russellville Junior Grange #91, PA

Marvel Junior Grange, CO Smithville Valley Junior Grange #630, NY East Pembrook Junior Grange #324, NY

Whitehall Junior Grange #346, NY Pleasant Valley Junior Grange #690, NY

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Grange in Action

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Grange Hero Identity Campaign

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The National Grange Communications Department is looking for great examples of the way Granges and members are talking about their work as heroes in their community for various audiences. This contest requires Grange members or Granges to communicate both digitally via social media and in a more traditional way with members and their audience. ® Entrants must use at least two social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, etc.) to promote the Grange and our identity as heroes in our communities. At least one of your posts during the contest period must show that you have used the 2019 Theme poster (see nationalgrange.org/GrangeMonth or contact National Grange Communications Director Amanda Brozana Rios to get a file or copy of the poster).

Save by screenshot or other method posts throughout the campaign period and upload to a Flickr album that you will share as your contest submission. Also throughout the contest period, you are encouraged to use the tag or hashtag function to link back to the identity campaign, or other function similar depending on the social media platform.

You can tag @NationalGrange or use #grangeheroes or #grange.

There are two classes for entry: Individual and Grange, which can be Subordinate, Pomona or State Granges. Juniors or Junior Granges are disqualified to enter individually but may take part in the contest under the guidance and supervision of a Subordinate Grange or Junior leader or parent/guardian.

The contest will be judged based on accuracy and creativity of posts,uniqueness to the platforms chosen, frequency of posts, engagement by your audience and engagement by your account with other Grange posts/messaging (ex. National Grange post shares with comments, etc.).

When entering the contest, provide the following information via email to communications@nationalgrange.org Name of Submitter and Individual or Group (name) entry Social Media Platform username/link 1 and 2 Additional Social Media Platform usernames (optional) Basic overview of engagement, audience metrics, etc. of the social account (provide the detail available through the platform’s reports or write anecdotally as accurately as possible about these items) Link to Flickr album of no less than 20 per platform, no more than 100 per platform posts Short essay (no more than 500 words) on what you learned from this experience about what the Grange on a local level can gain from the use of social media

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The Grange In Action Program is designed to encourage all Granges to be active in their communities and complete events or projects, no matter how small. Any Grange that does not qualify as a 2019 Distinguished Grange are eligible for this recognition. Granges who ® wish to be recognized at the 2019 National Convention as a “Grange In Action” should submit by Sept. 25 (postmark or digital submission) a one-page letter size paper (8.5” x 11”) with pictures and captions of at least three various events/activities that the Grange either sponsored or assisted with from Dec. 1, 2018 to Sept. 1, 2019. Anything over one page will be disqualified. On a separate, attached sheet, list the Grange name, number and state as well as total Grange membership.

All Granges who submit the appropriate information will receive a certificate as a Grange in Action, and some entries will be displayed at the Annual National Grange Convention.

For additional information, contact National Grange Sales, Benefits, Programs and Membership Recognition Director Loretta Washington at lwashington@nationalgrange.org prior to submission deadline. When submitting via email, please put in the subject line “Grange in Action report,” or if submitted via mail, please but on the envelope ATTN: Grange In Action.

States may be named a “State Grange in Action,” if they have at least six Granges recognized in the same year as Granges In Action.

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Congratulations to the 2018 National Grange Community Service Winners ®

Brother Ray Midkiff 2018 National Grange Firefighter of the Year Salem Twp./ Wilkesville Fire Departments, Ohio Submitted by Meigs County Pomona #43

Grange Family GrangeLegacy Legacy Family Recognition Program Commendation

Myken Poorman 2018 National Grange Teacher of the Year, Bellefonte Area High School, Pennsylvania Submitted by Walker Grange #2007

Sheriff Brian Begole 2018 National Grange Law Enforcement Officer of the Year,Shiawassee County, Michigan Submitted by Burns Grange #160

Community Service Book Winners Subordinate Granges 1st Place: Humptulips Grange, WA 2nd Place: Avon Grange, MT 3rd Place: Richmond Grange, RI Honorable Mentions: Valley Grange, PA; Clear Lake Grange, MN Junior Granges 1st Place: Humptulips Junior Grange, WA 2nd Place: Marvel Junior Grange, CO 3rd Place: Kirkland Junior Grange, NY Each Grange is encouraged to complete an annual community service book and submit it to your State Grange for competition. You are also encouraged to recognize your commmunity’s best teacher, firefighter and law enforcement officer of the year and submit nominations of those individuals to your State Grange competition. To learn more about these programs, contact your State Grange Community Service Director. You may also contact National Grange Community Service Director Pete Pompper at communityservice@nationalgrange.org or by phone at (609) 820-6239. Also, don’t forget to report the number of community service hours your Grange performs each year to your State director and the National Grange director for inclusion in our annual report.

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Families with five or more generations of Grange members can be recognized for their commitment to the Order. The form may be accessed and submitted online at nationalgrange.org/legacy/ or sent, postmarked by Aug. 5, 2019, to National Grange, 1616 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20006; ATTN: Legacy Family. For more information, contact National Grange Sales, Benefits, Programs and Membership Recognition Director Loretta Washington at lwashington@nationalgrange.org or by phone at (202) 628-3507, ext. 109.

Families recognized in 2018 Guth, IL Helms/Heberer, IL Keller/Stutz, IL Paulson, IL Summer, IL Zerban, IL DeNoon/Ellis/Kincaide, KS Turner, KS Graham, MA Landis/Vinette/Moberg/Fletcher/ Webster, MI Ramsey/Benedik/Lake, NJ Newton, NC Stober/Ferguson/Hazelton, OH Schlosser/Tau, PA Paglia, VT Bowdish, WA

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2019 Distinguished Grange Program Subordinate & State Applications The 2019 Distinguished Grange packet has been released and is available online or through your State Master or any National Officer. Requirements and optional activities to garner points are similar to those presented in the 2019 program. They may be accessed and submitted online at nationalgrange.org/distinguished/ or sent, postmarked by Aug. 5, 2019, to National Grange, 1616 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20006; ATTN: Distinguished Grange. For more information, contact National Grange Sales, Benefits, Programs and Membership Recognition Director Loretta Washington at lwashington@nationalgrange.org or by phone at (202) 628-3507, ext. 109.

Distinguished Grange Youth Program The 2019 Distinguished Grange Youth packet is available as part of the 2019 Youth Handbook. Requirements and optional activities to garner points are similar to those presented in the 2019 program. Applications are due no later than September 1 to the National Grange Youth Director Mandy Bostwick at 11690 Ferguson Road Ozawkie, KS 66070 or by filling out the form located at tiny.cc/2019DGYouth and submitting by no later than September 1.

Congratulations TO THE 2018 DISTINGUISHED GRANGES Colorado DI ST

GE N

Idaho

New York State Grange

ISHED G RA GU IN

Maryland

2019

Pennsylvania State Grange Washington State Grange

Oregon

2019

North Carolina State Grange

GRANGEYOUTH

Pennsylvania

YOUTH PROGRAM

Washington

Arcadia Grange #607, NC Bushy Fork #1073, NC

Humptulips Grange #730, NC

Bethlehem Grange #137, NY Burns Grange #160, MI Cape Fear Grange #1296, NC Central Union Grange #559, CA Chetco Grange #765, OR Deer Lagoon Grange #846, WA Dorena Grange #835, OR Dunstable Grange #31, MA East Hill Grange # 786, WA Ekonk Community Grange #89, CT Five Mile Prairie Grange #905, WA Goldendale Grange # 49, WA Grantham Grange # 968, NC Gratiot Grange #1898, MI Hamburg Grange #2103, PA Harveys-Aleppo Grange #1444, PA Hookstown Grange #1980, PA Humptulips Grange #730, WA

Linganore Grange #410, MD Marvel Grange #479, CO Marys River Grange #685, WA Mossyrock Grange #355, WA Redland Grange #796, OR Rincon Valley Grange #710, CA Springwater Grange #263, OR St. John’s Grange # 729, NC Stanford Grange #808, NY Stelvideo Grange #295, OH Stony Point Grange #1694, PA Timber Run Grange #1898, OH Troutman Grange #1292, NC Turkey Hill Grange # 1370, IL Upton Grange#125, MA Valley Grange #1360, PA Westbrook Grange #1016, NC

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www.nationalgrange.org

PERSPECTIVE

... in all things,

charity

Coverage of the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention

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Stowe provides unforgettable backdrop for 152nd Annual National Grange Session The Vermont mountains and cordial Northeast Region Grangers offered a warm welcome to the attendees of the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention in November even as the weather was a bit blustery and snowy for part of the affair.

Many attendees, especially those from warmer regions, enjoyed the 8” of powder that fell mid-week, playing, building snowmen and even for one, using the beautiful location and fresh snow for a maternity photo backdrop.

The wintry weather and fun did not stop the work, though, which began with delegates reviewing more than 140 resolutions across committees and ended with a flurry of new policies that will be acted upon by the National Grange over the course of the years to come.

One big change that had many delegates less snowed under than usual – by paper that is – was the beta-test of a “paperless” system for resolutions and other policy materials.

National Grange Legislative Director Burton Eller said annually about 80 binders with about 400 pieces of paper had been prepared for delegates and officers, but the number was reduced for 2018 as about 20 signed on to test the use of SharePoint, a cloud-based Microsoft Office system, to allow for realtime editing and viewing of documents by committees that would not require printing. The test came on the heels of a resolution adopted at the 151st Convention from New Hampshire that called for a study to determine the feasibility of a paperless convention.

The longest serving delegate in National Grange history, Virginia State Grange President Jimmy Taylor, said in 1991 when he came to the body, he “never thought that we would reach this point in modern times.”

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Photo by Lindsay Schroeder 2018 Pennsylvania Outstanding Young Patron Denae Zvarick takes the

opportunity to pose with her future Junior Granger while at the 152nd Annual Convention in Stowe, Vermont, in November.

He said using technology is a very smart choice for various reasons, and added,

“Delegates

should

not

be

frightened to use the electronic versions because they are fairly simple to work with.”

to go paperless and overall the test was a success.

“We see the future,” Eller said. “And by golly we used it here today.”

From the longest serving delegate, to more than a dozen new faces in the

Eller said while there was some

delegate body, a determination that

apprehension at the beginning of the

the organization remain a relevant and

week as people got used to the system,

vibrant part of the American landscape

many more adopted it throughout the

was palpable.

session who had not initially signed up

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Huber said she is most “looking

Photos by Lindsay Schroeder ABOVE: Delegates and officers to the 152nd Annual National Grange convention take a break from work to get their photo taken at the beginning of session. BELOW: Maureen Prelli, Connecticut, and Massachusetts State Grange President George Thomas enjoy a tasting at the Cabot Creamery retail store in Stowe while Ruth Henry looks on. forward to having our new state masters joining convention with a fresh, new outlook to contribute to our Grange discussions.”

In total, 14 new faces and one returning delegate were part of the organization’s highest decision-making body, including the host state’s new president, Joe Goodrich, and his wife, Lisa.

Because of the sudden passing of California State Grange President Ed Komski at the start of the week, State Grange Vice President Kent Westwood stepped up and former first lady of the State Grange, Martha Stefenoni, was seated as second delegate for the state after a vote of the California State Grange Executive Board.

A first for the body was also marked – the representation of Rhode Island by its first female State President, Eileen

Hebert. She was joined by State Grange Vice President Walter Hartley, who also donned a gold sash for the first time.

Legacy member Karen Overstreet, newly-elected Texas State Grange President, and her husband, Buddy, also put on their own gold sashes for the first time, something she saw her parents, Archie and Barbara Knight, do for many years as her father served in the role she was elected to in July. Her mother had also served as National Grange Pomona in the 1990s.

Additionally, the first-time delegate list included Ohio State Grange President Sue Roy and her husband, Bruce; Connecticut State Grange President George Russell, and his wife, Sharon; Idaho State Grange President Eileen Javaux, and her husband, Richard; and Minnesota State Grange President John Crippen.

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While many of the new delegates’ eyes were opened to the depth of their new roles, there was much done to make the long week feel too short to spend with friends.

With daily jokes hung around the hotel, the host committee did much to bring fun and a lighthearted feel to the event.

So it was also the perfect setting for a reunion of the Grange Herd – a group of stuffed animals given to each State Master in 2013 at the convention held that year in New Hampshire. The animals were to be used in a variety of ways that would lighten the mood if not the load for the leaders – a reunion of sorts was held at which Herd members who returned were gifted their own gold sashes and mini Super G capes.

There were even a few new animals added to the Herd, including Aaron the Lion who will accompany National Master Betsy Huber, Winnie the Rabbit who bounced her way to Washington to assist National Lecturer Chris Hamp and

Pressley the Peacock who will help Pete Pompper with the Community Service Department.

While he was not instrumental in designing the session’s service project, Pressley did take a moment to dive into the large cast iron bath tub secured by the host committee to serve as a collection pot for donated items that were part of the region’s community service project, set to benefit veterans of the seven states in the region. The tub held personal items such as shaving cream, soap and more, but soon it was clear there was no more room for Herd hijinks as the tub was filled quickly and overflowed with the charity of Grangers.

“We thought it would be a really beneficial idea to donate as the Grange all these items to the veterans’ groups in all of the seven states,” said the originator of the service project idea, Maine State Grange Master Sherry Harriman.

During her external address on Tuesday, Huber reminded those gathered and those watching from afar

Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Communication Fellow Paul Hyland, 84, right, looks at photos National Grange Steward Chip Narvel, of Delaware, has on his phone of a Grange event.

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Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Members of the Grange Herd gathered 5 years after they took their post in State Granges across the nation to be rewarded with their own gold sashes.

through Facebook Live that the Grange still has an important role to play in the positive progress of our nation and that our community service is indeed a huge part of that.

“It is more important than ever that Granges get involved in their communities and take responsibilities…

Grange members are knowledgeable about the issues, believe in family values, are honorable and sincere citizens that we need so much in our country’s leadership.” In closing, Huber praised Grange members for reporting more than 850,000 hours of community service, and encouraged Granges to continue getting involved, and to become a “pillar organization” and to help “restore respect, civility, and patriotism” to local communities.

The speech can be found on the National Grange Facebook page or full text can be downloaded on the National Grange website.

In her internal address, Huber again referred to the work of Granges around the nation to make their communities and the lives of their neighbors better, but said it was our advocacy and our efforts to educate our fellow citizens that also made us heroes. This was the unveiling

of the 2019 Grange theme that identifies Grange as a fraternity training heroes for our hometowns since 1867.

To find heroes, one could look to those Granges who attain the status of Distinguished Grange – six States and 35 Subordinate Granges in 2018 – and Grange Legacy Families – families with five or more generations having held membership in the Grange – of which 16 additional ones were added to the list that has bloomed to nearly 100 families since the recognition program’s inception last year.

“These really are the cream of the crop,” Huber said during the presentation of certificates to the Granges and families at a Wednesday reception.

That look to legacy and service was a theme that was on repeat throughout the week, but so were the competing ideas of change and tradition and how the two may not need to compete but more happily be married to attract new members and make current members, especially younger ones, more fulfilled by their membership.

So was part of the thought process expressed by delegates who voted in favor of a budget that included the resurrection of a staff position for a membership director.

Prior to the convention, former director Joe Stefenoni had been brought back on board on a temporary contract basis and was announced as the hire for the re-imagined position that has in its sights new strategies for growth in the Order.

“I hate to say that Gen X is old news, but the youngest among them are 37 years old. We want them to join, but we have to look beyond them to the next generations - generations X and Y - who are quickly aging into eligibility for membership,” newly rehired National Grange Membership and Leadership Development Director Joe Stefenoni said during his membership workshop.

Stefenoni was not the only change to staff announced during the session.

On Friday morning after the Youth opening, Youth Director Charlene Shupp Espenshade gave her final director’s report and Huber announced Espenshade would be retiring from the position at the close of the year.

In early December, Huber announced Mandy Bostwick, Kansas State Grange Youth Director and 2017 National Grange Outstanding Young Patron was named to the post.

Bostwick will begin working with the newly selected National Youth Leadership Team – Outstanding Young Patrons Katie Fallon of New York and Brittney Oliver

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2018 National Grange

Youth Officer Team Gail Switzer, PA, Master Matt Horton, NY, Overseer Mandy Bostwick, KS, Lecturer Lexie Suing, OR, Steward Derek Snyder, PA, Assistant Steward Hanna Ogle, WA, Lady Assistant Steward Jaycee Jette, MT, Chaplain Tyler Leonard, NC, Treasurer Hannah Gentry, NC, Secretary Cole Settle, NC, Gatekeeper Samantha Hanson, IO, Ceres Lacey Rude, WA, Pomona Ashley Drop, NC, Flora Alejandro Cisneros, WA, Executive Committee Amber Long, NC, Executive Committee Jonathan Pittman, WA, Executive Committee Skylar Zaborac, WA, Executive Committee Joey Brenneman, WA , Musician

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of Washington and Youth Ambassadors Rylee Furr and Zac Mazag, both of North Carolina, at the start of the new year.

She said she hopes to work closely with other directors, including the Junior Director Samantha Wilkins and the newly named 2019 Junior Ambassador Billy Greer of Colorado, to determine how to help make a more fluid transition between the two “levels of Grange – Junior to Subordinate” and more.

Phil Vonada, of Pennsylvania, one of two who were selected to participate in session as a John Trimble Legislative Youth, said it was one of the best experiences of his Grange life thus far.

“I’m a policy geek,” Vonada said.

“I love this stuff, so I truly enjoyed this experience. I wish many other Youth could get a taste of this so we build our value as leaders in the organization and advocates for the organization’s priorities outside.”

Should some of the ideas that surfaced during an informal meeting of the newly established National Master’s Youth Advisory Council during the session be implemented, that could indeed become reality.

The recently selected group gathered and expressed ideas of how to engage differently during National Convention and more broadly with the Grange as a whole throughout the year.

Huber said the council will have meetings via Zoom teleconferencing in coming months and is not rigidly structured. She invited others interested in taking part in the discussions to contact her to become part of the group.

Many of the young people in attendance took advantage of the opportunity as a time to learn from several speakers who attended luncheons and other events, including T.J. Donovan, the Attorney General for the State of Vermont, who spoke as part of the Youth Leadership Days at an event open to all about net neutrality and data protection.

During his address, Donovan said

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Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Billy Greer, of Colorado, was named 2019 National Junior Grange Ambassador at the 152nd Annual convention. it is important that everyone educate themselves about these issues related to the technology most young people use every day.

“Your generation,” he said, looking at the crowd of mostly 20-somethings, “has

a fearless ability to lead.”

That fearlessness is something representatives from the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America said during their presentation that they hope to harness as they work with Eller and Bostwick to create opportunities for Grange Youth to learn about combating the opioid crisis in their communities.

On the other side of the health spectrum, Pfizer Vice President Steve Janson spoke to attendees of the Legislative Luncheon about trends in the health field, including the expansion of Medicaid and Medicare, and “disruptions” in the healthcare world including personalized medicine which allows individuals’ treatments to be driven by insights into their unique genetic make-up; horizontal integration, or mergers that acquire competitors in the same field; and vertical integration, or mergers that acquire upstream suppliers or downstream buyers.

Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Kansas State Grange member Nolan Strawder gave different members canvas

that had a piece of the Grange emblem outlined without telling them what the final product would reveal as well as paint and challenged them to show off their creativity. The final product was a colorful and eclectic view of our Order and the diversity within. It was on display at the 152nd Annual Convention.

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Mary Jordan, Past Master of the Massachusetts State Grange, was the guest speaker to a crowd of about 50 people at the Past Delegates and Officers Luncheon on Thursday and told those gathered that their time with the sash may have ended, but their service to the organization continues as they take our message far and wide and mentor new leaders to serve and educate others.

Jordan said the Grange’s basic principles and grassroots approach is what people are looking for, and for those consumers who want to know where their food comes from and know and support the local farmers who feed them, the Grange is perfectly positioned.

For other reasons, Jon Conradi, Outreach Director of Connect Americans Now – the primary sponsor of the 2018 Communication Fellows program – said he believes our grassroots process is also a perfect fit as he spoke to the small group of members ranging in ages 16 to 84 and some additional Youth and Young Adults who attended his presentation.

Conradi discussed the more than 200-member coalition Grange has become a great part of to spread the human stories of the digital divide and said it’s stories of Grangers and people in communities the Grange serves that has helped open eyes of those who do not understand the need or the issue.

During his time with the Fellows, he also interviewed Paul Hyland, the California member who is the oldest

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QUILTS OF VALOR RECIPIENTS Hiram Allen (VT) Army 1956-58 Harold Bergeron (VT) Army 1943-46 Roger Bostwick (KS) Army NG 1979-85 Lincoln Cooper (CT) Coast Guard 1963-67 John Cottrell III (RI) Army 1965-67 Lester Gibbs (VT) Army 1958-81 Douglas Hall (MA) Army 1977-84 Richard Harriman Jr. (ME) Army 1966-69 Wilber Heath (NH) Air Force 1965-69 Thomas Hebeisen (NY) Navy Res., Army NG 1963-76, 1980-2005 Alma “Heidi” Heidenreich (NY) Army 1968-92 Richard Henry (MA) Army NG 1961-67 Darrell Huff (ME) Air Force 1966-69 Peter Ivers (ME) Army 1967-72 Stephen Logan (RI) Coast Guard Res. 1965-68 James Martin Jr. (MA) Army 1954-62 William Overstreet III (TX) Coast Guard 1979-2009 Philip Prelli (CT) Army Res. 1970-76 Laurence Thompson (VT) Navy 1966-74, 1975-89 Robert Trombi (NH) Army 1978-99

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Fellow in the program’s 6-year history.

“But while Paul may be long in the tooth, he had more energy than some of our 20-year-olds have had as part of the program,” National Grange Communications Director Amanda Brozana Rios said.

The competitive program offers the opportunity for members to do intensive 9-day hands-on training in communications, and its intersection for Grange in membership and programming across departments.

The 2018 Fellows helped produce content for the daily convention newsletter as well as this magazine, prepared dozens of press releases, worked with members to gather material of interest to media outlets in their community and social media of Granges and members and much more.

In addition to Hyland, Lauren Linkemyer of California, Maggie Swartzendruber of Oregon, Ann Bercher of Minnesota, Loretta Nieto of Texas were firsttime Fellows. Anna Maria Wagerer of Germany, who is an exchange student

living with Brozana Rios and her husband, Victor, and Derek Snyder of Pennsylvania joined the group as assistants to the program. Karie Blasingame of Illinois and Lindsay Schroeder of Pennsylvania served as Senior Fellows.

Hyland, a Korean War veteran, was an omnipresent figure during the week, collecting information for his work but also taking the time to hug those who were having an emotional moment or thank fellow veterans as he did outside the session hall on Wednesday evening when 20 veterans emerged from the room, newly shrouded in the Quilts of Valor they had just been presented in a joint effort by the Lecturer’s department, the region and the QOV Foundation representatives who attended the event.

One of the recipients, 103-year-old World War II veteran Harold Bergeron of Vermont, stole the show and received special honors as each other Quilt of Valor recipient shook his hand as they came up to receive their award.

Bergeron, a recipient of the French Legion of Honor Medal, proudly looked

Photo by Debbie Gegare 2018 Communication Fellows celebrate the close of the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention with a group photo. From left, back row, Senior Fellow Karie

Blasingame, IL; Maggie Swartzendruber, OR; Paul Hyland, CA; Ann Bercher, MN; Lauren Linkemyer, CA; Fellows Assistant Derek Snyder, PA; front row, from left,

Loretta Nieto, TX; Senior Fellow Lindsay Schroeder, PA; Fellows Assistant Anna

Maria Wagerer, Germany/PA; and National Grange Communications Director

Amanda Brozana Rios. The program was sponsored by Connect Americans Now.

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on as National Lecturer Chris Hamp told the audience of his heroism. When a torpedo hit Bergeron’s ship in 1944, his amazing memory was the only thing that led to the recreation of a roster of those lost in the tragedy in which more than 800 men were lost.

“This program is an incredible way for our Grange members to put their talents to good use and show their patriotism at the same time,” Hamp said.

Following the Quilts of Valor presentations, James W. A. Wright, the first President of the California State Grange in 1873 and the primary author of the National Grange Declaration of Purposes which was adopted in 1874, was inducted Wednesday evening into the Grange Hall of Fame.

Leroy Squire, the second of the two Trimble Youth participants, said the honor for a fellow Californian was inspiring.

In addition to the policy-setting and legislative updates, educational experiences and honoring of those with incredible value inside and outside of the organization, there was another side of Grange on display: the handicrafts and artistic abilities.

Outside the session room was the Grange Foundation Mercantile, renamed from the Great American Quilt and Handicraft Expo, under the charge of the National Lecturer. The small area contained many hand-made items from Grangers on sale to benefit the affiliated 501(c)3 Grange Foundation. Last year’s effort raised more than $8,000 according to Hamp.

“More importantly, the Mercantile recognizes, preserves and celebrates the handicraft skills and traditions of our Grangers and friends,” Hamp said.

Additionally, items made by members from the host region states as well as initiatives, community service books and more to give members ideas of what they could take home and do in their Granges were on display in the Showcase, located in the lower level of the facility. Because it was off the beaten path, volunteers

from the host committee, including 10-year-old Nettie Hartley of Rhode Island, were often offering a smile as they guided members to the room and invited them to join them in the hospitality area after they were finished.

“It was fun to meet everyone,” Hartley said. “I got to do a lot this week for the Grange and I will never forget it.”

Jody Cameron, chair of the host region convention committee, said he was truly proud of every volunteer who took part in the planning and execution of the event.

“This was a team effort and a real success,” Cameron said near the end of the convention. “We worked hard to make this a wonderful week and to give a proper adieu as well.”

That adieu came in the form of a rendition of the song “So Long, Farewell,” made famous

by Stowe’s very own Von Trapp family, performed by members of the region at the final evening’s Celebration Banquet.

“Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you,” committee members sang as they handed over the reins to Karie Blasingame, who is serving as the chair of the 153rd Convention.

Blasingame said the Great Lakes is looking forward to hosting the event next year in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“We welcome you all, and bring friends. Let’s get the whole Grange family to visit the place where Grange all began,” Blasingame said.

This report is a compilation of work by members of the 2018 Communications Fellows program and its assistants as well as former Fellows, Outstanding Young Patron Jenn Nauss, 2018 Trimble Legislative Youth participant Phil Vonada, and others.

2018 Evening of Excellence

People’s Choice Winners Vocal Performance

Phil Vonada, PA, “Run Away With Me” from the Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown

Speech

Ashley Drop, NC, “My 18 Revolutions”

Sign-A-Song

North Carolina Bellas, “Finale 2” from Pitch Perfect 2

Variety Act

Angelina DeDominicis, CT, color guard routine to “Billie Jean”

2 receive award for assistance to Grange Youth over years Behind any youth program is a dedicated set of volunteers. They work in the background donating their time, sharing their insights and leading projects. The National Grange Youth Department’s highest honor is the Albert Goss Award. This award recognizes Grangers who have gone above and beyond to support the work of the National Grange Youth Department.

Cassidy Cheddar and Matthew Espenshade were selected as the 2018 recipients. Both are members of Elizabethtown Area Grange #2076 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

“This award is named in honor of Albert Goss, the National Grange Master who established the National Grange Youth Department,” said National Grange Youth Development Director

Charlene Shupp Espenshade. “This pair will join an elite group of award recipients who have gone the extra mile to assist Grange Youth.”

Cheddar is a certified parliamentarian and has helped to teach parliamentary procedure to FFA and 4-H groups, and developed the Grange Youth Parliamentary Procedure Contest during her term as the National Grange Youth Ambassador. Since 2014, she has donated her time as the chair of the contest and developed workshops on Parliamentary Procedure for the program.

Matthew Espenshade, husband of the outgoing Youth Director, was also honored. For the decade in which his wife was director, he assisted with a wide range of activities with the Youth Department, including organizing the

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Grange Jeopardy Contest, assisting with youth team activities, leading workshops, and supporting the legislative, fundraising and leadership missions of the Department.

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10-year-old proves Juniors ready for real responsibilities

By Nettie Hartley Member Moosup Valley Junior Grange #27, Rhode Island Hello, my name is Nettie Hartley and I am 10 years old and live in Rhode Island.

This year I attended the 152nd annual session of the National Grange because my Mom, Dad and I were on the Host Committee, but my Dad was elected to be Rhode Island’s second delegate, so it was just me and my Mom from our state as the coordinators.

I had an amazing time! I met so many different people. I met some from West Virginia, Washington, North Carolina, California and so many more. Not to mention seeing my friends from the National Grange office in Washington, D.C., again.

I was lucky enough to have met Ed and Cynthia Komski from California. I was only able to talk with him once when welcoming them while in the lobby, but he was a really nice man. One of my friends from Rhode Island had been friends with him and his wife Cynthia. She said so many good things about Ed. We all will miss him.

During National Session I did a bunch of things.

I helped my Mom with the tours, Tuesday’s Rhode Island Day in the Hospitality Room and much more.

I helped Stephanie Tiller in the National office with the badge tags, printing, making copies and bringing them to where they needed to go.

I also got to help the National Lecturer, Chris Hamp with bringing items down to the Showcase room, making her a cup of coffee and whatever she needed help doing.

During the Night of Excellence, I presented the American Flag, along with two other Juniors from Massachusetts and Vermont. I didn’t realize how heavy the flag was until I had to stand there on the stage holding it in front of everyone. We had on our hero capes, so anything was possible.

I represented Moosup Valley Junior Grange #27 and Rhode Island in the public speaking contest where I got third place.

Last year in Spokane, my essay entry got third place as well.

I went on the Youth and General Tour this year helping my Mom. We went to the Vermont State House and the History Museum. We also went to a Cabot Creamery Store where we had a lot of samples. We all had a great time.

On Friday, the Junior Tour was planned to go to ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain and Ben & Jerry’s, but it snowed over night and that was canceled. We went bowling instead and we all had lots of fun with that.

We also did a scavenger hunt in the hotel and did lots of crafts and played games. The National Junior Director, Samantha, did take some of us, with parents, to Ben & Jerry’s

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Submitted Photo Nettie Hartley, 10, of Moosup Valley Junior Grange #27 in New Hampshire had a busy week as an integral part of the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention host committee in Stowe, Vermont. later in the afternoon when the roads were plowed. That was great and we got to sample ice cream.

My big highlight of the week at National was meeting my Junior Grange Pen Pal, Sydney Bach, from Virginia. We’ve been writing to each other for almost a year, so it was nice to finally meet her in person. She’s very nice. She also was in the Public Speaking contest with me and she won second place.

I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for supporting me and letting me go to National this year. Also, my Junior Leaders, Mr. and Mrs. Rush, and my State Junior Director, Ms. Judi for supporting and helping me and all my other Grange friends and family from Rhode Island for all the support and encouragement they give me throughout the year, more so now as I’ve recently been installed as Master of my Junior Grange.

It would be nice in the future for more Juniors to attend National Session just like I did so they can meet and make new friends. Next year I will not be able to attend the 153rd Annual Session in Bloomington, Minnesota with my Dad. I do hope to attend when National Session is in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, but I will be going again when it comes back to the Northeast Region in five years.

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Huber unveils 2019’s heroic theme During her annual address at the 152nd National Grange Convention, Betsy Huber again laid out a theme Granges can follow through the upcoming year to help solidify branding of the organization and help others understand its value.

In 2019, the everyday work of Grangers will be examined through a new lens, one that shows how those small acts are heroic to those they positively impact.

“This theme references our community service work, but also our legislative efforts to make the country better, our youth and Junior programs that train our children to be good citizens and leaders,” Huber said in her internal address on Tuesday. “We can be called to action locally at a moment’s notice to meet almost any need. I’m sure we do all this without even thinking about it, but this year we want to call attention to the great work our Granges do. We want to increase our pride in our organization, to show the public why we are important to them, why they should join with us if they want to make a difference in their world.”

The 2019 theme stems from the last two years’ messages - “Grangers are DO·ers” and “that’s the Grange Way” and comes with a fun gimmick that is both very in vogue and visual - a cape.

Many at the convention seemed to get into the spirit of the new theme, including National Grange Officers and the Youth Officer team who both incorporated into their drill capes given as presents by National Grange Communications and Development Director Amanda Brozana Rios to them earlier in the week.

While the National Officers drill included some fun highlights with the capes, like some power fists and “flying” back to their stations at the close of the drill, the Youth took it a step further.

As they ended their opening drill, officers took off their capes and symbolically gave them to people hand-chosen to wait at their stations - people they see as heroes including veterans, farmers, teachers,

nurses, firefighters, and others.

National Youth Officer Team Assistant Steward Derek Snyder of Pennsylvania, who wrote the opening drill, said using the capes was a great way to show that the theme is exciting to younger members and could be embraced in many ways.

“The Grange is full of hometown heroes throughout the country from farmers to firefighters and local politicians, veterans and more and we wanted to use the capes as a small symbol to honor and recognize these everyday heroes that are such a major part of our lives that we don’t even sometimes realize, just like Granges

who do great, sometimes unseen work for our communities,” Snyder said.

Lynette Schaeffer, of the National Grange Executive Committee said she is looking forward to seeing what Granges in her home state can do with the theme.

“I can’t wait to return to Illinois and share the idea with the members in my state. I know that many of my State Grange Officers will love this idea and run with it. Grangers are waiting to hear our call and act appropriately,” Schaeffer said.

Brozana Rios said the gimmick is a big part of the campaign, which was designed to get attention in a visually oriented culture.

“Images are processed tens of thousands of times faster than words, and for people who use visually-oriented media like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, engagement with posts that have photos are much higher,” Brozana Rios said. “We need something that tells our story without taking much time and in doing so also prompts more questions and a desire to belong or be like us. I see this as a really positive way to get our members to see their work as important and for their community to rally around them as well.”

Photo by Lindsay Schroeder The 2018 National Youth Officer Team included Super G capes in their opening drill on Friday, Nov. 16 during the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention

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2019 Legislative

Update

The 152nd National Grange Convention in Stowe, Vermont continued its century-and-a-half tradition of placing policy development at the center of the national meeting. Policy proposals addressed both internal Grange business as well as external public policy issues. State Grange delegates from around the country each served on one of eight committees that considered resolutions previously debated and adopted by local, county and State Granges then forwarded to the National Grange. Committee actions on each resolution were then brought to the floor of the general session where each delegate had the opportunity to address the issue contained in the resolution and vote on the final policy. This process of developing national policy that began with a local Grange member is the truest form of grassroots advocacy.

During the convention, delegates considered 148 resolutions over the course of five days. They adopted 32 public policy resolutions and seven internal policy resolutions which now become official policy of the National Grange. Those policies that remained on the books from previous conventions were reviewed and affirmed as still relevant and appropriate to give the National Grange policy direction for the coming year.

While some Granges have adopted policy, after great consideration, that is slightly different or in direct conflict with the policy of the National Grange, most of our nearly 1,700 Granges across the nation stand behind the numerous resolutions passed in this manner over the course of our century and a half of service on behalf of rural Americans and those involved in agriculture at all levels.

Below are the newly added policies of the National Grange as of the 152nd Annual Convention. ®

Agriculture • Support the research title of the 2018 farm bill • Support enhancements to the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program at USDA • Ensure that government regulations reserve the term “meat” to describe animal protein harvested from livestock, poultry, seafood and wildlife; work to develop a commerciallyacceptable term for cell-based protein products • Encourage financial support for a national foot and mouth disease vaccine bank • Encourage federal and state agricultural research institutions to develop fire-resistant plants for fire-prone areas • Support integrated weed management programs and other safe alternatives to glyphosate use • Encourage farmers to adopt practices that protect

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pollinators and urge Granges to utilize Managed Pollinator Protection Plans (MP3) on their properties • Urge USDA to establish a Johne’s Disease program Citizenship and Taxation • Work to allow distribution as needed from individual retirement accounts with no required minimum distributions based on age • Oppose measures that would limit the federal Lifeline program • Assure that tax preparers comply with privacy standards • Request the Department of Energy to review and update its Energy Weatherization Program • Encourage the issuance of a 400th Anniversary of Plymouth Colony stamp

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• Support legislation to extend “Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers” to caregivers of all war-era veterans • Support legislation to assist female veterans in reintegrating in their communities after discharge • Members of Congress should not be paid for time the federal government is shut down due to insufficient funding by Congress • Support the National Weather Service and other alert systems that relay warnings over streaming services • Support reclassification of 9-1-1 call-takers and dispatchers to the same protective first-responder status as police officers and firefighters • Support the census form inclusion of a question to determine whether a person is a U.S. citizen

enhance care coordination by allowing health care providers to

Conservation • Support being good stewards of our environment but oppose forcing dams to spill spring waters which costs consumers millions of dollars • Raise awareness about the benefits of regenerative agriculture and recognize it as a renewable method of farming that builds a farm’s capacity each successive year • Urge Granges and Grange members to avoid the use of plastic tableware in favor of traditional tableware products that are easier to recycle and are more biodegradable

to prevent identity theft and urge businesses and medical

Education and Health • Support the ability of Medicare and Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for the best reimbursement price of prescription drugs to consumers • Urge USDA to more accurately reflect the results of studies that show no correlation between consumption of Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA) and SFA blood serum levels as it compiles the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines • Urge Congress to improve access to Medicare coverage to ease financial burdens on Medicare patients • Work with federal regulators to ensure insurance companies abide by mental health laws to correct an unequal health care system for patients with behavioral health conditions • Work to reduce regulatory burdens and duplication to

focus on patients instead of paperwork • Support legislation to improve funding and work to change regulations to keep rural hospitals and health care facilities open • Support legislation to ban the sale of synthetic marijuana or synthetic cannabinoids regardless of their street names or the chemicals used in their manufacture Labor, Judiciary and Transportation • Support legislation to define support animals to reduce the opportunity for owners to fraudulently claim pets as support or service animals • Support changing the identification on Medicare cards from Social Security numbers to completely different numbers professional to adopt this identification method

GRANGE MEMBERS’ “MAN IN WASHINGTON”

Burton Eller has been the Legislative Director at the National Grange since 2014 and previously worked at many agriculturally-based organizations, including the USDA and the Farm Service Agency.

Contact by email at beller@nationalgrange.org or by phone at (202) 628-3507 ext. 114.

National Grange internal and external policies will now be wrapped into the Grange’s official Journal of Proceedings which will contain everything that transpired at the 152nd Convention in Stowe, Vermont.

The Journal will be available to Grange members in early 2019.

Delegates to the convention were able to witness the testing of shared committee common files during the week. Committee members were able to see the actions of other committees in real time as the week progressed. When committee resolutions and reports came to the floor for delegate action, a single electronic document was projected on to the large session screen. Any action taken on the floor appeared simultaneously on Delegates’ computer screens. Delegates were then able to continue to access the electronic files of all committee proceedings home on their computer following the close of the convention. This was a rewarding exercise that will be expanded at next year’s convention.

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Foundation’s 1 in 1,000 Club holds first event A special donor club of the Grange Foundation, established at the close of the 2017 convention, held a gathering of its first members at the 152nd Annual Convention in Stowe, Vermont.

Members of the 1 in 1,000 Club were invited to meet together for a special luncheon on Friday, November 16.

The Club, which has about 30 members who have completed their pledge and about a dozen more making payments toward their membership fee, allows those interested in strengthening the outreach and opportunities for the Grange Foundation to support initiatives for members and communities, and have the opportunity to be recognized for their gift in a very special way.

Membership is capped at a maximum of 1,000 members who have donated a gift of $1,000 for admission to the Club - that can be paid over the course of up to one year in increments most comfortable for the donor - and is recognized with a special certificate and pin.

Additionally, members get invitations to special events such as the luncheon and other opportunities.

“We hope to add other events as more members come on line,” Grange Foundation Associate Amanda Brozana Rios said. “Potentially, we could offer this dedicated group of donors limited edition items, special opportunities to attend exclusive events and more. Really, the possibilities are endless.”

To become a member or learn more you can visit grangefoundation. org and see the 1 in 1,000 page. The simple form is available and can be submitted to the Grange Foundation at 1616 H St. NW, Washington, DC 20006. For additional information or to establish your membership gift plan, contact Brozana Rios at (301) 943-1090 or by email at info@grangefoundation.org

1 in 1,000 Club Members 1 - Betsy Huber 2 - Marty Billquist 3 - Chris Hamp 4 - Duane Hamp 5 - Susan Noah 6 - Mark Noah 7 - Joan C. Smith 8 - Nancy Hardtla 9 - Don Johnson 10 - Carol Everman 11 - Dr. Charles Wm. Dimmick 12 - William Booth 13 - Gloria Paddock 14 - Roger Halbert 15 - Bruce Croucher 16 - Brian Ebersole 17 - John Plank 18 - Brian Carr 19 - Roland Winter 20 - Elizabethtown Area Grange #2076 21 - Amanda Brozana Rios 22 - Marilyn A. Reiher 23 - Tricia Mudd Eidsmoe 24 - Naomi Fletcher 25 - Maurice Wiles 26 - Kay Merritt 27 - Yvonne Merritt

On behalf of all of us at the National Grange, we thank everyone who attended the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention in Stowe, VT. We know that you could have been any place else and chose to spend your time with us. We are grateful for your service and look forward to seeing you all next year at the 153rd Annual Convention from November 5-9, 2019.

Registration will be open soon, but you can reserve your room now!

Doubletree Bloomington/Minneapolis South 7800 Normandale Blvd.

Minneapolis, MN 55439 (952) 835-7800

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Starting in 2019, background checks required to work with Juniors, youth at national events

By Karie Blasingame Senior Communications Fellow The reminders of dangers to children are all over the nightly news, and most parents, grandparents and others working with children at schools, community sporting leagues and other organizations are used to hearing the common question “do you have your background clearance to work with kids” when they are volunteering.

While for many years the National Grange has encouraged states and regional conference organizers to make sure all interacting with children and vulnerable adults have background checks on file, this year at the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention, Junior Director Samantha Wilkins unveiled a program that will allow the process to become more universal across the Grange world and a new requirement: you must have a background check through this system in order to participate as a volunteer or manager with Junior or Youth at national or regioanl events starting in 2019.

Volunteers with current National Background checks will have until the expiration of their current screening to complete and become Safe Gatherings Certified.

The company that the National Grange has partnered with is Safe Gatherings, originally founded as the Methodist church’s own system that has grown into a nationally recognized leader in background check systems.

Safe Gatherings provides four levels of background checks: Local, State, National and Sex Offender. More details about the system along with a demonstration is available on the company’s website, safegatherings.com.

Wilkins said she had used the system at her own church and was comfortable with the administration, ease and cost of Safe Gatherings, which provides professional reference checks and training for abuse prevention and ideas on how to appropriately work with minors who are at their most vulnerable time in life.

“This program has a very low cost for our members to get clearances and a huge relief for our organization to ensure the safety of our children,” Wilkins said. The program includes a two-year clearance for only $36.

“Safe Gatherings will make it easier for all of our states to get the background checks done that they need to for our Junior and Youth programs. It will eliminate many hurdles states had to go through,” Wilkins said.

Wilkins said she believes State leaders will appreciate that “the pressure

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on them to make sure these critical steps are taken appropriately in accordance to their state laws” is taken off.

“Everything is handled from the National

Grange

office

and

your

information is kept safe and secure through the Safe Gatherings Network.

No personal information is held with the National Grange,” Wilkins said.

Delegates to the recent convention also strongly suggested as part of the policy statement of the Grange Growth committee, that states able to cover the cost to certify volunteers do so.

More information about the program will be available soon and all those attending and assisting with Junior and Youth events at regional or national events

should

contact

the

event

organizer or Wilkins for more details as soon as possible.

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2019 Junior submission topics announced

We want to encourage all of our young writers and artists out there! Each quarter we will have a new topic

for our Juniors to inspire their creation of potential content for the magazine!

The work must be your own original writing. You may get your parent, guardian or another mentor or adult’s assistance

to write or draw the piece, but we expect all those who assist to adhere to high ethical standards and allow the Junior’s work to be reflected without influence by the adult/older assistant.

Spring issue 2019: Superheroes. Due by January 31.

|

Summer issue 2019: Respecting Differences. Due by April 30.

Fall issue 2019: Delicious Dairy. Due by July 15.

|

Winter issue 2019: D-I-Y Gifts. Due by October 15.

Submissions may be made via email to communications@nationalgrange.org. At least one entry per quarter will have their submission published in the related issue of Good Day!™ magazine. Honorable mentions may appear on the Junior Grange website or National Grange website.

RULES •

Contest is open only to Junior Grange Members in good standing and submission of entry is acknowledgment that publication is allowed by both Junior and parent/guardian.

•

Entries can be any of the following: photo essay (at least 3 photos on the same topic that tell a larger story) with captions for each photo identifying the people in the photo if applicable and what is happening in the scene; short story (max. 1,000 words); poem; essay/article (maximum 1,500 words and must include at least 2 relevant photographs with captions); skit (no more than 6 speaking characters; should not take more than 10 minutes to perform and should not require elaborate set); D-I-Y (do-ityourself) project with supply list, step-by-step instructions and photos of each step; or open category.

•

Each entry must be labeled with name, mailing address, phone number and email (if applicable) and birthday of Junior member and the state, name and number of the Junior Grange OR Subordinate Grange with which the Junior 1+ member is affiliated.

world FIlled wIth In a

chaos ,

CIVILITY IS A

SUPER POWER

GRANGE

values

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This ad was produced by the National Grange as part of our public service announcement series. This ad may be replicated so long as the Grange Values logo appears.

Mascot, timeliness play part 2019 Junior project Every year comes a new theme for the Agricultural Awareness Project sponsored by the National Junior Grange. This was a project started three years ago by National Junior Grange Director Samantha Wilkins as a way to reconnect Juniors to the roots of the Grange - agriculture.

The previous two years have focused on honeybees and then the broader category of pollinators.

However, in 2019, Wilkins found it was important to focus on a topic that was affecting farmers from coast to coast, and that led to the focus on dairy, inspired by the current challenges those in the industry face.

“It is important for our Juniors to take interest in not only agriculture in general, but also within issues our ag communities are facing,” Wilkins said. “It’s common for Grange members to be removed from the farm and field like most of America, but it’s important that we still stay educated about the issues and agriculture as a profession.”

“While there is much fun to be had with this topic when we think about the adorable cow spots, or that yummy bowl of ice cream, this is a topic that affects many of our Grangers and farmers across the nation,” Wilkins said.

Dairy farmers have suffered multiple crushing blows – low milk prices, reduced consumption of milk and other dairy products, changes in the processing component and much more.

“We want to challenge the Junior Grangers to stand up, and speak out on behalf of the dairy industry. We want them to be heroes that encourage members in their community to buy local. But we also want them to learn and gain information about the hard work that goes into working on a dairy farm,” Wilkins said.

Past National Grange Youth Director, Charlene Shupp Espenshade, knows the struggles first hand.

She and her husband Matt own and operate their own dairy farm in Pennsylvania.

Times have become tough over the last few years, however Shupp Espenshade says the experience has been good for their

Photo by Lindsay Schroeder Clarabelle the cow from Carrabelle, Florida, the mascot for the 2019 Ag

Awareness Award, helps close out the Junior Parade at the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention in Stowe, Vermont, in November. young boys who have gotten a really handson experience in the day to day operations of running a dairy farm.

“Matt and I both benefited from the many life lessons we learned on our family dairy farms,” Shupp Espenshade said. “Our boys now are following in our footsteps as they learn how to care for their own animals as well and take on more responsibilities with the farm.”

“Many young people do not have the same opportunity. There is a growing generation gap between the average American and their connection to a farm.

While not the same as living on a farm, this awareness project can provide Juniors with an insight to life on a farm and how milk gets from the farm to their dinner table.”

This year, as in previous years, to earn the Awareness Award a Junior Granger must complete a few steps.

Wilkins said it is always important for the

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Juniors to do research and find out all that they can about the subject at hand.

She also encouraged every Junior and Junior Mentor to speak to someone who works in the field of study – someone who owns and operates or works on a dairy farm, who had a dairy farm but recently sold or got out of the business or others who advocate or work with dairy farmers.

“This

helps

our

Juniors

really

understand and personalize the story when they become educators and advocates for others,” Wilkins said.

In 2019, many of the same requirements are in place from previous Awareness Awards; however there are two additions.

“This year, we are challenging you as Junior Leaders, parents and Juniors yourself to really dive into bringing awareness to the dairy industry and its current plight,” Wilkins said. “Help your

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Juniors become heroes for their communities and learn to Complete the following to receive your UNEARTHING FIGURES support the local dairy farmers.”

The second addition is a little more fun.

FROM OUR 2019 PASTAwareness Award!

“In order to help promote the 2019 Ag Awareness project, we 1. Research the importance of milk production have brought a new friend on board: Clarabelle, from Carrabelle, and how milk gets from the farm to your Florida,” Wilkins said of a cow mascot that debuted at the 152nd table. Speak to a dairy farmer or someone Annual National Grange convention. who works in the dairy industry about the Wilkins said Clarabelle is a dairy cow “straight from the town importance of dairies and local production of that Grange founder Oliver Hudson Kelley founded after moving products. from his farm in Minnesota.”

2. Make a collage from recycled materials (i.e.

While the dairy industry in Florida isn’t as large as that in newspapers, grocery ads, etc.) of items that California or Wisconsin, Clarabelle can still excite the Junior can be made from dairy products.

Grangers about the industry.

3. Create a flier to be distributed or hung at Clarabelle and Wilkins both are excited about the opportunities your Grange Hall or local establishments, to that this awareness project will bring. support local dairy farms.

“She may even make an appearance at different State Grange 4. Make something edible from dairy products conventions or camps, if she is invited,” said Samantha Wilkins. (be creative with projects like making ice “We are eager to see how our states will enlist Clarabelle’s help cream in a bag, or butter in a jar) to excite our Juniors about dairy.”

5. Participate in the National Junior Grange She is hoping Clarabelle, in addition to hands-on activities, “Kelley Farm Project” found on page 11 of will engage the Junior Grangers to become immersed in this the Junior Program Book. year’s theme.

6. Speak at your Junior Grange and/or “It’s important to find ways to tie Juniors back to our Subordinate Grange about the importance of agricultural roots and to encourage them to explore careers in supporting local farmers and dairies. agriculture,” Wilkins said.

2018 Junior Ambassador offers parting words Dear Fellow Granges,

programs of the National Junior Grange

As the 2018 National Junior Grange

and I hope that you gain from them as

Ambassador, I had the opportunity to

much as I have in my time serving in the

travel to several Regional Conferences,

Junior Grange. I have gained friendships

and other State Conventions, where I

throughout the nation, I have had many

enjoyed meeting fellow Grangers and seeing the differences and similarities between programs in different States.

I did my best to promote the Junior Grange. I traveled to Washington D.C. for the Legislative Fly-In. This was a great experience, where I listened to briefs on Grange policy, talked to a staff member of a Legislator, and was able to do some sightseeing, and much more.

I en-

Grangers ready to encourage me or help me when I need them.

Now it is the time for me to hang up my sash as a Junior Granger and pick up my cape as a member of the youth department. I am looking forward to continuing my Grange work and learning

Photo by Betsy Huber

from future experiences. I hope to see

2018 National Junior Grange Ambassador Riley Reynolds of Oregon, right, stands with National Junior Grange Director Samantha Wilkins and 2019 Ambassador Billy Greer of Colorado, at the Junior Breakfast during the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention in November.

how the Junior Grange grows in the

courage you to go to other conferences,

coming years and hope to see many of

as this is a great way to learn more

you when you join the Youth Program.

about the Grange and meet all kinds of

Fraternally,

Grangers.

Riley Reynolds

I encourage you to participate in the

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2018 National Junior Grange Ambassador

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6th-generation member named new Youth director

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director Another legacy Granger has come onto the National staff and she couldn’t be more excited.

“I never in a million years would have dreamed of being appointed to Youth Director. I am so thrilled to be able to work for an organization that has been so vital throughout my life and the course of my family history,” Mandy Bostwick said.

Bostwick, a sixth-generation member from Kansas who served as National Outstanding Young Patron in 2017, was named to the position in December just before the retirement of Charlene Shupp Espenshade who had served in the role for about a decade.

“Charlene has done a fantastic job with the Youth Department for almost 11 years”, Huber said. “We congratulate her on her retirement and will be forever grateful for all her hard work and dedication to our younger members.”

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your National Grange Youth Director. I wish Mandy nothing but the best in her new role,” Espenshade said. “Having worked with her in the past as a member of the youth team, I have first hand knowledge of the caliber of work she will produce.”

Huber said she was on the lookout for a potential new director in her travels to State Sessions this fall, and was impressed with Mandy’s work in Kansas and her new ideas for youth.

“After reading about the interests and characteristics of Generation Y regarding membership, I thought it made sense to look for a member of that generation to bring a fresh outlook to our Youth Department. Mandy’s ability to think outside the box impressed me and I’m thrilled that she’s willing to undertake this responsibility.”

Bostwick said she has already begun work to bring these ideas to fruition.

“There are a lot of great things built into the Youth program that have been there or that Charlene has helped develop recently, including a single poster for achievement seals so Youth can show off accomplishments or that I hope to encourage Granges to hang in their Halls or keep somewhere visible to remind people what amazing, talented young members they have in their midst,” Bostwick said. “She’s also done a great deal to connect us to other like-minded groups like NJHA (National Junior Horticulture Association) and raise the profile of Grange Youth through opportunities to attend the National Ag Day. There is a lot of the programming that will be continued.”

In addition, Bostwick said she took a lot away from a recent

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Photo by Molly Newman Mandy Bostwick, Kansas, a sixth-generation member, has been named the new National Grange Youth Director.

meeting of Huber’s Young Leaders Council during the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention.

“There were a lot of great ideas by people in that room from how to make convention more exciting for youth and young adults to what young people should get to make their Grange experience day-to-day more meaningful,” Bostwick said.

She nodded to a concept raised by North Carolina Youth Director Jennie Gentry, which Gentry called the “pillars” of the Grange Youth mission.

“I loved that idea. Having main points, or pillars in our mission for Grange Youth will make it easier for our youth to talk about the Grange and give us a better direction of where we want to go and what that means for our programming in the department,” Bostwick said.

“Jennie has had such a strong Youth program in her state that any ideas working there or coming from her are something to pay attention to,” Bostwick said. “Of course, that’s just one

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of the many successful Youth programs across the country that I can learn from to build something that meets the needs of our current members and their peers that they may bring to the Grange based on what they are getting out of their experience.”

“I look forward to working with Jennie and the other Youth directors across the country in the coming years as I work to unify communication so we can all learn from each other and build a program that brings interest for every youth member,” Bostwick said.

In her first year, she will definitely have a direct tie and look into the North Carolina program as she works with two young people who are products of it – Zac Mazag and Rylee Furr, who were selected as the male and female 2019 National Grange Youth Ambassadors.

Bostwick said she is looking forward to working with a “really strong Youth Team” including Mazag, Furr, and the two Outstanding Young Patrons, Brittney Oliver of Washington and Katie Fallon of New York, in the coming year.

“Each of these young people bring so many different talents to the Youth program,” Bostwick said. “I am looking forward to working with them to hone in on these talents and use them as they take a larger leadership role in the planning, design and execution of workshops presented at regional conferences to ensure an experience that is relevant and rewarding to all participants.”

But they are not the only people she hopes to draft into assisting the department.

“I’d like to work more closely with the GROW Club as regional advisors for the Youth Department to better distribute information and receive feedback about what the youth and young adults would like to see out of the programming.

After all, the Grange is all about the community; I want to know what the needs are in our community,” Bostwick said.

She also plans to work closely

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Photo by Lindsay Schroeder The 2019 National Grange Youth Team was selected during the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention in Stowe, Vermont, in mid-November. From left,

National Young Patrons Katie Fallon, New York, and Brittney Oliver, Washington, and National Youth Ambassadors Zac Mazag and Rylee Furr, both of North Carolina. with her new colleagues and friends, Junior Director Samantha Wilkins, Communications Director Amanda Brozana Rios and just-returned Membership Director Joe Stefenoni.

“The four of our positions are so closely related that while we each have a main focus, we will now be working to have a uniform approach to program and content, especially for regional conferences, increasing the usable information members take back and implement in their local Granges,” Bostwick said, noting that she “can’t help but pull on my Grange hat every day” as she talks to the others, and their conversations “inevitably are Grange and how we can work to make it perpetual.”

The Youth Director position, like the Junior Director position, is a parttime stipended role that carries much responsibility to ensure the future of the Grange.

In her “other life,” Bostwick is a fourth-grade teacher in the Valley Falls School District who has often used her Grange roots and connections to benefit

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her students and inform her teaching.

“When I went to talk to my superintendent about this opportunity she was so supportive of me. She told me ‘if this is something that makes you happy then do it because in the end that is going to make you a stronger educator.’”

Bostwick said that as a Young Adultage participant still, she knows she will now be switching gears, but that she is up for the challenge.

“When you go to convention or conferences, even as an ambassador, you go to have fun and connect and just enjoy time in Grange,” Bostwick said.

“Now when I attend, I’ll be in a whole new role with new expectations. It will be like going from Sunday night to Monday morning, taking off my ‘just Mandy’ hat and putting on my teacher hat. There’s still fun to be had, it’s still me, but there is a different mission and I’m so excited to have been asked to per-form in this role.

I’m determined to do the organization proud and show what type of leadership you truly learn thanks to the Grange experience.”

Tessa Taft, of New York,

who served as the female 2018 National Grange

Youth Ambassador, signs a song from Disney’s

“Moana” during the

2018 National Grange Youth Ambassador

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Tessa Taft

Photo by Lindsay Schroeder

Evening of Excellence at the 152nd Annual National Grange

Convention in Stowe,

Vermont, in November.

was a moment where we had four generations working at

By Charlene Shupp Espenshade Former National Grange Youth Development Director The Grange tradition is built around its connection between the generations. 2017-18 National Grange Youth Ambassador Tessa Taft is one of the many Grangers that started attending meetings in baby baskets, joined Cayuga Lake Junior Grange #410 at 5 and joined Lamson Grange #588 as soon as she turned 14.

one time,” she said. “My great grandmother would usually sit outside, and we have a picture somewhere of the other three generations including my grandmother, my mother and myself working behind the counter. If this does not show how much of a family organization Grange is, I do not know what does.”

One of the most important decisions Taft made involved her Grange legacy – why was she a Granger.

“My family received the Grange Legacy Award last year,

“I grew up in Grange and have a long line of family

but our Grange legacy started when my great-great-great

members behind me that also belong(ed) to Grange. There

grandfather established Elbridge Grange #220,” Taft said.

were two points in which I had to make the decision on if

She’s the sixth generation of her family in the Grange. For the

I was going to be a Grange member because all my family

past year, she has traveled the country as part of the National

members were Grangers or if I was going to be a member

Youth Team, but her Grange commitment starts at home.

of my own volition,” she said. “When I started coming to be

She is the daughter of Sherri Taft and is from Cato, New

of youth age, I made the decision that I, myself was going to be a Grange member, I was not solely a member because it

York.

“One of my favorite memories to this day happened quite

was something my family had done for six generations, but it

a few years ago at the New York State Fair. My family would

is something that I am genuinely invested in. I decided that

volunteer at the food booth sponsored by New York State

I wanted more than just going to junior meetings and doing

Grange, and when I say my family volunteered, I mean there

projects.”

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Shortly after, she started attending state youth events, participated on her state’s drill team for regionals, entered the sign-a-song and talent contests.

Camp holds a special place in her heart. She loves serving as a camp counselor. “I always loved being a counselor because I was able to help a multitude of children have one of the most fun and most memorable weeks of their summer,” she said.

The second membership crossroads is a familiar one for many Grange youth, how to balance Grange activities with college. She’s always working on how to remain engaged in local and state events, while balancing it against school commitments. She is the Lecturer of her home Grange and Lady Assistant Steward of Onondaga Pomona Grange #12.

She is a junior at Nazareth College of Rochester in New York. After completing her bachelor’s degree, she plans to complete her master’s degree in English and inclusive childhood education. Long term plans are to work in an elementary special education classroom. With an interest in exploring new places, she would like to work out of state.

Last month, Taft completed her term as National Youth Ambassador. “Just coming off my year as ambassador, I had an amazing year and would not trade that experience for anything. I most enjoyed meeting so many new people and being able to share my Grange story with other people,” she said. While there are too many things to list that she enjoyed about her year, she loved working with fellow team members Jenn Nauss and Jacob Gwin.

She was able to travel to regional youth conferences, help plan the activities for National Session and represent the National Grange at the National Junior Horticultural Association’s convention.

“I learned so much about what Grange is to other people in other states and I love hearing other people’s Grange

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Submitted Photo During the Midwest Regional Youth Conference in July 2018 after a round of mini-golf, female National Grange Youth Ambassador Tessa Taft, second from right, stands with the rest of the 2018 Youth Team, including Outstanding Young Patron Jenn Nauss, Pennsylvania, left, and Jacob Gwin, 2018 male National Grange Youth Ambassador, Washington, right, along with then-Kansas State Grange Youth Director Mandy Bostwick. stories and how Grange came into their

Grange started at my home Grange.

lives,” she said.

Kids need a reason to step away from

Serving as a state ambassador is

screens for a while, and I am still working

a chance for Grange youth to serve

on a way to encourage them, as well as

and lead. “You do not know what

their parents, that Grange is not only a

is behind a door until you open it. I

way they can get away from the TV for a

had so many doors opened for me as

while, but also that it will be so good for

state ambassador, but also as national ambassador and I learned something from every opening. This year my voice got heard in so many places rather than just inside my home. Stepping up to be even state ambassador allows your voice to be heard, allows your ideas to be shared, and gives you an opportunity to become national ambassador which will lead to great things as well.”

Taft has plenty on her docket as she looks to wrapping up her degree, but Grange is something she will always remain committed to.

“I would like to see it continue for generations after me. As I keep going

them in the long run.”

She says they just have to look at how Grange has changed her. “I used to be the shy kid that hid behind her mom’s legs and did not speak up. Now I am not afraid to talk to new people, not afraid to let my voice be heard, and not afraid to be a leader,” she said.

If someone asks you to try something new, take the leap of faith. It can take you on an amazing journey.

“I am very thankful I made the choice I did to take Grange by the reigns and do with it what I saw was best for myself,” she said. “Take advantage of all

in Grange, I would like to stay involved

the opportunities I could because look

in youth activities, but also in the

where it got me; Grange got me a place

department of member recruiting, but

on a National Youth Team, has helped

geared towards younger members. I am

me make a difference in countless

always looking for ways to bring younger

ways on countless occasions, and most

members into Grange and am working

importantly, it has helped me become

on new ideas to try getting a Junior

who I am today.”

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GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

VIEWPOINT

Legacy on the mind of Young members

By Jessie Joe Guttridge Oregon State Grange 2018 Youth Ambassador Over the course of this last year, as I was standing in various locations across the country, celebrating the Grange’s 150th birthday, I found myself thinking about something that probably doesn’t bother most of my peers quite yet.

I found myself thinking about a legacy.

In part my own, but also the legacy of my family, and how intrinsically it’s tied to our local Grange. And from there it broadened.

I found myself thinking about the legacy of the Pomona, State, and National Grange.

And the more I thought about a legacy, the more I was able to see the legacy of the Grange in my family, and the Grange’s legacy on America. Small or large, our organization has left a mark, from the smallest community to across the whole nation.

But it’s probably easier to start off small when thinking about how the Grange’s legacy impacts a single person.

In 1893, a man named Almon Shibley signed on as a charter member of Springwater Grange #263, in what, at the time, was the thriving town of Springwater, Oregon. With him was his son, James.

James had been eleven when the family moved to Springwater in 1868. It would be his home for the rest of his life.

In early 1901, less than ten years after Springwater Grange had been established, James submitted a resolution titled Truth in Fabric Law, that, in 1940, would go from a policy of the National Grange to the law of the land with The Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939. But that future was far away to the immediate concerns of the community when in the first few days of September 1902, a fire swept through the area. James’s son Everett, four years old in 1902, would later recall stomping out embers around their house, burning through the soles of his new shoes. He had quite cold feet that winter.

Submitted Photo 2018 Oregon State Grange Youth Ambassador Jessie Jo Guttridge, right front, is the youngest member of a Legacy Grange Family, many of whom are part

of this photo. Guttridge is continuing a tradition that started six generations before with Almon Shibley’s signature on the charter documents for Springwater Grange #263 in Oregon.

The school and the Grange survived

center of Springwater was formed around

the blaze, but the church, Springwater

these buildings. An annual 4th of July

Presbyterian, was gone.

picnic at the Grange brought in the whole

The community came together. Sunday

community. In 1923, a community fair

services continued in the Grange until 1904,

was established. For a few early years, the

when the new church was completed. The

Springwater Community Fair was a bigger

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event than the local County Fair.

In 1941, Joseph Guttridge, or as everyone knew him, Joe, joined the Grange at nineteen. Soon after, Wilma Shibley, the daughter of Everett, joined. In 1949, Joe and Wilma would marry. They had five sons, all Grangers. Their fourth son, Don, stayed in the community, raising his family there.

In December 2012, I, Don’s youngest daughter, became the first of Joe and Wilma’s grandchildren to join the Grange. The Shibley family now had six generations of Grangers, all located in Springwater #263, Estacada, Oregon.

As Springwater Grange celebrates its 125th birthday this year, I had to wonder if Almon and his son James even realized how long this legacy would carry on in their own community. And then I wondered if our founders had realized how long this legacy would last.

The first thing that came to my mind as I was beginning to write this speech was a line from a musical. In Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, Miranda’s song ‘The World Was Wide Enough’ has Alexander Hamilton reflecting on his life moments before he is fatally wounded in his duel with Aaron Burr. Hamilton sings “Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.”

As I reflected on both my own family’s history in the Grange, and the very founding of our Order, that line repeated over and over again in my head.

When Oliver Hudson Kelley returned from the South, seeing a country torn apart from within, he had an idea to help heal a divided nation. This idea was the seeds planted in the garden by the founders of our Order, tended to, and it grew into the Patrons of Husbandry. And when they were gone, others tended to the garden after them. It was growing, always changing, but it has never been left unattended.

For a hundred and fifty years, the garden of the Patrons of Husbandry has been faithfully tended. From the Granger Laws to Rural Free Delivery, the direct election of senators, and women’s suffrage, we looked to the hopes of our founders, and the legacy left to us by those who had come before us. With that knowledge, we went forward, and in doing so, we have unknowingly forged our own generation’s legacies. Ones which future generations will look back on and draw their own inspiration from, to face the challenges that will confront the rural Americans of the future.

Did the founders know what they were setting in motion when they gathered in William Saunder’s office on December 4th, 1867?

Did they know the legacy that they were about to create, the garden that they were about to start growing? Could they ever have imagined that it would survive, thrive, and flourish for over 150 years?

In some ways, I found my answer last year, at the Western Regional Conference in California. Christine Hamp, our National Lecturer, said something that struck a chord in me. She said “The Grange is not ours. We are keepers of the future, not keepers of the building and property.”

Those words, that we are keepers of the future, gave me my

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Submitted Photo Jessie Jo Guttridge performed several duties in her role as 2018 Oregon State Grange Youth Ambassador that brought the organization into public view.

answer. The founders planted the garden with their ideas, and gave it everything they could think of to help it thrive. They knew, like anyone who farms, that it could survive, or that all could be lost in a matter of moments. But they saw that this organization had a future, and weren’t afraid to pass it on to the next generation, to continue the legacy they had created.

And knowing that helped me answer questions about my own family’s role in the Grange. Almon and James were creating a legacy for the future, for their family, friends and community. They couldn’t have known everything that the future would hold, but they knew that they had left it with a richer history, and a better chance to survive and stand tall on its own.

So now here I stand, 19, and look to the future. I can’t see what my legacy will be yet, but I have the legacies left by those before me to carry me forward. To advocate for rural America, and pass the Grange on to the next generation, as it has been passed down to me.

Esto perpetua. May it live forever.

GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

Grange Youth team earns NJHA award

By Charlene Shupp Espenshade Former National Grange Youth Development Director For the first time, a Grange team competed in the National Junior Horticultural Association’s plant identification contest.

This year’s team was a multi-state team including 2018 National Grange Youth Ambassador Tessa Taft of New York, 2017 National Grange Youth Ambassador Asa Houchin of Ohio and Abby Kulp, a Wisconsin Grange member.

The team competed in multiple disci-

plines at the event held in St. Louis, MO, including identifying vegetables, flowers and nuts; judging classes of plants and produce; and a horticultural knowledge test. At the end of the contest, the trio earned the Grange division award, plus Tessa Taft received a $100 cash prize as a National Winner. The team earned a plaque as well as individual medals for the win.

In addition to competing in the contest, the Grange team, along with National Youth Director Charlene Shupp Espenshade, participated in workshops, meetings and other contests.

More than 150 young horticulturists from across the country attended the event.

Grangers were able to connect with others about what Grange brings to a local community and their state as well as raise awareness to the unique opportunity to compete in a Grange-only division. NJHA offers the opportunity for 4-H, FFA and Granges to organize and bring 3 to 4 member teams to compete in plant identification. There are also other contests the youths can enter including photography, public speaking, demonstration, poster display and flower arranging.

The National Grange Youth Department had an informational booth for attendees to

gather information about Grange youth programs and membership.

“This was a great way to cultivate a longstanding relationship between the Grange and NJHA,” said Charlene Shupp Espenshade. “In addition to his love of the Grange, Wib Justi was engaged with NJHA. The legacy of the Grange connection is remembered during the flag presentation where the Grange flag is carried in along with the 4-H, FFA and state flags.”

For the past several years, the NJHA officers have attended the National Grange Convention. This year, Taft, who is a National Grange Youth Ambassador, and Asa Houchin who was a 2016-17 ambassador, were able to represent the Grange at the NJHA convention.

“I would encourage Grangers to take a look at the plant identification contest,” Espenshade said. “Horticulture is a high-demand industry where there are more jobs than qualified employees. This contest can provide a career discovery opportunity for Grangers.”

Information about the plant identification contest is available in the 2018 National Grange Youth Handbook and on the National Junior Horticultural Association website.

Submitted Photos ABOVE: Abby Kulp, a new Grange member interested in horticulture, shows off a plaque won by a Grange team at the National Junior Horticulture Association convention in October. RIGHT: Some of the Grange Youth team members work to identify plants, vegetables and other horticultural products.

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Grange

R ev iv a l Complete & return ASAP to: Christine Hamp, 16418 N Birdie Road, Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026.

Call or text (509) 953-3533 to reserve cabins or full hook-up campsites in advance.

GRANGE REVIVAL 2019

REGISTRATION

_______ I am attending on my own, not as part of an established group _______ I am attending as part of an established group For group registrations: Please indicate the NAME of the responsible PARTY ORGANIZER who we should contact regarding event details and payment. _________________________________________________ You do not need to have all members of your party register at the same time or arrive/attend the event on all of the same days, but please be sure they know the name of their PARTY ORGANIZER to put on their registration forms so we can place families/groups together on site.

Bring your friends. You need not be a Grange member to attend.

REGISTRATION FEE PER PERSON (by age) Pre-Junior (0-4 yrs old): $20 Junior (5-13 yrs old): $35 Youth (14-35 yrs old): $60 Subordinate (36+ yrs old): $70 Golden Sheaf members: $60 Some activities at Grange Revival may be require certain safety gear/equipment rental or supply purchase for a small fee. A full schedule will be provided in early 2019 with fee information and additional options may be posted prior to or at the time of the event. If you have ideas for activities or questions, please email grangerevival@gmail.com.

LODGING FLAT RATES (one-time fee PER PARTY) Lodging reservation deposit is non-refundable.

Dry tent or car site $10 Dry RV w/ access to dump site $25 Hook-up RV, tent or car site*

$60 Cabins - Variable; see Lodging Registration *A max of 8 people are allowed per hookup site. No max for dry sites. ** Non-refundable 50% deposit due upon registration to hold spot for any hook-up camping sites and 25% non-refundable deposit for any cabins; first-come, first-served basis. Spots not paid in full by February 1, 2019 will be released to waitlist.

EVENT REGISTRATION Your Name _________________________________________________________________ Expected Shirt Size __________ Registration type: ______ Pre-Junior ______ Junior ______ Youth _______ Subordinate ______ Golden Sheaf Address _________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Phone ______________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________ How do you plan to get to Grange Revival? _____ Driving _____ Seeking Carpool _____ Flying _____ Other/Unsure What days do you plan to attend Grange Revival?

____ July 23 (arrive after 8 a.m.) ____ July 24 ____ July 25 ____ July 26 ____ July 27 ____ July 28 (leave by noon)

LODGING RESERVATION _____ Dry camping, no dump/hookups ($10 one time)

______ tent ______ car _____ RV

_____ Hook-up camping ($60 one time)

______ tent ______ car _____ RV

_____ Cabin Rental (one time rental fee, varies, see chart)

(Cabin name: __________________________________)

_____ Off-Property By signing below, I understand and agree to the following:

I will not damage event property and will report any defects with venue property to the owners/employees of Mulberry Mountain as soon as possible. I will attain necessary licenses and use recommended safety equipment while on property. I will assist in keeping the grounds clean and listen to all instructions related to campfires, cooking, swimming, recreational water use, etc. Campfires may only be created in approved facility fire rings. If I bring any weapon, including a firearm, large knife or other object, it will be secured by lock in my vehicle or other place where access by attendees is restricted. I will not smoke indoors in any part of the facility and I will not bring or consume any illegal drugs. I will not engage in or enable any minor to engage in underage drinking.

I will not be inebriated when tending to a fire, participating in water activities or any other activity that may put myself or others at harm.

If I am the responsible party for a minor child, I will ensure the child has appropriate chaperones if outside of my immediate care. I may be asked to leave the event with no refund if I violate any of these policies or act inappropriately for a Grange event. If I provide a form of payment that is declined or returned, I will be charged an additional $40 insufficient funds fee that must be satisfied before the end of the close of the event or within 5 days after the event ends. I understand I will sign a full conduct and rules policy prior to or at the event and that this is an introductory piece to that full agreement. _________________________________________________________ Signature (of attendee, or if attendee is under 18, of parent/guardian)

CABIN FLAT RATES (one-time fee for full event rental) You may choose to split the cost for this rental with attendees who stay in the cabin with you as you see fit.

You may work with another attendee or set of attendees to take the cabin rental for part of the week. Once the cabin is booked, you may choose how many and who to allow to sleep/use your cabin. We will not be responsible to assist you with finding cabin-mates or filling the cabin on days you may not be able to use it. B=bedroom; LR=Living room Dower House

B1: 1 King + 1 Full; B2: Twin

Annie’s Cabin

$1,350

Bedroom 1: 2 Full; Living Room: Full Sleeper Sofa

River Cabin

$1,500

B1: 1 Queen + 1 Full; B2: 1 Full

Lakeside Cottage

$1,000

B1: 1 Queen; LR: Sleeper Sofa

Star II Cabin

$1,750

B1: 1 Queen; B2: 1 Full; B3: 1 Full; LR: Sleeper Sofa

Star I Cabin

$1,125

B1: 1 Queen; B2: 2 Twins; laundry.

Outlook Cabin

$750

B1: 1 Queen

Barn Loft

$1,250

$2,000

B1: 1 Queen; B2: 1 Queen + 1 Full; LR: Sleeper Sofa

_____________________ Date

PAYMENT (Group registrations and/or lodging reservations may be made in one payment for all/some attendees in the party. Please attach/enclose registration forms of all those who are covered by your payment.)

Registration(s) Indicate number of each.

Subtotal $________________

_____ Pre-Junior (x$20) _____ Junior (x$35) _____ Youth (x$60) _____ Subordinate (x$70) _____ Golden Sheaf (x$60)

Lodging

_____ Pay in Full _____ Deposit only at this time (25% of cabin rate; 50% of hook-up rate; 100% dry rate)

Subtotal $________________

TOTAL PAYMENT TODAY: $________________ All hook-up sites and cabins must be paid in full by February 1, 2019. ____ Pay by enclosing check/money order made out to Grange Revival ____ Please Bill me via PayPal. Send invoice to email (if different from above:) ____________________________________ ____ Please charge my credit card $_____________ (total registration fee+lodging deposit/fee)

Card # _______________________________________________________ Exp. Date ____________ CVC ____________

COMPLETE AND RETURN ASAP TO: Christine Hamp, 16418 N Birdie Road, Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026.

Call or text (509) 953-3533 to reserve cabins or full hook-up campsites in advance.

Submitted Photo A quilt top made from several submissions to the 2018 National Grange Quilt Block Contest sponsored by the Lecturer’s Department, is laid out after having been sewn together just days after the close of the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention where all of the more than 300 submitted blocks were on display.

Tender heart a success, 2019 block unveiled

By Amanda Brozana Rios National Grange Communications & Development Director Heading into the session room of the 152nd Annual National Grange Convention, one may think the National Grange color had changed from gold to pink thanks to the hundreds of quilt blocks that were hung in the foyer area leading into the hall that featured all shades of pink and other “sherbet” tones.

The more than 300 blocks, in the Tender Heart pattern by Missouri Star Quilt Co., were submitted to the 2018 National Grange Lecturer’s Quilt Block Contest.

The quilt block judge, who remains anonymous, wrote that there was a great number of quality submissions.

“In judging these blocks, the size, workmanship, especially using a 1/4” seam, pressing, and fabric color, and pressing were very important. Following the pattern directions and workmanship were much better than last year’s blocks. Please keep up the great work!”

The most excellent examples of craftsmanship, awarded first place in the Subordinate and Junior categories respectively, went to Brenda Rousselle of Vermont, who serves as National Lady Assistants Steward, and, for the second consecutive year, Jerzey Jette, 10, of Montana. Other winners were subordinate second place Cathy Stark, NY; third place, Joy McClure, MT; Junior second place, Elizabeth Coons, NY; and third place, Kaitlyn Hann, WA. Each of the blocks submitted as part of the 2018 contest will be sorted and made into quilts and other quilted items by Bonnie Mitson, Idaho State Grange Pomona, and her team of assistants.

“I could hardly wait for the Tender Heart Quilt Blocks to arrive”

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after judging and display at convention, Mitson said. “When I lay the blocks out, pure magic happens, as if they come alive. When a block made in New York by a Granger becomes a perfect match to a block made by a Granger in Colorado, I am simply in awe.”

Each of the items made are then sold or used as raffle prizes with all proceeds benefiting the National Grange Foundation.

This is the third year the blocks have been made into items to be used in this way.

“This is a unique and amazing partnership – one in which entries in a National Grange contest become the building blocks for beautiful quilts which are sold to raise funds for the Grange Foundation,” Hamp said of the National Grange’s 501(c)3 arm.

“This is an example of nothing going to waste, of how the group is stronger than the individual, of warmth, of love.”

During the session, the 2019 National Grange Quilt Block pattern was unveiled.

Called “Pride of Quillisascut,” it is a custom block created by 2017 contest winner Joan Roberson of Rice, Washington, along with her fellow members of the Quillisascut Quilters.

The 2019 Pride of Quillisascut block is based on the Disappearing Nine Patch and should be something sewers of all skill levels can tackle.

“I was very much impressed by the effort put forth by the members of the Quillisascut Quilters to thoroughly research the trademark issue and make sure we were not infringing, and to create a block which appeals to folks of all skill levels and experience,” Hamp said. “I can’t wait to start receiving these big, beautiful blocks in my mailbox.”

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2019 National Grange Quilt Block Contest The National Grange Quilt Block Contest is open to everyone. There are two groups for judging: Group I – Adult (Age 14+) | Group II – Junior (Age 13 and under). The quilt block you enter in the contest for judging must be made by you.

There is no limit on the number of quilt blocks a person may submit, but choose one quilt block per person to be judged. A 2019 Quilt Block Contest Entry Form must be completed for the block to be judged.

All contest entries must be received by Christine Hamp, National Lecturer, at 16418 N. Birdie Road, Nine Mile Falls, WA

99026 by October 31, 2019. Send entries to.

Any entries received after the deadline will not be judged.

Monetary prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in both Groups. Ribbons will be awarded to all entrants.

Even those entries arriving after the deadline will be exhibited at the 153rd National Grange convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All entries will be retained by the National Grange to be made into finished quilts and other items to be sold at a later date to raise funds for the Grange Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity.

2019 Block – Pride of Quillisascut

(based on the Disappearing Nine Patch, also called Split Nine Patch) Fabric Three fabrics, all cotton. The key to this block is that there is good contrast between all three fabrics.

Fabric A should be a medium to dark print.

Fabric B should be significantly lighter than fabric A. Fabric C should be bright! Not a pastel bright, but a strong bright!

A

B

B

C

A

B

Constructing the Quilt Block Cut all pieces to 4-½ inch x 4-½ inch square. Cut four fabric A. Cut four fabric B. Cut one fabric C. Use a ¼ inch seam allowance. Sew into three rows: ABA, BCB, ABA. Sew the rows together into a single block. Cut the block into four equal pieces through the middle. Rotate two blocks.

Clip and remove all threads. Press all seams. Sew the block back together. Unfinished block should measure 12-½ inches x 12-½ inches. Clip and remove all threads.

A

B A

Special recognition and thanks to the Quillisascut Quilters of Quillisascut Grange #372 in rural, northeast Washington state for taking on the challenge of selecting the block for the 2019 National Grange Quilt Block Contest by virtue of one of their members, Joan Roberson, winning the 2017 contest.

Grange Foundation

Mercantile 2018

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Many thanks to everyone who made the 2018 Grange Foundation Mercantile a great success.

Special thanks to Donna Champion (MN) and Janet Segur (MA) for going above and beyond in giving of your time and talents. Distinct thanks as well to Lois Kesby of Ellery Grange #353 in New York for sharing your tatting skills with us all. Also, thank you to the small army of amazing Grangers who stepped in so ably to help get the Mercantile set up and ready for business, who made and donated items to sell, who cashiered and who helped get everything put away and ready for next year. It really does take a village!

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GOOD DAY!™ MAGAZINE www.nationalgrange.org

Book examines, celebrates Grange traditions

By Jenn Nauss

GET YOUR COPY

2018 Outstanding Young Patron As someone who has grown up in the Grange, the ritual of the Grange has always been something that has been second nature to me.

Until I was a college student, the Grange ritual was not something that I gave much thought to or that I even realized was unique to the Grange. In my experiences, members seem to have mixed feelings about the ritual.

Those of us who have been life-long members may take the ritual for granted and just go through the paces as “just something we do.” Others may belong to Granges that do not conduct ritual as part of their regular meetings. New members may view the ritual as unfamiliar or even uncomfortable if they are not properly introduced to it or instructed in it.

Walter Boomsma, a Maine Grange member and the State Grange Communications Director recently published a book exploring the Grange’s ritual and describing how it is more applicable to our everyday lives than most of us probably realize.

In his role with the State Grange, Boomsma wrote monthly columns over several years, delving deeper into the Grange and its ritual. In his new book, “Exploring Traditions – Celebrating the Grange Way of Life,” he has assembled these monthly columns into an interesting read.

Boomsma asked and explored questions that many of us probably have: What does the ritual mean? Why is it important? How does it relate to my life? What results is a book that is both informative and enlightening, even to Grangers who consider themselves wellversed in the ritual.

Throughout his book, Boomsma sheds light on many aspects of the ritual, from the language we hear and the rules we

Boomsma’s book is available for sale through the Grange Supply Store for $14.95.

Half of each sale benefits the National Grange. To purchase your copy, visit grangestore. org or call National Grange Sales, Programs, Benefits and Membership Recognition Director Loretta Washington at (202) 628-3507 ext. 107 or email sales@nationalgrange.org. follow during a regular meeting to the degree work that many of us have seen, but perhaps not fully appreciated. While it may seem abstract at times, the Grange’s ritual is filled with real-life application of the lessons, principles, and implements featured in the degrees and ceremonies of the Order.

Boomsma emphasizes several times that many members see the ritual as something we “do;” he encourages us all to not merely “do,” but experience, learn from, and celebrate.

New members may especially appreciate the sections of the books on pages 13-14 (“A Granger’s Daily Life”) and on pages 27-29 (“Ritual Creates Consistency, Builds Trust”).

The former explores what it means to be a Granger; we are not only Grangers in the Hall or space in which we meet. Being a Granger is a way of life. It sets the definition of the “Grange Way of Life” used in the title and throughout the book.

The latter explains in more detail what ritual is, its place in the Grange, and its relevance today. For new members who may be wondering what the ritual is all about, this chapter is a great place to start.

Most importantly and especially

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pertinent in today’s world, Boomsma makes a case that the ritual should not stand in the way of change.

The section of the book that I most appreciated was a column titled, “Creating Balance, Remembering Values.” In it, Boomsma tackles a difficult question that I often find myself pondering.

How can we stay true to what the Grange stands for while modernizing to stay relevant in today’s ever-changing world? Boomsma claims that ritual and today’s world are not incompatible; they can and should co-exist. Although written 150 years ago, the words of the founders are still meaningful and insightful, and the lessons taught in the Ritual are ones that are still relevant today.

Rather than getting caught up in the “how” of the Ritual, we should be ever aware and reminded of the “why” – for these principles that have been the foundation of the Grange for the last 151 years have stood the test of time.

“In essentials, Unity; in non-essentials, Liberty; in all things, Charity.” We should stay true to these principles to steer the Grange through the next 151 years and beyond.

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Fun times in the kitchen with

By Lori Harrison American Mushroom Institute Communications Director When you think of vitamin D, you probably think sun, fun and warmth, not fungus. Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, but mushrooms are unique for being the only food in the produce aisle to contain the “sunshine vitamin.”

It’s natural chemicals that ensure overall good health and according to some studies can be a bit of a pick-me-up for those suffering from winter blues.

Long celebrated as a source of powerful nutrients, fresh mushrooms are a healthy addition to your plate. They provide many of the same nutritional benefits as vegetables, as well as attributes commonly found in meat, beans and grains.

They are also an excellent food for a season when we often don’t get enough activity an exercise, with virtually no fat or cholesterol, low in calories, gluten free, very low in sodium and high in nutrients like B vitamins, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, ergothioneine and more.

“There’s a lot to love about mushrooms,” explained Lori Harrison, director of communications, American Mushroom

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Institute (AMI). “They are the wonder of the produce aisle, available in a variety of tastes and textures, packed with powerful nutrients and contain no cholesterol or fat.

In addition to its health benefits, mushrooms are also naturally sustainable, with much of the growing medium recycled for other industries, crops and commercial uses.”

The American Mushroom Institute is a national voluntary trade association representing the growers, processors and marketers of cultivated mushrooms in the United States and industry suppliers worldwide.

According to the recently released National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) report, mushroom farmers produced 813 million pounds of mushrooms in 2017-2018. The most common type of mushroom is the Agaricus, or more widely known as the button mushroom. Commonly found on pizzas, in salads, in gravies, stuffed and more, they come in white and brown varieties.

Specialty mushrooms, including Shiitake, Oyster, Maitake and others

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Fungi are increasingly finding their ways onto consumer plates. The 2017-2018 growing season saw a 2 percent increase in sales volume from the previous year. Additionally, growers produced 128 million pounds of certified organic mushrooms during the most recent growing season, a 16 percent increase from last year.

“From Philadelphia to Phoenix, chances are if you eat mushrooms on your pizza, in your salads or as part of your burgers, they come from Pennsylvania mushroom farms,” Harrison said. In fact, the commonwealth’s 47 mushroom farmers, primarily in Chester County, Pennsylvania, produced 410 million pounds of mushrooms in 2017-2018.

Mushrooms and the way in which they are grown are unique in many ways.

They don’t need sunlight and actually grow better in the dark. Every single mushroom is harvested by hand and they double in size every 24 hours. Mushroom farmers play mother nature, manipulating the temperature, humidity and water mushrooms to yield the highest results.

A key driver (and indicator) of mushroom demand is the growing positive sentiment around their nutrition, sustainability and flavor benefits. TIME

Magazine recently touted “mushrooms get their moment,” calling the humble fungus “nutritionally impressive.”

Consumer interest in the functional properties of mushrooms is at an alltime high, as scores of new mushroombased products, from teas to jerkies, have been introduced this year.

The appeal of “The Blend” and blended burgers also shows no signs of slowing down. The Blend is a cooking technique that combines chopped mushrooms with ground meat to make meals more delicious, nutritious and sustainable. The Blend can be used in variety of recipe favorites: burgers, tacos, meatloaf, lasagna, pasta sauce, meatballs and more! The idea is simple: chop your favorite mushroom variety to match the consistency of ground meat. Next, blend the chopped mushrooms with ground

meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey – even tofu!). Finally, cook your mushroom-meat blend to complete the recipe. There are no extra pans and no complicated techniques -- just great tasting food with a healthy twist. In fact, the trend to blend is so popular that Sonic Drive-In added a blended burger to their menu twice in 2018 and Blue Apron featured a blended burger in its meal kits that was met with raves from consumers.

From blended burgers to bowls, soups to stir-frys and toasts to tarts, mushrooms are showing up in a wide variety of recipes. Not sure where to start?

Visit

www.mushroomcouncil.

com/recipes/ for a list of delicious recipes,

visit

@mushroomcouncil

on Instagram or create your own

SUGGESTED READING “The Mushroom Hunters: On the Trail of an Underground America” by Langdon Cook 320 pages. Published by Ballentine Books, 2013. $17.08 hardcover | $13.99 Kindle on smile.amazon.com (set your account to support Grange Foundation) A twisted true tale of hunting for morels and finding a delicious underground lifestyle of morel foragers who test their mettle in the woods in quest to find and sell the fabulous fungi.

mushroom fave!

RECIPES

Master Recipe A favorite recipe shared by Betsy E. Huber

Creamy Mushroom Soup 3 lbs. mushrooms, sliced

1 can chicken broth

3 Tbsp. butter

Water

1 onion, diced

1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

1 celery stalk, diced

Salt, pepper

3 Tbsp flour

½ c cream or half and half

In a large pot, sauté the mushrooms in butter and then add the onions and celery. Cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle with flour

and then stir in broth and some water (to desired consistency).

Season to taste and add Kitchen Bouquet and cream.

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Blended

½ lb mushrooms, finely chopped 1 lb ground beef 1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 small onion, finely diced 1 clove minced garlic ½ c breadcrumbs 1 egg

mushroom meatballs

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking tray with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the mushrooms in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped. In a skillet over medium heat cook chopped mushrooms until brown and most moisture has been released, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside to let cool. In a large bowl combine cooled mushrooms, beef, seasoning, onion, garlic breadcrumbs and egg; mix all ingredients until incorporated. Shape mixture into 1½ inch meatballs. Place 1 inch apart on pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until meatballs reach 160° F, are cooked through and center is no longer pink.

Marinated mushroom

Bowls with wild rice & lentils

Mushrooms

Bowls

¼ c extra virgin olive oil

2 c thinly sliced purple cabbage

2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Pinch of salt

2 tsp dark sesame oil

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp chili oil

2 c cooked French lentils

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 c cooked wild rice

1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 c chopped cucumber

1 tsp sesame seeds

Garnishes: chopped cilantro,

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

sliced green onions, black sesame seeds, lime wedges

THESE RECIPES COURTESY OF THE MUSHROOM COUNCIL

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To marinate the mushrooms, whisk together the olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili oil in a shallow bowl. Stir in the green onion, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Add the mushrooms and gently toss in the marinade.

Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Place the cabbage in a bowl and toss with the lime juice and pinch of salt. Set aside.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of soy sauce each to the lentils and the wild rice. To serve, arrange an equal amount of mushrooms, cabbage, lentils, wild rice, and cucumbers in each bowl.

Drizzle with any remaining marinade and garnish with cilantro, green onions, and black sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy room temperature or cold.

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Beef

stroganoff

8 oz. medium noodles ¼ c chopped onion

2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 ½ lb round steak,

tenderized, cut into bitesized pieces

1 c mushrooms

¾ c sour cream Cook the boodles using package directions; drain.

Cover to keep warm. Saute the onion in the oil in a skillet.

Stir in the beef. Saute for 5 minutes or until beef is brown on both sides. Stir in the mushrooms and sour cream.

Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve with noodles.

Jeanne Davies, CO, Former National Grange Overseer From pg. 118 of “What’s Cookin’ in the Grange” (2000)

THE LAST

Word

By Charlene Shupp Espenshade

Former National Grange Youth Development Director (2008-18) In March of 2008, I received a phone call that changed my life. It was then National Master Ed Luttrell asking me if I would be willing to serve as the National Grange Youth Development Director.

That simple ‘yes’ has provided me a front row seat to watch the remarkable things young people can do when given the opportunity.

I have seen Grange Youth participate in the John Trimble Legislative Experience that later would be elected Master of their State Grange. Others would take the leap of faith to serve on the National Youth Officer Team, quietly taking in the experience, yet over the course of a few years would evolve into confident young leaders, competing for a chance to serve as a State Youth Ambassador.

At regional conferences, I would be amazed at the personal growth in just a year or two. Someone reluctant to present an impromptu speech, a few years later, would be representing their region at the Evening of Excellence.

There are so many memories, some significant, some subtle, that I’ve cherished as I watched Grange Youth take the next steps on their Grange journey and in life.

The magic of the program has been its ability to provide a wide range of experiences that could be impactful to each member.

Another group that needs to be recognized is the army of State Youth Directors who have served over the

course of this journey.

The success of the national program is based on the success of state and local programs. Directors and their committees sacrifice so much of their own time to serve the Grange, many are the unsung heroes that never receive the recognition they truly deserve.

As I said in my address to the delegates at the National Session in Stowe, Vermont, I believe in the power of a sash, of this program, and the opportunities it can provide a young Granger. You can’t place a value on the network of friendships that being part of a team can generate.

My favorite quote that I have often used through the years is from Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “We cannot prepare the future for our youth, but we can prepare our youth for the future.”

I believe this program has been, and will continue to be, a foundation for future Grange success.

As my time winds down, I need to say one final thank you to a long list of folks who have supported me along the way. To all of my National Grange Youth Teams, the roles have evolved, but each of you left your mark on the program.

To my “unofficial” youth committee, thanks for all of the phone calls, support and donated hours you have given to the advancement of the department.

I’ve always appreciated your willingness to step in and help or just to provide an

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ear to listen to an idea.

To my co-workers at Lancaster Farming newspaper, my many extra trips made things challenging. Thank you for your help with meeting deadlines and willingness to let me donate my time to a program in which I believe.

Finally to my family, they are the ones that made this all possible. The countless sacrifices they made to support my work are too numerous to count in this short article. Like many other Grange leaders, I can honestly say without their love and support, this would not have been possible.

For the past couple of months, as I knew my time was coming to an end, a saying that I have kept close in my devotions is that as one door closes, another one opens.

My Grange journey is not ending, just evolving, and a part of that evolution is a career change. This month, after 15 years at Lancaster Farming, I am starting a new chapter in my life. I will be leading the Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation. This foundation within the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is in charge of several agricultural education projects including Ag in the Classroom, a mobile ag lab that provides STEM-focused agricultural lessons, National Agriculture Week programs and other agricultural literacy missions.

I am excited to see what this new adventure will bring and what my next Grange chapter will include. So, until we meet again, thanks for the memories!

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Grange Classifieds

Congrats

Fundraisers

Two fundraiser items are available through

Announcements

the National Lecturer’s fund in the Grange Foundation. The sale of a pin and challenge coin help to cover costs of prizes, travel and workshops as well as other department programming.

The 2018 Tender Heart Quilt Block has been made into a beautiful pin. Available for $7.50.

A few challenge coins, made in the United States, are available for only $20. Get yours by contacting Christine Hamp at (509) 953-3533 or email lecturer@nationalgrange.org Only a few 2019 “That’s the Grange Way” wall calendars remain for $20 each ($5 shipping) to benefit the Grange Communication Fellows Program through the Grange Foundation. Contact Amanda Brozana Rios at (301) 943-1090 or visit https://form. jotform.com/81106968484163 today to order yours.

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YOUR AD HERE. Contact Amanda Brozana Rios at communications@nationalgrange. org or (301) 943-1090 (voice or text) to learn how you can put a classified ad in Good Day!™ starting at $1 per word!

Congratulations to Stella Richards, Beason, West Virgina, on her 61 years of continuous membership.

Richards was a charter member of Rainbow Grange #527. Congrats also to Jack Langsford, of Cullman, who became a 60year member in November.

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The National Grange has leads on potential new Granges to be chartered in the following areas: • Frierson, Louisiana • St. Petersburg, Florida • Winnemucca, Nevada • Travelers Rest, South Carolina • Pearl Harbor, Hawaii • Hilo, Hawaii If you know anyone there or in the surrounding communities who may be interested in joining the Grange, please contact National Grange Membership Director Joe Stefenoni at membership@ nationalgrange.org or call or text (707) 328-0631.