All posts for the month June, 2014

Happy Birthday, Betty!

Betty VanDyke continues to be a big supporter of Valley Grange in as many ways as possible. Betty recently celebrated her 9oth Birthday with a party attended by many friends and Grangers. Those couldn’t attend sent cards and messages. This is Betty’s appreciation and some thoughts about her Grange career.

A Happy Betty is flanked by her daughters Lois (left) and Ginny at her 90th birthday celebration.

I don’t think anyone will ever know how I feel about the Grange and how badly I felt the day I wrote for a demit that I knew I would never use.  Those 28 years were the best years of my life and I miss those days a lot.  The work I did being Lecturer of Valley Grange for oh so many years were growing years for me and grow I did using my brain to prepare the programs that I hoped would be satisfactory for the night.  Being on the CWA committee where my husband had to bring me to Augusta and “cart women  around” was a highlight of my belonging.  Then being asked to be Community Service Director of the Maine State Grange, how proud I was for that, receiving  a Plaque of Achievement for work well done was over the top. I tell you all this not to brag but to let you how much the Grange meant to me.

I was “from away,” you see, and people told me then that I would never be accepted.   But I tell you here and now I have been accepted and you can be too.  The friends I have made through this journey are precious to me because they don’t forget. I have seen this recently on the occasion of my 90th birthday with the cards and Facebook messages from Grangers near and far.

I do hope with all my heart that Valley Grange grows with the community as I try to help out in whatever manner I can.  If you are from away, please don’t try to change these good people, they have a lot to offer to you and you will be happier if you listen  to them. Join what ever Grange is closest to you.  Join to help them, your community and yourself.  And as the Girl Scouts sing, “Make new friends, keep the old, one is silver the other is gold.”  As a member of the Grange you can accomplish a lot.

Best of luck to all Granges everywhere.

I remain your friend,

Betty VanDyke

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by Walter Boomsma on June 22, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Just for Fun
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on June 22, 2014

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/happy-birthday-betty/

Bookworms Also Write!

Artist's rendition of bookworm buddies!

Artist’s rendition of bookworm buddies!

Here are a few thank you notes we recently received from our Bookworm Buddies at Piscataquis Community Elementary School:

Dear Bookworm Friends,

Thank you for letting me read to you this year. I enjoyed talkng and reading to you it was really fun very fun. You were very nice and very kind to me. I hope you have a nice and joyful summer.

Thank you for listening to me read this year. I will see you next year. Are you going to be here next year? Have a great summer!

I want to thank you for listening to me read this year. It was really fun and I want to do it again. I am going to read more this summer. Have a great summer.

Thank you for listening to me read this year. I hope you enjoyed listening to me read to you. I hope you have a nice summer. I won’t see you next year but I hope you have fun reading with the other kids.

Thank you for letting me read to you. I enjoyed when it was my turn to read to you. I live it when you take your time to come and listen to me. I look forward to seeing you next year.

Thank you for letting me read to you. I hope your summer is fun. I hope you do lots of things over the summer. Drive safe. I will be reading a lot this summer.

Thank you for listening to me read this year. It was fun! But I won’t see you next year because I’m moving. I wish I don’t have to move. Have a good summer!

Thank you for listening to me read this year and letting me talk to you. I plan to read this summer.

Dear Bookworms and friends,

Thank you! We will miss listening to you read this summer while we are all on vacation! We had fun with you and learned a lot, too. Have a great summer but don’t forget to visit the library and do your summer reading!

Sincerely,

The Valley Grange Bookworms

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by Walter Boomsma on June 14, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Bookworms, Community Service
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on June 14, 2014

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/bookworms-also-write/

Health Beat — June 2014

HeartDr. Lesley Fernow writes a column called “Senior Matters” for the Piscataquis Observer in Dover Foxcroft. Valley Grange is privileged to have permission to use her past columns for our  “Health Beat” Feature and for the information to be reposted to the Maine State Grange website. Address your questions or comments  to lmf@fernowmedicalhousecalls.com, 207-992-6822. Please note that information is general in nature and specific questions should be addressed to your health care professional.

Lifelong learning is the process of keeping your mind and body engaged—at any age—by actively pursuing knowledge and experience. Lifelong learning–whether it’s learning how to paint, speak a foreign language, use a computer, improve your golf swing, or repair your car—has wonderful benefits for adults 50-plus:

  • Keeps your mind sharp
  • Improves memory
  • Increases self-confidence
  • Offers an inexpensive way to try something new
  • Saves money as you learn to “do it yourself”
  • Gives you a feeling of accomplishment
  • Helps you meet people who share your interests
  • Builds on skills you already have
  • Offers an opportunity to learn a new skill or trade and increase your income
  • Gives you a new interest that you can share with family and friends

The Piscataquis Valley Adult Educational Cooperative (PVAEC) is a regional collaborative offering courses in various programs from literacy training to personal enrichment to college degree programs.  For more information go to: http://pvaec.maineadulted.org/about/ or visit Penquis Higher Education Center (PHEC) at 50 Mayo Street, Dover-Foxcroft, Phone: 564-2942.

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by Walter Boomsma on June 4, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Family Health
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on June 4, 2014

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/2402/

Valley Grange Wins Big!

We are still admiring the new dining hall look… and the new curtain tiebacks… not to mention that the lights are all on upstairs… We have been so fortunate to get a lot of help with “fixin’ up” our hall! But it didn’t all come entirely free… we’ve spent some significant dollars on materials and supplies. And we’ve had to buy oil—it’s typically only every eighteen months, but it’s a significant expense for us. So it’s time to “pump up” the treasury a bit!

Who knows how much you could win?

Who knows how much you could win?

You Could Win Big!

With thanks to Linda Erwin for the idea, we’re embarking an exciting fundraiser… the 101 Raffle! There will only be one winner, and we really aren’t sure how much he or she will win ultimately—it could be BIG! The winner gets 101 Scratch Lottery Tickets!! So a one dollar ticket could win you 101 chances to win big! The drawing will be held during our Italian Buffet public supper in August. (Download Italian Buffet Supper Flyer with more information–you won’t want to miss this annual treat!) The winner need not be present to win, but must be at least 18 years old since lottery tickets are involved. Linda and Janice will be pushing tickets big time… decide how many you will take to sell and how many you will buy for yourself! Tickets are packed in books of five… and are just about ready for distribution.  Call Linda (876-4241) or Janice (876-4131) to get yours… or plan to pick them up at our meeting on June 20!

101 Raffle

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by Walter Boomsma on June 4, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in Meetings and Events
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on June 4, 2014

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/valley-grange-wins-big/