The Maine State Grange offers a scholarship opportunity to high school students in grade 12 who are pursuing a career in agriculture or a related field. Students must be Maine residents, and applications must be completed in full by April 23, 2024.
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Ag Scholarship Available
Posted by Walter Boomsma on March 26, 2024
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2024/03/26/ag-scholarship-available/
Dictionary Update!
Now that we’ve completed 2023 Dictionary Days we can announce that we are close to having distributed 4,000 dictionaries in our service area! We’ll break that number next year! Thanks for your support!
Posted by Walter Boomsma on December 1, 2023
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/12/01/dictionary-update/
You’re Welcome!
We recently received thank-you notes from our third-graders in Brownville. Most include hand-drawn pictures–unfortunately, with the colored construction paper, they don’t scan well, but here are a few summarized.
“Thank you for everything. I had a lot of fun. You make me laf!”
“Thank you for the Dictionary. My favorite part was the word game.”
“Thank you for everything. You are so nuns. We love you!” [I think “nuns” was supposed to be “fun.”]
“Mr. Boomsma Thank you. I love love when we try to find the word even though I didn’t win I still tried.”
“My favorite part was the sticks.” [We talk about the staves or staffs–farmers’ tools.]
“Thank you for everything you [?] for keeping our cugrey [community?] safe.“
“Thank you for the dictionary. Now I know lots about the periodic table of the elements. You are the best.” [No, I did not make this one up. It’s in the dictionary!]
“Dear Mr. Boomsma, You are a kind man. Thank you for letting us play the dictionary game of finding the words in the dictionary. Good job. You’re working hard.”
“Thank you for the dictionary and showing us the farmers’ tools.”
“Ok the longest word is hard. I can’t read the word.” [According to the dictionary, the longest word has 1909 letters in it!]
“Thank you for showing us the dictionary and farmer tools. The dictionary was amazing! The tools were great! I hope you come back to our school!”
I think one class had a little help with this one:
If you come to our Musical Celebration of Rural Life on Friday, November 17, 2023, you’ll get a chance to read some of these for yourself!
Posted by Walter Boomsma on November 12, 2023
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/11/12/youre-welcome/
Brownville Gets Words and More!
Third graders at Brownville Elementary School received lots of words recently in the form of brand-new dictionaries from Valley Grange. The students learned a little bit about Valley Grange, farming, and agriculture, not to mention how to use a dictionary. Since there is a lot more than words in their books, we even said “Hello” to each other using sign language.
The Dictionary Project is designed to aid third-grade teachers with their goal of seeing all their students leave at the end of the year as good writers, active readers, and creative thinkers. The dictionary is for the student to keep, take it into the fourth grade, and use it throughout his or her entire school career. “The kids become really engaged,” Valley Grange Program Director “Mr. Boomsma” notes. “I think they like the idea that people in the community care about them and, as we explain, they own the dictionary and all the words in it.”
The Valley Grange program extends across four districts and five schools. This is our 24th year and we’ve given out close to 4,000 dictionaries since starting the program. Additional Dictionary Days are being scheduled at SeDoMoCha Elementary in Dover Foxcroft, PCES in Guilford, Harmony Elementary, and Ridgeview Elementary in Dexter.
Posted by Walter Boomsma on October 25, 2023
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/10/25/brownville-gets-words-and-more/
Valley Grange Wants Five Minutes
During their recent celebration of community, Valley Grange named Roger Ricker Community Citizen of the Year. Roger passed away last December but left behind a legacy of constant and lifelong support for his community.
After honoring Roger, Valley Grange Program Director Walter Boomsma challenged attendees to consider the impact of spending just five minutes a day in support of their communities. A five-minute video provided examples of the Guilford Grange’s programs and supporters. Boomsma noted, “If you buy a raffle ticket from us, you’re also buying a dictionary for a third grader.”
“We are restarting some of our programs suspended due to COVID. You don’t have to be a member to help and support us. When we asked people to ‘Sock it to us’ with donations to help provide socks to kids throughout the county, we received support from as far away as Pennsylvania and West Virginia.”
He also pointed out that five minutes a day isn’t much. “But it adds up. If there are 2,000 people in your community and just half (we’ll excuse young kids and people over 80) of them give five minutes per day, that equates to having nearly thirteen people working full time, making your community stronger. Based on the average salary in Maine, that’s worth over $700,000 to your community. Just five minutes every day. Of course, the ultimate value is not in dollars and cents. It’s in the difference you will make in individual’s lives.”
Just Five Minutes.
Posted by Walter Boomsma on May 25, 2023
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/05/25/valley-grange-wants-five-minutes/
Valley Grange Completes Dictionary Days!
We provided a personal dictionary to every third grader in the area… represented by four school districts and five schools. Enjoy this short video showing a few highlights of this year’s program.
Posted by Walter Boomsma on December 13, 2022
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/12/13/valley-grange-completes-dictionary-days/
Dictionaries and Words Are Coming!
We’re scheduling Dictionary Days… so far we have
- P.C.E.S. on Thursday, November 17, 2022
- SeDoMoCha on Wednesday, November 30, 2022
- Ridgeview Elementary on Monday, November 21, 2022 (drop off only)
- Brownville Elementary on Friday, November 18, 2022
- Harmony Elementary on Friday, December 2, 2022
As a reminder, these days are not public events. If you are interested in attending, please contact Walter Boomsma by email or at 207 343-1842.
Kids who receive dictionaries and their families are invited to our Breakfast for Supper on Friday, December 2, 2022. You can come in your jammies!
Posted by Walter Boomsma on November 9, 2022
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/11/09/dictionaries-and-words-are-coming/
Dictionaries Coming to Schools Soon!
Posted by Walter Boomsma on October 19, 2022
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/10/19/dictionaries-coming-to-schools-soon/
Dictionary Day Planning Underway
Yes, it’s that time of year! Valley Grange will again be conducting our “Words for Thirds” Dictionary Project. At this point, we are gathering approximate census/counts of third graders so we can order the dictionaries. The purchase of those dictionaries was approved at our September meeting.
We’ll probably be planning the actual dictionary day distributions in early to mid-November. We hope we can offer the same options as we did before COVID:
- A field trip to the Grange Hall
- A personal visit to the school/classrooms
- A “drop off” with a support video for teacher use.
Obviously, that choice will be made by each district. We distribute to Piscataquis Community Elementary School (Guilford), Brownville Elementary School (Brownville), Ridgeview Community School (Dexter), SeDoMoCha Elementary School (Dover Foxcroft), and Harmony Elementary School (Harmony). Home-schooled students are of course included. Parents should contact their school or the Grange.
We’re proud of our program and know the kids look forward to it! We’ve been distributing dictionaries since 2004 and are approaching the 3,000 mark! Some of our students report using their dictionaries in high school. These dictionaries empower the kids and encourage them to “look it up!”
Stay tuned! There’s more to come!
Posted by Walter Boomsma on September 27, 2022
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/09/27/dictionary-day-planning-underway/
Hot ‘Nuff for Ya?
It’s cool to cool off–at least some! We’re particularly interested in the forecast for Saturday, July 30, 2022, because that’s the day of Riverfest!
The current NOAA forecast is “sunny and in the low 80’s.” I’m not sure we can ask for anything much better than that! Valley Grangers will be there, talking about Grange Membership, handing out pins, and selling raffle tickets! See the complete schedule of events on the Riverfest Facebook Page. The parade starts at 9:30 am and vendor tents open at 11:00 am. Stop by and say “Hi!”
Alumni of the Valley Grange Bookworm Program and Dictionary Recipients are especially welcome!
If, for some reason, you can’t make it and would like to buy a raffle ticket, contact any Valley Grange member. It’s your chance to win up to $100 and support the many Valley Grange Programs, including:
- Words for Thirds–Third graders in four area school districts receive a dictionary that is theirs to keep! Nearly 4,000 have been distributed to date.
- Bookworming–Volunteers visit school and listen to second and third graders at PCES read.
- GrowME–An annual program of hands-on activities in local schools, promoting agricultural literacy.
- Veterans Honor Program–In conjunction with the Community Health and Counseling Hospice program, we collect lap quilts and afghans as part of a celebration for individual vets.
- Blistered Finger Knitters–Knitters create lap robes for seniors and hats and mittens for local school children.
- Sock It to Us!–We collect socks and distribute them to six local elementary schools.
- Project Linus–We host an annual “blanketeers” day to make blankets for kids and members participate in Project Linus Day.
- Hall Use for non-profits–Past use has included 4-H, Guilford Historical Society, D.A.R, Spirit of America Foundation…
- Newspapers in Education–Contest encouraging fourth graders to explore commercial art and advertising.
- Garry Owen House–We support this transitional shelter where homeless veterans can find hope for the future.
- Bikes for Books–We support this Mason’s Program that encourages literacy both financially and through our Bookworm Program.
- Community Citizen Award–An annual celebration of community and recognition of “boots on the ground” service to our communities.
- Kiddy Ditty Bags–We provide the local courts with these activity bags designed to entertain children who must sit in courtrooms.
- Teddy Bear Parade–We provide teddy bears to local law enforcement agencies as requested.
- Special Programs–“If you have the passion, Valley Grange is the place.” We are always willing to consider addressing community needs and opportunities… and we have annual programs including an annual fellowship breakfast, balloons and baked stuff at Piscataquis River Festival, an annual picnic fun and fundraiser…
Some programs have been temporarily suspended due to COVID mandates and restrictions—we can’t wait to get them going again!
Posted by Walter Boomsma on July 24, 2022
https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/07/24/hot-nuff-for-ya/
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