All posts in category Meetings and Events

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.

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by Walter Boomsma on May 25, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Civic and Service, Community Service, Education, Meetings and Events
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on May 25, 2023

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/05/25/valley-grange-wants-five-minutes/

Save the Date!

You’re invited to a wonderful celebration planned for our community. This is a special event that will bring us all together to celebrate our achievements, share our stories, and strengthen the bonds that unite us. It’s a great chance for us to come together and show our support for one another. We’ll start with a potluck supper (bring a casserole or dessert to share). Our program will include recognition of our community citizen of the year and include mention of folks who have supported and contributed to our great way of life. We look forward to seeing you all there!

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by Walter Boomsma on May 1, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Area Community Information, Civic and Service, Family Activities, Meetings and Events
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on May 1, 2023

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/05/01/save-the-date/

Let’s Clean!

We are looking for helping hands…

Friday, May 12, 2023

starting at 2:00 pm

for a wide variety of tasks and projects… all designed to prepare our hall for our big community celebration coming soon! Inside tasks will include sweeping, dusting, wiping, rearranging, and setting up chairs… outside tasks will include raking and pruning… maybe some painting if the weather’s right!

Bring your favorite tools and labor-saving devices. Come any time after 2:00 pm… or before if you can see what needs doing and don’t mind working alone! Better yet, bring a friend! Many hands make work light.

For more information call Walter at 207 343-1842 or Mary at 207 564-0820.

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by Walter Boomsma on April 24, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Area Community Information, Civic and Service, Family Activities, Meetings and Events
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on April 24, 2023

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/04/24/lets-clean/

February Meeting Postponed

Due to the winter weather advisory and school cancelations, tonight’s meeting is postponed until next week. We’ll meet on Friday, February 24, 2023, for a potluck supper at 6 pm and meet at 7 pm. Please try to attend! We have lots to discuss and attend to!

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by Walter Boomsma on February 17, 2023  •  Permalink
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on February 17, 2023

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2023/02/17/february-meeting-postponed/

Breakfast for Supper?

Traditions can be great, and that certainly applies to our annual “Breakfast for Supper” program every year. We also have some great treats as members and friends put together a smorgasbord of breakfast dishes that may include an Apple French Toast Casserole… crispy bacon… lots of homemade muffins… an egg casserole or two…there’s always plenty to eat but bring a contribution if you can. And you can even come in your Jammies–we’ll have the hall plenty warm, and the season’s warmth will help.

Guests are welcome but not obligated to stay for our short meeting and Christmas Program starting at 7 pm. We’re usually finished and on our way home by 8:15 pm.

Do plan to join us for a relaxing and fun time! Questions regarding food arrangements can be addressed to Mary (564-0820) or Janice (876-4131). Weather permitting, you can come by car, sleigh, snowmobile, or, if you live close enough, skis and snowshoes! 

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by Walter Boomsma on November 10, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Family Activities, Just for Fun, Meetings and Events
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on November 10, 2022

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/11/10/breakfast-for-supper-2/

October Meeting…

Due to an abundance of bad karma (actually make that illness), the meeting for Friday, October 21, 2022 is… at least postponed if not canceled. We’ll have to let you know!

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by Walter Boomsma on October 19, 2022  •  Permalink
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on October 19, 2022

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/10/19/october-meeting/

Valley Grange Collects!

At our September Meeting, we created some piles–PB&J for the Bangor Savings Bank Drive, Lap Afghans for the Veterans’ Operation Gratitude Program, and raffle tickets! We also added 350 knitted hats from Blistered Finger Knitter Roberta in New Jersey. Do knitting needles ever wear out?

An order of dictionaries for our annual “Words for Thirds Dictionary Day Project will be placed soon. Since starting the program in 2004, we’ve provided nearly 3,000 dictionaries to students throughout the area. If COVID cooperates, we hope to do more “in-person” presentations this year.

Raffle tickets are on sale and available from any member, or call Janice Boomsma at 343-1496. We’ll be drawing the winners at our November meeting and look forward to handing out $250 in prizes! Community support is needed and appreciated!

Our schedule for the rest of the year:

  • Friday, October 21, 2022, we’ll have a potluck supper at 6 pm and meeting at 7 pm. This is usually the meeting at which we prepare for dictionary days by labeling the books, assembling the hats and mittens from our Blistered Finger Knitters for distribution, and resisting our second annual “Sock it to Us” efforts. The program was so successful last year we may be “good to go” this year! Jim and Mary are Grange Bees* for this meeting.
  • Friday, November 18, 2022, will include the usual potluck supper at 6 pm and program at 7 pm and include drawing our raffle winners. Walter and Janice are Grange Bees for this meeting.
  • Friday, December 2, 2022, is our Fellowship Breakfast for Supper–you can come in your jammies! This is always a fun night… we start at 6 pm by enjoying some breakfast specialties such as homemade muffins, breakfast casseroles, “Walter’s French Toast,” and assorted treats and surprises. It’s all about food, fellowship, and family… you won’t want to miss it!

Get those dates on your calendar and plan to join us for any one or all of these gatherings! Anyone can join us–you do not have to be a member. We do plan to keep our hall open through the winter and appreciate all who help and support us in some way.

Unfortunately, another Grange in our area is closing–St. Albans now joins Garland Grange as “closed.” Valley Grange would certainly welcome members from these two Granges with open arms. If you were a member of St. Albans or Garland Grange and would like to join us, contact secretary Mary Annis (564-0820) and she’ll make it happen!

*Grange Bees are the unofficial hosts for a meeting who make sure the heat’s on, the hall is ready, and we have everything we need. If you’d like a turn, we’ll not only show you how, we have a checklist!

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by Walter Boomsma on September 24, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Area Community Information, Community Service, Meetings and Events, Words for Thirds
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on September 24, 2022

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/09/24/valley-grange-collects/

September Meeting Change

“Due to circumstances beyond our control” (don’t you just love that) the September Valley Grange Meeting is postponed by one week. We will meet on Friday, September 23, 2022 at 6 pm for potluck supper and our meeting at 7 pm. That means you have a whole extra week to accumulate jars of PB & J!

“Snail mail” letters with our fall schedule and raffle tickets are on the way to members and friends. Those letters show the September meeting is THIS Friday which is not correct. We rarely discourage people from coming to Valley Grange but if you come THIS Friday, there probably won’t be anyone there!

Come on NEXT Friday (September 23) with your peanut butter, jelly, and any raffle tickets you’ve sold! Hope to see you then! By the way, details from the letter will be posted here soon!

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by Walter Boomsma on September 13, 2022  •  Permalink
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on September 13, 2022

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/09/13/september-meeting-change/

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!

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by Walter Boomsma on July 24, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Area Community Information, Civic and Service, Community Service, Education, Family Activities, Meetings and Events
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on July 24, 2022

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/07/24/hot-nuff-for-ya/

Benefit Supper for Roger Ricker

Judy and Roger Ricke are valued members of Valley Grange. Roger is also a long-time member of the Wellington Fire Department but has recently been suffering some serious health issues. The Wellington Fire Department has scheduled a benefit meal on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at 1 pm. Please support this effort and Roger and Judy!

If you cannot attend but would like to donate, please send a check payable to Valley Grange to Mary Annis, 28 Orchard Road, Dover Foxcroft ME 04426 with “Roger Benefit” written on the memo line. We will forward all donations!

And help spread the word!

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by Walter Boomsma on July 12, 2022  •  Permalink
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Posted by Walter Boomsma on July 12, 2022

https://valleygrange.wordpress.com/2022/07/12/benefit-supper-for-roger-ricker/

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