Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) May 28, 2023

Faster than we expected!

I’m extremely pleased to be able to report that the entire exterior of the Grange Hall has been scraped and painted!  Check out the pictures above, which show the final results.  In addition to all the siding, the interior of the entrance porches, the original entrance porch floor and the concrete foundation walls are also freshly painted!  And if you look carefully at the photos of the 2 entrances, you can see that the parking lot has been re-graded as well.
How did we get this done?  Alert readers will remember that thanks to Patty Giavara, Chair of the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, we were able to qualify for a grant that is paying for half the cost of this major project.  Patty was able to document the historic nature of our building–it’s 70 years old, and has been in continuous use as a Community Grange Hall for the entire time.  By proving that we are qualified to seek designation as an historic building, she was able to apply for a grant for exterior painting.   The FCCGH received confirmation that they were getting the grant at the end of April, and we alerted our chosen contractor, Hodgkins Painting of Plainfield.   And we were quite surprised when he told us that due to cancellation of another job, his crew was able to start on May 11th!
Travis Hodgkins and a crew of 4 or 5 went right at the scraping process.  They are trained to do safe removal of lead paint (which our Hall certainly has), and used approved hand-scraping techniques combined with chip-catching tarps, plus painstaking collection of chips that missed the tarps, to do a very clean job.  By the end of the day on Friday, 5/12, they completed the prep-work, and they were able to start painting on the Monday morning following.   The entire job was completed by Friday, May 19th–porches, trim, siding and lettering too!
The thorough scraping needed is shown in the “Before Scraping” and “During and after scraping” photos below.
By the way, we’ve been asked a few times if future building renovations are prohibited by being a “historic” building.  Working with the VT Preservation Trust, we have confirmed that we are not restricted.   We have not applied for official “historic” designation, and don’t intend to–but we were able to get the painting grant without taking those steps.

Before Scraping:

During and After Scraping:

Driveway Grading:

We were also glad to get an earlier start on the driveway & parking lot grading!   Our May 6 meeting approved the quote we had gotten, and on May 17th Matt Dwire brought his equipment over.  He re-graded the driveway, brought in a couple of loads of gravel, and presto–no more roller-coaster ride coming up the driveway!  We also got more gravel thickness over the septic tank access (near the original entrance), and smoother transitions to the concrete pads in front of both entrances.

What’s next?   A Hall clean-up work party on June 3rd!
And then a sing-along and potluck dinner, too!

With all this beautiful exterior work, we want to make the inside of the Hall (plus the flower-beds!) look equally good.   We haven’t had a “Hall Clean-up” work party since before the pandemic…and we’ve found–in a twist on the saying–that Dust never sleeps!   We have accumulations of dust visible on the light fixtures and the ceiling fan in the Main Hall–and only somewhat less visible on the walls.
With our work-party scheduled for 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM, you’ll be able to appreciate the new look of the grading and painting work by daylight, and then help to make the inside look bright and clean as well.   We’ll have room for people to work on various areas, and we’ll have a lot of cleaning supplies–but we encourage you to bring your own.   We know different people like different vacuum cleaners, for example–and we’ll have work for them all.
As we discussed at the May 6th Grange meeting, we need some help from the Grange community to keep this Hall running.   We have been able to count on generous financial contributions to the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, which have allowed us to make great progress on major projects like the new wheelchair lift and the full repainting of the Hall described above.  Both of those projects were 50% paid for by the FCCGH, with the rest covered by grant funding.  But we can’t get grants for normal maintenance and cleaning!
We’ve always found that everyone who comes for a work party has a good time–it’s fun to work with other people for everyone’s benefit–and we find that people that want to pitch in are nice folks!   Many of us involved in the Grange started out by pitching in on events like this–and we hope you’ll join us!   We’ll be sharing some tunes to work by, and if people want to bring some snacks, I’m sure they’ll be enjoyed as well.  It’s a great chance to meet other Grange members and Hall users!
We’ve already gotten a head-start on the cleanup, thanks to a couple of folks.   Patty Covey, a member of the Montpelier Church of Christ has started cleaning the windows in the Main Hall!  And Erin Barry, organizer of Kids Trade & Play, has cleaned the refrigerator!  Amy Handy has planted flower seeds in the planters outside the steps of the ADA entrance porch, and will be happy to have others join her to work on the other flower beds on the 3rd.   And Lewis Neill has donated 4 small lilac bushes, which have been transplanted into a sunny corner of the parking lot as “Lewis’s Lilac Grove“.  We’ll be moving some stones to protect the grove on June 3rd too!
Besides the interior cleaning, Amy Handy would be happy to have some help with weeding and other work on the flower beds.   And there are some small dead trees to cut down–bring a bow-saw or a chainsaw if you have one.   We’ll have work for everyone!   Questions?   Get in touch with me by email:  swartztim15@gmail.com.  If you want to consult with Amy about flower beds, you can reach her at: 1geranium1@gmail.com.  We have commitments from a few renters that they will be coming to help,  hope we’ll see you next Saturday!

Celebrate the cleanup, the paint, the grading, the gardening–and spring in general!

Whether or not you can join us for the clean-up, we hope to get you to sing along with us!  We’ll have some printed song-sheets, and Grange Musician Matt Nunnelly will be on hand to play piano accompaniment and provide his song-leading talents.  Bring your own favorites to teach to us!  Bring a guitar or a banjo or other musical instrument!  As one of my son’s Cub Scout leaders used to say, you don’t have to sing well, we just want you to sing!
[By the way, if you think you detect a common theme in the plans for June 3rd, you’re right!   We are trying to tempt you to come to the Grange and have a good time–whether you enjoy working on a project, meeting nice people, singing silly songs or eating tasty food, we’ll be happy to have you join us.]
And yes, the singing (in the Main Hall, where the piano is located) will be followed by a Grange Community Potluck!  As a Grange Notes reader, you’ve seen my descriptions of them often, I’m sure–bring whatever you like, dine on our selection of vintage dishes, enjoy great company!  We’ll have it in our refurbished Lower Level, which is served by the still-new Wheelchair lift so everyone can come.  We hope you will be among them!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) May 3, 2023

May Grange meeting:  this Saturday, 4:30 to 6:00
What’s next for our Grange?

• Completed:  the Lift project, including not only the functioning platform/wheelchair lift, and the fire-safety improvements which were required by the Fire Marshal.
• Property tax exemption from the Town of Berlin:  supported by the voters for the next 5 years.
• Hall rentals:  growing, which in turn has helped us to start recovering from the COVID pandemic’s financial losses.
• Exterior painting:  the FCCGH located, applied for, and has been approved for a grant to help pay for professional scraping and painting of the exterior of the Grange Hall.  Schedule TBD

Are there any webmasters out there?

One specific need we have is for help with managing our website.  I have been having problems with several issues, which I’m certainly not trained to handle, on our WordPress website.   I will be happy share the specifics of the problems I have had recently with someone who is willing to take on some “consultant” responsibilities.  Please contact me by replying to these Grange Notes, or call me at 802-225-8921.

Coming up at the end of August:  Champlain Valley Expo

As we have done the past couple of years, we’d like to put up an exhibit about our Grange and what we do here as part of the VT State Grange display at the CVE, which will run from Aug. 25 to Sept. 3.   I have made the exhibits the last couple of years, and would love to have someone else put in some new ideas.  We will still have the monitor and laptop available, which I used to show a “slideshow” of Grange activities for the 2022 CVE exhibit.  We can provide a tri-fold, pictures, and lots more–I have lots of material, I just want to have at least a collaborator to help generate new ideas.
I hope to discuss this at the Grange meeting on May 6th as well, please join in the discussion, in person or via Zoom!

After the meeting, it’s Potluck Time!

From 6:00 to about 7:30, join us in the Lower Level for a social dinner.   The Lower Level is now accessible for everyone, thanks to completion of the lift, which allows anyone who has difficulty with stairs to get a ride down and up.   This goes for anyone using a wheelchair, a walker or just having problems with stairs.
As usual, we expect a great spread of interesting dishes!  We welcome everyone who comes–bring something special you cooked up that you like to share, or something tasty you picked up on the way to the Grange Hall!  Dishes can be heated up in the Grange kitchen on our two gas ranges, or kept cold in the refrigerator until dinner time.
See the picture from a previous Grange Potluck happening downstairs; you can see a diversity of dishes and a happy crowd of eaters!

Almost complete: our big project

The last time I sent out a Grange Notes email, on March 29th, I said that we were still working on the final details of the “non-lift” work in our project.  I’m pleased to say that this work is at this point, “almost complete”.   Like so many construction projects, the final details have dragged on.   By the time of the meeting, everything inside will be done.   The only outdoor piece left to do is to correct the concrete pad at the bottom of the access ramp, which has sunk several inches at the edge that adjoins the foundation–see the photo.
There are also pictures of other parts that are now completed:  the panic bar hardware with latches top & bottom, magnetic hold-opens attached to smoke detectors, the new pipe railings around the original entrance porch, new wood handrails for the stairs on that entrance, new triangular shelves in the closet next to the door closet, new wall-hung trash & recycling containers inside the Main Hall, the new closet for the Church of Christ, on the stage, painted and complete with doors, and new shelves in the Grange closet, which are awaiting filling with at least some of the items taken up to the attic for storage during the construction.
If you want to make the Hall look even better, and have some experience painting, we’d be happy to have you continue the new paint in the foyer of the original entrance down the stairs to the lower level.  If you check it out next time you visit the Grange Hall, you’ll see why this will be a nice facelift!
I do want to thank the volunteers that have stepped up to help with painting thus far:  Merry Shernock, who primed the Grange Closet, Cynthia Haviland, who painted the closet (with assistance from Patty Giavara), Alison Forrest who did the cutting in for the foyer painting, and Patty Giavara again, who primed and painted the new pipe railings.
I also want to thank Kurt Giavara, who custom-milled and shaped the maple threshold for the new double-doors, once we discovered that we needed one for the panic-bar latches.  It’s visible in the photo of the doors.
Please note:  the floor of the foyer for the original entrance must be kept clear of all items, per order of the Fire Marshal.   Trash and recycling containers have been replaced with the wall-hung bins pictured below, cones and snow shovels (in season) will be stored on the porch, and people should be changing shoes/boots for dance events in the Lower Level. If it’s necessary to store footwear upstairs, the triangular shelves can be used, or they can be left on top of a mat.  The clear foyer space is required to avoid any interference with people needing to get out quickly in case of a fire or other emergency.   While we certainly don’t expect anything like that to happen, we need to follow the Fire Marshal’s directives to improve safety for that possibility.

Soon to be replaced:  our sinking concrete pad

As mentioned above, the concrete pad at the base of our ramp for ADA access to the Grange Hall has sunk at the back edge, since being poured when the ramp and the ADA entrance were built in 2008.  We have a contractor scheduled to replace the concrete with a new pad, which will be pinned to the poured-concrete building foundation, and to the bottom of the wooden ramp.  We expect that these measures should prevent a repeat of the tilting we’ve experienced.

Charles Martin–continuing to get better, and still appreciating the cards!

Affordable Heat Act:  heading for the Governor’s desk

Our last meeting, on April 1st, featured a “Community Program”, with Senator Anne Watson and John Brabant of Vermonters for a Clean Environment discussing S.5, the “Affordable Heat Act” bill.  this bill has now passed both the Senate and the House, and is now waiting for Gov. Scott to sign or (more likely) veto.   This proposed bill is a major attempt to change the market for heating fuels for Vermont buildings–and is still quite controversial.
If you want to see the discussion at our Community Program from April 1st, the recording of the Zoom is posted on the Grange website Calendar listing.
Please note also that this discussion took place after the bill was passed by the House, but before it was amended and passed by the Senate, and further updated by a conference committee.   Current information about the bill is available on the Vermont.gov website Bill Status page for S.5.

Still available:
Door prizes?   Or…prize doors!

I posted the same pictures in my last Grange Notes, and got one nibble each on both of the door offerings–but no takers in the end.   We really need to get these out of their current storage spot in the Lower Level alcove, so please consider how useful and beautiful these could be in your house–or barn, or shed, or even chicken coop!

If these doors look familiar, there’s a good reason.   These are the original double-doors we’ve recently replaced.   Made from plywood panels with applied wooden frames.   We also have the original jambs and door closers, ready to use.  The doors are big–36″ wide by about 82″ tall.
Available for a donation to the Grange!  We’d hate to throw these out, and would love to have them go to a home connected to the Grange.
But wait, there’s more!  See the picture below for the former door and jamb which used to be the entry to the ADA bathroom, which we also had to replace with a fire-rated door and jamb.   Complete with hinges, with a privacy doorknob and latch, this is a solid-core door, good for acoustic privacy.  Also available for a donation!
Interested in either of these great deals?   Contact the usual Tim at swartztim15@gmail.com or 802-225-8921.  We’ll help you load them onto your roof-rack or truck.

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) March 29, 2023

Grange meeting:  4:30 to 5:00

As usual in odd-numbered months, we’ll have a brief Grange meeting before the Community Program.   We’ll be looking at our financial situation as winter winds down, with a better idea of our heating fuel costs with our pellet furnace, and the actual costs for snowplowing mostly in hand.
At our last meeting, we voted to proceed with professional scraping and painting of the Grange Hall’s exterior this year, IF the grant application which Patty Giavara has submitted through the VT Preservation Trust is successful.   We won’t hear about that decision until early May, but hope that the outside of our Hall will be much closer to the interior.  We’ve made so many upgrades inside!
Also in the news–the October “State Session” of the VT State Grange will be taking place in Middlebury, the first time in my 25 year involvement in the Grange that it has moved from the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier.   Come to the meeting to hear more!
The Zoom link for this meeting is posted on the Grange website Calendar:  http://capitalcitygrange.org/event/main-hall-grange-meeting-public-program/   If you come in person, mask use is optional.   If you’re not feeling well, please join us via Zoom!

Affordable Heat bill?   What’s that about?  Find out Saturday!
5:00 to 6:00 PM

Many of you probably have heard of S.5, the “Affordable Heat Act” bill, which was passed by the VT State Senate, and is now in the VT House Energy and Environment Committee.   This proposed bill is a major attempt to change the market for heating fuels for Vermont buildings.  Fossil fuels provide about three quarters of the energy to heat Vermont buildings, and they are costly; their prices are volatile; and they are polluting. The Affordable Heat Act is designed to harness the power of the market and the ingenuity of Vermonters at fuel providers to reduce dependency on these fossil fuels.   On Saturday afternoon, starting at 5:00, we’ll hear from different sides of the debate over this bill:  Washington District State senator Anne Watson is a sponsor of the bill, and John Brabant, from Vermonters for a Clean Environment will support an opposing view.   It should be an interesting discussion!   The bill has received quite a bit of publicity as a major piece of legislation that will affect Vermont homeowners, businesses, the Vermont economy and the environment.
At 6:00, the discussion can continue over a tasty potluck dinner–see below for details.
I don’t have room to summarize all that is contained in this bill, which was largely re-written during the committee and full-chamber debates in the Senate.  In the end, it was passed out of that body with a strong majority.  You can read the text and see the legislative history on the Bill Status page on Vermont.gov, and can easily find strong opinions both pro and con by searching “Affordable Heat Act”.
Join us on Saturday to learn more about this major piece of legislation, and hear various views–and to ask questions of the speakers, as usual.  You can come in person, or join us via Zoom.  The Zoom link is posted on the Grange Calendar listing for the program.  As usual, it will be separate from the Zoom link for the Grange meeting itself.

After the Program, it’s Potluck Time!

From 6:00 to about 7:30, join us in the Lower Level for a social dinner.   The Lower Level is now accessible for everyone, thanks to completion of the lift, which allows anyone who has difficulty with stairs to get a ride down and up.   This goes for anyone using a wheelchair, a walker or just having problems with stairs.
As usual, we expect a great spread of interesting dishes!  We welcome everyone who comes–bring something special you cooked up that you like to share, or something tasty you picked up on the way to the Grange Hall!  Dishes can be heated up in the Grange kitchen on our two gas ranges, or kept cold in the refrigerator until dinner time.
Below is a picture from a previous Grange Potluck happening downstairs; you can see a diversity of dishes and a happy crowd of eaters!

Closing in On Completing Our Big Project

Since my last report, about the Lift Celebration, work has continued–and there’s still more to do.  I’ve been helping Stan on the table-storage closet, and have finally (as of Tuesday 3/29–see photos below) completed that.  Stan is working on the extensions of the railings on the original entrance porch, which the Fire Marshall requires to be 42″ high; we will be using metal pipe railings for that.   He will also be installing a pair of doors for the new closet on the stage for the Church of Christ’s paraphernalia–this replaces the closet that had to be removed for the lift construction.
With the table closet done, I will be installing the rest of the panic-bar hardware, and the door closers for the new fire-doors, plus helping with other details.
We still have a good bit of painting/finishing left to do–see the article titled “HELP” below for more info–because we really do need some volunteers to help us complete the cosmetic improvements that will really make our Grange Hall’s new surfaces look good.

Charles Martin–feeling better, and appreciating the cards!

HELP needed!

As described above, we  have a good bit of painting to be done still, to make sure that the construction project results in fully-finished surfaces that really make the interior of our Grange Hall look better.
Thus far, the painter for this entire project has been…me.   I did get several hours of help from Jeremy Coppock, doing some priming on sheetrock and the closet interior.  The rest has all been my own volunteer time.  Combined with helping out on construction work, hardware, etc. means that I have put in several hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week on the project over the past six weeks.  This has kept me from doing a lot of other things in my life.   I’m going to play the “Age Card” by pointing out that I am 72 years old, something not everyone realizes looking at me.  I can vouch for the fact that I don’t have the same energy level and stamina I used to have.   I’ve missed a lot of outdoor recreation in the winter–and I want to be able to get outside in the spring weather that is (gradually) moving in.   There’s also more Grange work I’d like to do, including improving publicity for Grange events, working on improving our Hall for the long term, and making it easier to care for and manage.  We need to do some planning for our future.   I’d really like to work with others on all these projects–but I can’t if I’m going to be the only one painting the foyers, the door trim, the new foyer wall, etc.
I am happy to set up people for painting–we provide brushes, rollers, paint-brush spinner for cleaning them, drop cloths and paint.  If you have some experience painting and some old clothes to paint in, contact me, Tim at:  802-225-8921, or email me:  swartztim15@gmail.com to learn more and set up a time.
For the longer term, I want to point out that I got elected to be President of this Grange in 2006, so by the next Grange Officers’ Election in September 2024, I’ll have been filling this office for 18 years.  I think it’s time for some new blood, though I still want to be involved at some level.  I know you are a Grange Notes subscriber, and you’ve read this far, so I think you’re interested in our Grange and our Hall, and its future.   I’d love to work with you on what that future looks like, and how you can be an active part of it.   Get in touch!

Door prizes?   Or…prize doors!

If these doors look familiar, there’s a good reason.   These are the original double-doors we’ve recently replaced.   Made from plywood panels with applied wooden frames.   We also have the original jambs and door closers, ready to use.  The doors are big–36″ wide by about 82″ tall.
Available for a donation to the Grange!  We’d hate to throw these out, and would love to have them go to a home connected to the Grange.
But wait, there’s more!  See the picture below for the former door and jamb which used to be the entry to the ADA bathroom, which we also had to replace with a fire-rated door and jamb.   Complete with hinges, with a privacy doorknob and latch, this is a solid-core door, good for acoustic privacy.  Also available for a donation!
Interested in either of these great deals?   Contact the usual Tim at swartztim15@gmail.com or 802-225-8921.  We’ll help you load them onto your roof-rack or truck.

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) March 19, 2023

A brief report on our big day!

I’m writing this description of our festivities 2 weeks after the event on March 5.   The time since has been crammed full with working on the rest of the project–more on what is still left (and an appeal for help) below.
Everyone who came really had fun!   We had lots of interesting exhibitors, games to play downstairs, dancing and music upstairs, many cookies made and eaten, rides taken on the lift, and much more than I can summarize in this email.   I will write up more of a report and post it later, after I can really get away from helping Stan to finish up the project.
Just below, you’ll see some pictures, each of which should be worth at least a thousand words, right?   Right below, Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, Michelle Bailey of the VT Arts Council, Kendal Holden, Master of the VT State Grange, Patty Giavara of the FCCGH, Joe Staab of the Berlin Selectboard and I are ready to cut the ribbon.
More photos:

From the top: a sample of images

With many thanks to our two photographers, who took lots of great photos:  Jonathan Blake and Betty Copeland.
Maudean & Lewis Neill are happy to have ridden the lift down to the Lower Level!
The chess, checkers, Go and other game tables were popular all afternoon.  Kudos to Mike Stridsberg for setting these up.
Cub Scout Pack 777 had spinners to make, color and spin for anyone!
Alison Forrest rolled out and baked cookies all afternoon, using dough donated by Krin’s Bakery plus more she made.
VT State Grange Master Kendal Holden told us many nice things about the work we’ve done to improve our Hall–“the envy of every other Grange in Vermont”, he said–and we thanked the VSG for their help:  no interest construction loans for this and other major projects.

Remember:  this is just a small sample!   I can’t thank everyone who helped out in this big team effort, but I will post more information on the website in time.

Please send a card to Charles Martin!

I’m sorry to have to report that last week Charles suffered a heart attack and was taken to CVH for treatment.  He’s recovering–but it will take a while.   Charles’ partner Richard told me he should be transferred to home care soon, and will have a regular visiting nurse to help him with rehab.
Richard also told me that Charles will be happy to get cards sending him good wishes–please mail them to:

Berlin supports the Grange again!

I’m very happy to report that the voters of Berlin once again voted to extend our full exemption from property taxes once again, on March 7th.   The vote was 249 Yes to 60 No votes!   We will not have to campaign again for 5 years–and we’ll be able to keep providing free use for Berlin residents and non-profit organizations (including the Town of Berlin).   Thanks to the voters–and to the people who collected signatures too!

Current project: new doors and foyer wall

Even with the lift done, the project continues.   Stan Carlson and I have been working hard to complete the other major part:  meeting the Fire Marshal’s requirement that we replace the wall between the Old Entrance and the Main Hall with a “fire-rated” wall (5/8″ sheetrock both faces), fire-rated double doors (the old ones were plywood and pine), and even a fire-rated bathroom door.
We also have to remove all loose items from the foyer–including the folded tables that used to be stored on a small cart, trash & recycling containers, brooms and parking cones.  So we’ve designed in a storage closet–see the bottom picture.  It still needs doors, homasote “bulletin board” panels, trim and paint.
This is where you can help!  So far, I have done virtually all the painting of the lift walls, sheetrock, etc.  Stan needs to concentrate on the carpentry that remains.  If you like to paint, anytime we can arrange in the next couple of weeks, we’d love to have you!   We’ll provide brushes, paint, rollers, brush spinner, drop clothes, etc.   You provide:  old clothes to paint in, and your excitement about being part of this project!
Contact me, Tim at:  802-225-8921, or email me:  swartztim15@gmail.com to learn more and set up a time.

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) March 3, 2023

It’s time to celebrate!

Yesterday, Thursday March 2, we got the final inspection of our new wheelchair lift!   It is now open and available for use.   It’s smooth, quiet and easy to use.   We’re very excited to make all levels of the Grange Hall accessible to everyone.   Pictures below show the Stage Level and Lower Level entrances to the lift.   This lift marks a major milestone in making the Hall accessible.

Our gala celebration on Sunday afternoon, March 5 will be a lot of fun–and the price is right!

• Cookies fresh-baked at the Hall by Alison Forrest, 3 kinds:  Linzer cookies, Sugar cookies & Brownies, vegan & gluten-free!
• Come see us “cut the ribbon” to officially open the lift!
• Watch a few long-time Grange members and others take ceremonial “First Rides”!
• We’ll have remarks by a few speakers, including Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, Michele Bailey from the VT Arts Council, Berlin Select Board Member David Sawyer
• We will have exhibits from some of the organizations which use our Hall as their “home base” and other community groups, many of whom have presented programs for us in the past.  It’s a great chance to learn more about what goes on in the Hall, and in our surrounding communities.   We’re calling this part the “Info Fair”.
• Refreshments are being organized by expert baker Alison Forrest, who will be serving fresh-baked cookies, plus coffee and tea in the Lower Level.   Would you like to help her serve, and give her a break?   Get in touch with her at:  feedkidswell@gmail.com.
• In a Grange Hall where the biggest events are contra dances, we will provide “community dancing” with live music by the VT Fiddle Orchestra and calling by Luke Donforth, who knows how to help people of all ages and experience levels to have a good time!
• Mike Stridsberg, who organizes the VT Scholastic Chess tournaments at the Hall twice a year, will set up chess-boards and other games in the Lower Level for those who want a break from dancing, or just like to play games!

Join me on Saturday at the Berlin Pre-Town Meeting

If you don’t mind a little snow, feel free to join me at the Pre-Town Meeting info session, 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 4, at the Berlin Elementary school.   There, I’ll be answering questions about the Grange, and our request for a 5 year extension of our exemption from property taxes.
Berlin Town voters will be voting on the extension as Article 3 on the Town Ballot on Tuesday, March 7.   As a reader of the Grange Notes, you know that we periodically have to get the support of voters from the Town of Berlin, where we’re located, to extend the exemption from property taxes we first got in 2016.
At the informational Pre-Town Meeting, I’ll also  have some displays of pictures of some of the events that happen at our Grange Hall, and information about the 30 rent-free events which were held at the Grange Hall in 2022–well above the 2 per-month minimum that we committed to back in 2016.  We will be  happy to accommodate more, as the word continues to spread about our great Community Hall.  And the whole building is now ADA-accessible!
The ad pictured below is appearing for two weeks in a row in the “World” newspaper, which is widely distributed (for free) in the Central VT area, and is the best way to reach people in print.   This ad, which the World’s advertising people worked up along with Patty Giavara says it all!
If you are a Berlin resident, or if you know anyone in Berlin, or meet someone from the Town of Berlin before March 7, please pass on our request for support.  We keep the rents affordable by being an all volunteer organization, and by getting exemption from what would otherwise be about $7,000 in property taxes.
Please help us spread the word to Vote Yes on Article 3 on the Town Ballot on March 7!