Tova, Author at Capital City Grange

Rocking at the Grange, celebrating Les, and Resolved: to support migrant farm workers

October 7, 2017 by Tova

Grange Notes for October 3, 2017 by Tim Swartz

With an orange Kubota to help us, we have made the Main Entrance rock…

Grange friend Gerald Noyes was nice enough to drive his tractor up Route 12 from Northfield Falls, and the Kubota helped us save our backs. It didn’t keep us from sweating on one of many record-breaking days we’ve had this week–July heat in September! Project leader Merry got into the tractor driving, as well as providing snacks & cold drinks; our community service volunteer Tyson, Gerald and I provided some of the rock-moving muscle (using shovels, pry-bars, crowbars and leverage), and we completed outlining 2 new planting beds! These will make our Grange Hall’s Main Entrance look great with some soil, some plantings, and a few more volunteers–see below for your invitation!

It’s time to play in the dirt on Sunday!

The topsoil and compost will be delivered, the plantings have been planned by professional gardeners/farmers Carol Noyes & Ann Pearce, and now you can help put it all together! From 1:00 to 4:00 PM, bring your gardening tools, your gloves, your SUNSCREEN and a hat, and we’ll have fun with dirt and plants. We’re looking forward to another great improvement–literally planting the seeds (and transplanting the donated plants) to transform the Main Entrance.
Not up for gardening work? We also need “support staff”–bring snacks, beverages, tunes to help us move forward with fun. See you there!

October meeting: Migrant Labor Resolution and looking at our improved finances

We’ll have our usual monthly meeting on the first Saturday, we’ll be getting ready for the State Grange meeting later in the month, and we’ll be getting a closer look at our finances.
Resolved:  that we will support improvements in legal status for immigrant farm workers–this is what we decided back in June.   Merry Shernockbrought to our attention a bill being supported by Vermont’s Senator Pat Leahy: Senate Bill 1043.   The bill introduced by Sen. Diane Feinsteinwould create a legal way for immigrant farm workers to stay in the U.S.–even year-round farm workers like the many who help keep Vermont dairy farms going. Using a “blue card” earned by working over 100 days per year in US agriculture, a farmworker would able to keep working in the country–legally, and would have a possible path to a permanent green card status.
Come and help us discuss the resolution Merry crafted, working with information from Migrant Justice, Senator Leahy’s office, and experienced Grangers.   You can learn more about the bill at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1034.
We’ll also talk about the other 20 resolutions, about everything from banning certain pesticides, to supporting Daylight Savings time!   I’ll be happy to send PDF copies of the resolutions to anyone who wants: email Grangemaster@capitalcitygrange.org to let me know you want a copy.
We’ll also be hearing more about how the Grange is doing financially–there have been some significant changes!   For one thing, we gained exemption from the Berlin property taxes in 2016; for another, Merry took over as Treasurer about a year ago, receiving the baton (and the check-signing privileges) which Les Skinner has held for quite a few years.   Merry has started using QuickBooks to keep track of our money, our bank accounts, and our investments (did you know we have investments?).   She’ll be projecting the forms and information on the screen at the Hall on Saturday, to show us where we stand, to answer questions, and to learn what members want to hear about on a monthly/quarterly or yearly basis.   Our budget and our expenditures reflect what the Grange can do now, and affects what we will be able to do in the future, so we hope you will help us manage our monetary affairs “with fidelity”, as our Grange salutation promises.

There are lots more to discuss–join us to learn more! The meeting starts at 4:30–and then there will be the famous Grange community Potluck dinner,starting at 6:00. Join us to eat more, too!

Honoring Les Skinner–75 years of Grange!

Many of us now in the Capital City Grange have been “Patrons of Husbandry” for over a decade now–but we pale in comparison to Les! He joined the Grange just about three quarters of a century ago–we heard how his mother made sure all her kids joined at age 14. Why? because Grange members could get Blue Cross health insurance for 50 cents a week!

Les has gotten lots more out of Grange membership since then, and has given back as well. He kept the CCG going since he and Phyllis moved to Northfield in 1991, partly by becoming Master, and partly by offering affiliate memberships to the North Branch Grange members, and partly by letting the Grange’s renters know that the Grange needed their help. As most of you know, this is how the current membership drawn from the dance community and other Grange users came about. Les (along with Phyllis and the other experienced members) led us in learning what it meant to be Grangers, not just people who came to the Grange to pursue our own favorite activities. He certainly showed me how to run more enjoyable meetings by being relaxed, friendly and welcoming–just how I found the Grange when I joined. It was a pleasure to present the official certificate from the National Grange to Les on September 16th.
We also enjoyed a great potluck dinner, with cake and and brownies!

Special celebration at the Grange Meeting on 9/16–Shhhhh, don’t tell Les!

September 26, 2017 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz for September 15, 2017

It’s true! Les has been a Granger for 75 years!

We are going to celebrate this epic anniversary to surprise him, so don’t send out the info. I’ll be sending him a special edition of these notes, so he won’t feel anything is missing. Bring your best wishes, and goodies–we’ll have a festive potluck dinner after the meeting! And yes, there will be cake!
Also for the meeting, bring your singing voice as we singalong with Mat Nunnelly, our Grange Musician, on the piano–and we can legally sing Happy Birthday to Les now, too!
Everyone should know that Les was a huge part of keeping the CCG going, as Master for close to 20 years, as well as managing the finances as the “shadow Treasurer”, and then as Treasurer after I started trying to fill his large shoes in 2006. Les invited the contra dance community and the other renters to join in helping the Grange maintain the building, and ultimately to join the Grange itself. And he showed us that it is fun to be Grangers! We would not be where we are today without his leadership and tenacity.
Of course, neither Les nor the Grange would not have been able to do it without Phyllis doing all the things she has done, so like most Grange things, it is a team effort
Come help us celebrate!

CCG shares the fun at the Grange Center

We had a great time on Saturday evening, sharing the dancing that distinguishes our Grange, with a number of other Grange members. Many thanks to Matt Rolland and Bill Hulstrunk, who joined Merry and methere, and helped everyone who wanted to give it a try. We had to do some cheerleading and encouraging to get a few of the Grangers onto the floor–but we had lots of smiles once we did.
Of course, we couldn’t have a dance without a caller, David Kreiss-Tomkins, plus a band: Robin Russell on the accordion, Mike Fiorillo on the guitar and Emily Bartlett on the fiddle. And they couldn’t have had a dance without us dancing. We enjoyed the simple dances David picked out, and his positive teaching style which brought people into the dances. The band played the kind of relaxed music that makes it easy to dance, too. If you haven’t had the opportunity to be part of a community dance, you’ll enjoy it too.
Our Grange audience and dancers showed their appreciation with lots of comments and applause–many of them have done some dancing, including square dancing, so it was easy to get them started.
We also got to see the prizes awarded for the cast-iron frying pan throwing contest, and the rolling pin throwing contest–don’t be surprised if you see them showing up at a “CCG Field Days” sometime.

Rocking the Grange–come to our Sept. 16 meeting, this Saturday to find out more

Our Fall season of Grange meetings starts tomorrow, at 4:30 PM.   We’ll find out what has gone on all summer, and what the plans are for the next few months.   Among those things are more landscaping around our main entrance, and decisions about the next big project the Friends will take on–informed by the feedback which the FCCGH has been getting, at the Challenge Fundraiser and afterward.
Also coming up this fall is the VT State Session, on the 3rd weekend in October.   At our meeting on Saturday, we’ll be starting to talk about the Resolutions which are to be discussed and voted on–and the Resolution we voted to propose in June is #1 in the booklet!
Our Resolution wants the State Grange to support a bill co-sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy, to provide a legal status for agricultural workers who are year-round immigrants working in the US.
There are lots more to discuss–join us to learn more! The meeting starts at 4:30–and then there will be the famous Grange community Potluck dinner, starting at6:00.   Join us to eat more, too!

Saturday night–special dancers needed! A last minute appeal

September 10, 2017 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, September 8, 2017

Fall Festival: dancing demo in Brookfield on Saturday evening

Tomorrow, Sept. 9th is the State Grange Fall Festival, at the Grange Center in Brookfield.   I’m in need of at least 6 contra-dancers, who can join Merry and me starting about 6:30, to do a “demonstration” of contra-dancing–and then stay for an hour or so to help Grangers from around the state to have fun dancing!
We’ve been able to arrange to have a visiting caller from Alaska (!!), David Kreiss-Tomkins, who has called for the Contra Borealis dance series in Fairbanks and elsewhere, plus local musicians who have played for lots of community dances:  Robin Russell on the accordion and Emily Bartlett on the fiddle, so we can show the rest of the Grangers how much fun contra-dancing, and live music can be.
People who dance at the dances at our Capital City Grange are used to bringing new dancers out on the floor, and helping them to have a good time–please join us to do the same for these other Grangers!
You can call me at 802-225-8921, or email me:  swartztim15@gmail.com to let me know you are coming. The Grange Center is at: 308 West St, Brookfield 05036.   There will be signs from Exit 5 on I-89 directing you, as well.

or…Come for the whole day at the Festival!

Starting at 10:30 AM, there will be:

contest judging: produce, baked goods, knitted & crocheted crafts and other items!
outdoor games: frying pan toss! rolling pin toss! egg toss! horseshoes! croquet!
Workshops on invasive plants and photography
at 3:00, the winning produce and baked goods will be auctioned off!
at 5:00, there will be a Stuffed Roast Pork dinner–call ahead ASAP it you want to get in on this: 223-7961, cost is $12.00
and then at 7:00 we will start the dance demo.

Hope we will see you there! –Tim Swartz

We did it! Help us figure out what to do next–and help us by dancing

September 4, 2017 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, September 4, 2017

Thanks to everyone!

With a combination of large checks from some especially dedicated friends of the Grange Hall, and many smaller donations from the dance community and other users of the Hall, and donations for the beautiful plants raised by Rob Nichols, and donations at the dessert table filled by donated tasty snacks, the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall raised at least $3,152 over the course of the August fundraiser. The culmination came at the CDU dance on Saturday evening, featuring Mary Wesley (always a supporter for the Grange) and the Irregulars, who have played here quite a few times as well as showing up on the dance floor!
The Friends will use this money as part of matching funds for the next set of grant applications, for another significant project to improve the Grange Hall.
The FCCGH also wants input, as we look at a couple of different project concepts–“ballots” are still available at the Hall for any interested user, or you can email the Friends–see below for more details.

A few pictures from the cafeteria & kitchen during the fundraiser–

Serving the donated Ben & Jerry’s strawberry & vanilla ice cream, the remnants of the dessert potluck, volunteer dishwashers, the plants remaining from Rob’s offerings and the “I prefer” area for project concepts A & B.

The Friends want to hear what you say!

**************************************************************

All the proceeds of the fundraiser benefit the Friends, to help finance the improvements we want to continue to make to our great Hall. Most of you know that the FCCGH has helped to plan and implement many of the projects we’ve done: the new dance floor in 2012, the new windows upstairs and down, the new fire exit from the lower level, and the new bathrooms in 2015!
The Friends will also be looking for your input, to help decide on which of the 2 major projects should be the focus.

Decisions will be made based on several factors:

Community input–this is where the your voice comes in, as a supporter of the Grange and the Hall
Urgency–what needs to get done
Rentability & renter satisfaction improvement
Building integrity
Operating & energy efficiency
Cost–what can we afford, with grants and by ourselves
Grant-funding possibility–different grantors have different requirements and emphasis

Let us know what you think! Ballots and comment sheets will be available for everyone at the Grange Hall, along with the display shown in the photo above, with pictures of the current problems and possible solutions. You can let us know that way, or via email to: fccghvt@gmail.com

Concept A: “Mess Hall to Dining Hall” includes improvements to the lower level, to reduce moisture, increase insulation, and improve the ambience of the cafeteria space. Components include:

Installing drain channels to remove liquid water that gets through the foundation
Installing insulated panels and wallboard to keep cover the cold concrete wall(s), and to create a paintable, cleanable wall surface–that won’t mildew.
Replacing the fixed wood tables with movable, smaller-size tables, for flexibility, better cleaning, and more choices in layout.
Painting the floor (and the walls and maybe the ceiling) for a better appearance.

Concept B: “Safe and Sound” includes improvements to the security and the acoustics of the Grange Hall–here are some of the ideas:

adding acoustic panels to the Hall to reduce reverberation–to help with dances, singing events, public meetings, and group events of various sizes
increasing security for the Hall by installing new doors in the original entrance–with insulated glass, good weather-stripping, and improved door closers, to reduce air leakage, and improve the connection of the Hall to those entering there.
changing to programmable locks, to ease the task of getting keys to one-time renters, and to allow us to change access if a code is compromised.
consider purchasing a sound system for Hall renters to use, to encourage use by groups who can’t afford, or don’t want to organize a sound system. There are many questions about security, maintenance, set-up and cleanup to be answered!

We want to know what you think! Ballots and comment sheets will be available for everyone, for at least a couple of weeks. The Friends and the Grange are looking for the best investment of everyone’s time and money, so we want to find out what matters most to you.

Help us bring more contra-dancing to the State Grange

The coming weekend will bring the annual “Fall Festival” of the VT State Grange, held at the Grange Center in Brookfield. Here’s a link to the website, which includes a poster for the event: http://www.vtstategrange.org/index.html The Capital City Grange has been asked to provide a “contra-dancing demo and dance instruction” on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 9th. I’ve found a caller who is visiting from Alaska, David Kreiss-Tomkins–so now I need a couple of musicians who can play some nice rhythmic dance music, and about 8 dancers who can demo some basic dance moves, and dance with some novice dancers.
I hope I can get some help with this–my reaching out to dance musicians in this area has been more difficult than I expected!
Call or email me: swartztim15@gmail.com, or 225-8921, and let me know if you will join me–about 6:30 at the Grange Center, 308 West St., Brookfield VT 05036. The dancing will start at 7:00, and will last about an hour.
The State Grange has helped our Grange throughout the decades, including financing all of our renovation projects with bridge/construction loans, and has supported us as we figure out our own way to be a Grange in the 21st century, and we want to show them how a lot of the CCG’s friends enjoy themselves with community dancing!

Challenge Fundraiser: the Friends want your opinions, as well as your donations on September 2nd!

August 28, 2017 by Tova

Grange Notes for August 27, 2017 by Tim Swartz

The Friends want to hear what you say–as well as how much you want to donate!

15 supporters of the Friends of the Capital City Grange have put up $100 each–and challenge the rest of the Grange community to match it–for a total of at least $3,000, to support the ongoing improvements and renovations for the Grange Hall.

Enjoy a “Dessert Potluck” with tasty offerings by everyone who can pitch in, and ice cream donated by Ben & Jerry’s! Available at the break in the contra-dance. If you can’t bring something, drop a donation in the cans provided.
And of course, there is a great dance for everyone, with just the standard $9.00 admission charge. Always popular Burlington-based caller Mary Wesley will prompt the dances, and the Irregulars will play–a big group of hard-playing young folks–many of whom grew up coming to this dance!

******************************************************************************************************

All the proceeds of the fundraiser will go to the Friends, to help finance the improvements we want to continue to make to our great Hall. Most of you know that the FCCGH has helped to plan and implement many of the projects we’ve done: the new dance floor in 2012, the new windows upstairs and down, the new fire exit from the lower level, and the new bathrooms in 2015!
The Friends will also be looking for your input, to help decide on which of the 2 major projects should be the focus:

Concept A: “Safe and Sound” includes improvements to the security and the acoustics of the Grange Hall–here are some of the ideas:

adding acoustic panels to the Hall to reduce reverberation–to help with dances, singing events, public meetings, and group events of various sizes
increasing security for the Hall by installing new doors in the original entrance–with insulated glass, good weather-stripping, and improved door closers, to reduce air leakage, and improve the connection of the Hall to those entering there.
changing to programmable locks, to ease the task of getting keys to one-time renters, and to allow us to change access if a code is compromised.
consider purchasing a sound system for Hall renters to use, to encourage use by groups who can’t afford, or don’t want to organize a sound system. There are many questions about security, maintenance, set-up and cleanup to be answered!

Concept B: “Mess Hall to Dining Hall” includes improvements to the lower level, to reduce moisture, increase insulation, and improve the ambience of the cafeteria space. Components include:

Installing drain channels to remove liquid water that gets through the foundation
Installing insulated panels and wallboard to keep cover the cold concrete wall(s), and to create a paintable, cleanable wall surface.
Replacing the fixed wood tables with movable, smaller-size tables, for flexibility, better cleaning, and more choices in layout.
Painting the floor for a better appearance.

Join us and let us know what you think! Ballots and comment sheets will be available for everyone. You can also donate via Paypal at: http://capitalcitygrange.org/donate/ and those funds will also go to match the challenge!

And don’t forget–Rob Nichols has raised another big crop of healthy and beautiful house-plants, offered for a $5.00 donation (or somewhat more for the big ones). You can’t beat that deal! See a few pictures below: