Capital City Grange

Holiday specials–donating for meals, getting ready to sing, and looking forward to a Repair Cafe?

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President, (with everyone’s help) for December 6, 2018

Donations still needed for our Holiday Meal Food Boxes

We’ve been collecting non-perishable food items, destined to be part of the 6 “holiday meal kits” we will be donating to 6 needy families.   The Washington County Head-Start office is working with us, as they did last year, and will direct the food boxes to deserving families with children.
How can you help?   We’re looking for things that will make a special meal that will bring some holiday good feelings to folks that need it.  Think about items that will bring smiles to the parents and the kids.   Here are a few ideas, please add your own!
  • Candy! and Cookies!  especially holiday types
  • Coffee or tea–the good stuff that may be hard for some to afford
  • Pickles
  • Macaroni & cheese (a favorite of kids of all sizes)
  • Jam
  • Stuffing mix (to go with the turkeys we are buying–see below)
  • Pancake mix…and maple syrup!
We’ve already gotten financial donations from patrons of “Kids Trade ‘n’ Play”, (our once-a-month clothing exchange which happens on the 2nd Saturday of each month), which have let us purchase 6 good-sized turkeys to include.  We had a family from Berlin rent the Grange Hall for their extended-family Thanksgiving dinner–and they collected $125.00 more, which will help us by fruit, vegetables and other perishable items.
So think of other special things that will delight the palate, sweeten the celebrations, and warm up the hearts of people just like us, who need a little extra help.  Drop ’em in the boxes around the Hall, and we’ll make sure that they get to the right homes, by Dec. 20th.

Felt so good, we have to do it again
(with apologies to Koko Taylor)–it’s time for our Second Annual Holiday Sing-along

Put it on your calendar!
Mat Nunnelly, our excellent Grange Musician, will accompany songs on the piano.  We’re working on printing up some song sheets for some of Mat’s favorites–and we want to hear yours!   We will do our best to sing along with any seasonal songs you bring, from sacred songs of any tradition to less-than-sacred ditties about the demise of elderly relatives at the hands (or hooves) of seasonal ungulates.  We are non-denominational and non-partisan, we just like to sing!
Join us from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.  We’ll provide some mulled cider–please bring some goodies to share if you can.  We’ll also provide some crafts for little ones downstairs–or they can join in the singing!
P.S.:  no judges will be present to award points for flashy singing(–or to take points away if you sing like I do–Tim)

Kids Trade ‘N’ Play–back again on Saturday, Dec. 8th
Wanna pitch in?   Join Erin & the volunteers on Friday to plan the future!

Nearing the 3rd anniversary of this very successful community service tradition (we can certainly start to call it that!), organizer Erin Barry reported at our Dec. 1 Grange Meeting that it’s busier than ever.  In November, about 80 adults and 50 kids showed up, to donate out-grown, gently used kids’ clothing and toys, and to get “new” ones in bigger sizes.
Erin has a number of dedicated volunteers who help to organize the donated clothes, toys and kids’ gear.  Before the 2nd Saturday morning events, all of the items are set out on the cafeteria tables, sorted by sizes in plastic tubs; donations are sorted as they come in, and then it all has to be put away again afterward, on the shelves that the Grange purchased.
The clothing exchange has turned into a real meeting place for parents & children–which is just what Erin wants to foster.  Besides the clothers, connections are made, information is shared, kids and parents bond with each other.
To keep the good things going, Erin and some of the core volunteers will be meeting (along with doing set-up for the Saturday KTNP) on Friday evening, from about 6:15 to 9:00 PM to discuss how to grow the operation and share the work, while maintaining the personal connections.
  • Want to join the volunteers?   Come on by on Friday evening at the Grange Hall!
  • Looking for more information?   Email Erin Barry.
  • Want to donate kids’ clothes & get new ones?   Come by on Saturday morning, 9:30 to 11:30.   Nominal fee of $3.00 per family (and no one is turned away)–take all that you need!

Time for a “Repair Cafe”?

Also at our December meeting, we talked about hosting one of these special events–and members were on board.  You may have read about these events in VT newspapers, since 2 were held in Central VT in 2018.   I was able to take part in one held in Barre, as “fixpert” working on furniture and woodworking repairs–there were others concentrating on appliance repair, smart-phone repairs, sewing repairs, and much more.  I really enjoyed helping out with people’s problems, and I know that a lot of people benefited from the various “fixperts” and their varied expertise.
I was contacted recently by an organizer from the Central VT Solid Waste Management District, which has the “selfish” motivation of keeping things out of the landfill, and the altruistic one of helping people save money by fixing damaged or worn items, rather than buying new ones.  He asked me if I would be interested in taking part in another…and if I knew of a space that could be used.  As it happens, I do!  No date set yet, but I’ll send out news if we can get one set up.
Want to learn more?   Check out this link to the CVSWMD page on Repair Cafes.  Want to help with organizing one at the CCG?   Contact me.    We will need people to:
  • Help schedule the event, and publicize it
  • Recruit volunteers to staff it
  • Bake some cookies, make some coffee & tea
  • Other refreshments to keep the “fixperts” going?
  • Cover the floor with mats
  • Set up work tables
  • Direct people with “repairables” to the right fixer
  • Purchase supplies of glue, screws, wire, tape, etc., and monitor them at the Cafe time
  • Help track the items repaired
  • and more!
Please contact me:  swartztim15@gmail.com to help out on any of these tasks, or other that you may think of.   For more info, see the website of the international organization that promotes these:  https://repaircafe.org/en/

“Friends” are seeking year-end donations

Another end-of-year tradition in which many of us participate is making contributions to our favorite non-profit causes.  As they did last year, the “Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall” are seeking tax-deductible gifts, that will help further improvement plans for the Hall.  It starts with letters mailed out to previous donors, and regular users of the Grange Hall, so many of you who read the Grange Notes may have already been asked.
But if you haven’t heard–now is a perfect time for a donation to the FCCGH.  A partner organization for the Grange, with 501(c)(3) status, the Friends will put your contribution to work.   It may help to provide matching funds, to combine with grant money for the next big project on the planning board:  “Mess Hall to Dining Hall”.   Your contribution could also go to one of the shorter-term projects:  installing more ceiling fans in the Main Hall to improve ventilation for large events like dances, and starting experiments with acoustic panels to improve the sound quality of the Hall.  Whereever it goes, your contribution will make the Hall an even more attractive, comfortable and useful space for community meetings, celebrations, services, clothing exchanges, dances, rehearsals and much more!
To contribute, use this link to the Grange website:  Donate.  There, you can use your credit card or Paypal, as well as learning more about the projects the Friends are planning, and what has already been done to improve the Hall.  Or you can send a check made out to FCCGH to:
FCCGH
PO Box 192
Northfield Falls, VT  05664
All contributions are tax-deductible, to the extent allowable by law.  You will receive a receipt, however you donate, for your records.

It’s almost Membership Renewal Time

And in yet another year-end tradition:  we know that it’s hard to keep track of everything that happens in this holiday season, with special events, special foods to prepare and eat, special songs to sing, family to entertain (or be entertained by), presents to agonize over, buy and wrap and much more.
So–we’ll be sending out a reminder to Grange members and friends soon, letting them know that as of Jan. 1st, it’s time to renew your Capital City Grange membership, or sign up for the first time!   I’ll keep sending out Grange Notes to all of you regardless of your membership status–but it really helps us to be an active Community Grange if you join us.   Help us provide community service that makes a difference, and respond when you get the membership email soon!  Then you won’t have to remember when January rolls around.  You can mail a check for $30.00, made out to “CCG” or “Capital City Grange”, to:
Charles Martin, Secretary
Capital City Grange #469
639 Minister Brook Rd.
Worcester, VT  05682
or give it to any Grange officer, or bring it to our next meeting, on Jan. 5th, 2019!  If you are joining for the first time, fill out the simple application form on our website:  link to form  and mail it to the same address.

Mid-November Grange report–wintry weather doesn’t stop our Hall being busy!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) for November 19, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the Grange community!
As we head toward the holiday on Thursday, we are thankful for the many people who keep the Grange and the Hall going, to help us in our community service mission.  We hope that the holiday will give us a chance to consider the many helpful people in each of the communities we inhabit, which make life better for all of us.  And that all of us have a bountiful Thanksgiving feast to enjoy!
Our Grange Hall will be used by a large extended family on Thursday for their holiday meal, FYI!
and mark your calendars for the Dec. 1st Grange meeting
Our monthly meeting, starting at 4:15 to give us time to complete the Grange business part before the “program”.   What goes on at a Grange meeting?  check out the description on the Grange website.  This month, the program will be a presentation on the VT Community Loan Fund.   We have chosen to invest some of the savings we have been able to make in the VCLF; we will hear from Jake Ide, the director of Investment and Philanthropy, about the work that the organization does with the money invested in it.   He’ll answer questions, and explain how the Loan Fund chooses worthy recipients for loans, and tell about the results which the Fund has seen seen since being founded in 1986.   For more info, check the VCLF website.  You could invest there too!
and for the next Community Potluck, starting about 6:00, we’ll share the tasty dishes brought by participants, and have a chance to chew upon and digest what we have discussed with other people who have come to the meeting, and/or the discussion about the Loan Fund.   We’ll be glad to try your special recipes–by then we might even be ready for a bit more turkey, in some form or other.
Grange meetings and events are free and open to all, members and non-members, local or visiting from far away.  No password required!  
    

Have you ever wished you didn’t make that turn?

We suspect that applies to one of the people attending the memorial service on Sunday, just before the snowstorm–see the top photo.  The “hairpin turn” from the lane on the west side, to go down the driveway has led to some problems in the past, and our reflector posts and orange pylons have not stayed in place.  With the help of Kurt Giavara and a post-hole tool, we put in a more solid indicator (4×4) for where the turn should happen.   We’ll add some reflectors later this week to make it even more visible in the ever-growing night-time hours.  Please drive safely in the winter weather, including in the Grange parking lot and the driveway!

“Upscale Resale” brings new visitors, and sends donations to Circle

Despite the first snow of the season, the “pop-up” consignment store set up in the Grange Hall on Oct. 27th attracted over 20 vendor booths, and lots of customers for the higher-end clothing, jewelry and other items being sold.  Donations of booth fees to “Circle”, the shelter for abused women in Barre added up to over $200.
We look forward to more events like these–we’re glad to facilitate moving unused items to people who can appreciate them, and to the increase of community ties this event can bring.  Many new people came to our Hall, and were impressed with the space and its convenient location, so we hope this will lead to more uses by Berlin residents and others.
One note about the basement level, which we have plans to insulate and improve–the number of booth requests led to some vendors setting up downstairs.   There were complaints about the smell of mildew (which we’ll note in our next grant application for the renovation project)–but sales were still better than expected!

Help us fill this year’s Holiday Boxes, at least as full as last year’s!
Pictured above are the 2017 holiday season meal boxes, which got filled with donations of non-perishable food, as well as financial donations for produce, a turkey and more.  We are repeating the process this year, using boxes decorated by Alison Forrest, one of our resident cooks as well as being Chaplain for the Grange again.   The boxes will be donated to 6 families with children who are in need, identified by the local Headstart organization.  They confirm that even our generally financial comfortable communities, most of whom can afford a holiday dinner, still include a lot of families who can’t provide one for themselves.  We’re concentrating on providing ingredients for the holiday-time dinners, knowing that other organizations are collecting toys and gifts, so please bring in non-perishable foods like:
  • crackers
  • white potatoes, yellow potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams
  • canned cranberry sauce
  • pasta
  • non-alcoholic holiday beverages
  • nuts
  • stuffing mix
  • any other tasty foods–you know they will be appreciated!
We have already had donations that have let Merry Shernock buy turkeys to be added before we send them off in mid-December, and we’ll use other donations to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, etc. to be added at the last minute.   So donations by cash or check will be welcome as well!   Drop them off in the specially marked vase which is set out with the donation boxes at the Grange, or give a check to a Grange member, or mail it to the Grange postal address:  PO Box 208, Northfield Falls VT  05664.
Put the Grange Holiday Sing-Along on your calendar!
Sunday, Dec. 23rd will mark the 2nd annual get-together, just to sing holiday favorites at the Grange Hall.   Mat Nunnelly, our excellent Grange Musician, will accompany songs on the piano.   We will do our best to sing along with any seasonal songs you bring, from sacred songs of any tradition to less-than-sacred ditties about the demise of elderly relatives at the hands (or hooves) of seasonal ungulates.  We are non-denominational and non-partisan, we just like to sing!   Bring song-books or printed lyrics if you have them.
Join us from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.  We’ll provide some mulled cider–please bring some goodies to share if you can.  We’ll also provide some distractions for little ones downstairs–or they can join in the singing!
P.S.:  no judges will be present to award points for flashy singing(–or to take points away if you sing like I do–Tim)
Resolution results from State Session–and National Grange Convention wrapped up in Stowe
Dedicated readers will remember that the VT State Grange’s annual meeting, known as the “state session” was held on October 19 & 20th.  Among the work done at the session was deliberation on the many Resolutions (over 20) submitted to be voted on by the assembled delegates.  If passed, they become the official policy of the State Grange.  While the Grange is not as large as it once was (there are about 1100 members in 36 Community Granges in VT), it’s still a good talking point with your local select-board, legislators and senators if you can say that a particular position is State Grange policy.
The results of the State Session votes are now available on the CCG website:  Resolutions with Votes if you want to see how they fared.   The topics range from restricting the use to neonicitinoid pesticides (passed), to support for a minimum wage increase to $12.00 per hour (passed), to making marijuana smoking subject to the same limitations as tobacco smoking (rejected, as we were told this is already legislated policy).   Check the whole list of resolutions to see more.
Also concerning the “upper levels” of the Grange, Vermont hosted the 152nd National Convention at the Stoweflake, from Nov. 14th to 18th.   Grange members from across the country got a good dose of VT weather, with the snowstorms of last week, but as far as I know a good time was had by all.   VT State Grange officials are probably quite tired after coordinating the tours, hospitality and coffee needed by over 400 visitors!   Our Grange loaned some coffee-makers to the event, I helped to relay donated “personal care items” for homeless veterans donated by VT Granges to the Stoweflake, and Marj Power helped to iron costumes fro Grange rituals one afternoon!
Eventually, the National Grange will pass on how the Convention voted on State resolutions that affect National policy.   All resolutions start at the Community Grange level, so think about what you’d like CCG #469 to submit for next year’s State and National sessions!
It’s almost Membership Renewal Time
We know that it’s hard to keep track of everything that happens in this holiday season, with special events, special foods to prepare and eat, special songs to sing, family to entertain (or be entertained by), presents to agonize over, buy and wrap and much more.
So–we’ll be sending out a reminder to Grange members and friends soon, letting them know that as of Jan. 1st, it’s time to renew your Capital City Grange membership, or sign up for the first time!   I’ll keep sending out Grange Notes to all of you regardless of your membership status–but it really helps us to be an active Community Grange if you join us.   Help us provide community service that makes a difference, and respond when you get the membership email soon!  Then you won’t have to remember when January rolls around.

Clothing, people, celebrations and meetings–all moving through the Grange Hall

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) for October 23, 2018

New event this Saturday–11:00 to 4:00–get some “new” duds!

Come shop at the first ever Upscale Resale event! The Capital City Grange will be transformed into a pop up thrift shop and 20+ sellers will be bringing their great quality, gently new and used women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories to pass along to you at resale prices.

Some brands you’ll find will be Frye, Prana, Coach, Seven for All Mankind, True Religion, Patagonia, Lululemon, Salaam, Citizens of Humanity, and many more!

Please bring cash (a select few will accept cards and checks or PayPal) Get there right when the doors open at 11:00 am to snag the best items. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) Admission to shop is free!
Vendor booth fees are donated to Circle, the shelter for battered women in Barre.

For more information, check out the Upscale Resale Event on Facebook!
Local note–organizer Heather Cook Collins grew up behind the Grange Hall; her family owned the land behind and around the Hall for many years!

  

Guess what…the holidays are coming
The Grange meeting on Oct. 6th started making plans for the holiday season, which can’t be far off now that some snow has started to fall.
Food Boxes to make holiday meals for needy families
Once again, we are asking Grange members, Grange Hall users and friends to help us make some delicious meals possible, for families who need some help.
Please help us fill up some good-sized boxes with tasty treats of all kinds, as we did last year (see the left photo).   Cash donations will help us buy some turkeys and other fresh items–we ask you to bring in non-perishable food items to fill up the decorated boxes which will appear in the Hall very soon!
Our contacts at Washington County Head Start will easily find half-a-dozen families with children who will appreciate getting some help to have a really good celebration–help us help them!  Contact me or Merry to arrange monetary donations, or to help out.
Holiday Carol Sing will warm hearts as well as vocal cords
Last December 23rd, in the middle of a snowstorm which dropped over 6″, we still got half-a-dozen singers, who were very happy to join Grange Musician Matt Nunnelly in singing all kinds of holiday songs–from Adeste Fideles to Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, while Matt played.   We’re going to hope for better traveling weather on Sunday, Dec. 23rd this year–stay tuned for more info on the exact time!   Bring your songbooks, your warm hearts and some cookies to share, we’ll furnish some mulled cider.
State Grange session uses our “stations & staves”, ponders resolutions, and preps for the National Grange session
On Friday & Saturday, the Vermont State Grange held its 147th Annual Session at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier.  We were happy to loan our small wooden tables, known as the “stations” and the 4 “staves” which go with the Gatekeeper, Assistant Steward, Lady Assistant Steward and the Steward.  Here’s a picture showing the staves, with their symbolic tops.  Along with the stations, these were used in Grange opening and closing and other ritual work during the State Session.
So what does the State Session do?
Just like our “Community Grange” meetings, the State Session takes care of the business of running the statewide organization.   This includes 36 Community Granges, which have a total of 1,102 members, plus one Junior Grange, in Ferrisburgh, for kids aged 5-13 years old.
As part of the Grange tradition of transparency, the State Session reviewed budgets for the State officers and the various committees which organize events like the Fall Festival, Educational Aid (scholarships for Grange members and also non-members), the Grange Center in Brookfield (a “summer camp” facility which is available for rental to both members and non-members), and many others.   Voting delegates from all the Granges represented could ask questions about line items, suggest changes, and ultimately voted to accept the proposed budgets for next year.

We also discussed and voted on the Resolutions I told you about in the last Grange Notes.  On Friday, committees like Agriculture/Environment, Education/Health & Welfare, Legislative and 6 others went over Resolutions which had been proposed in their areas.  The Committees could propose re-wording of resolutions to make them more effective, and/or recommend Adoption or Rejection by the full State Session.
Each resolution was later presented to all in attendance from across the state, and delegates from each local Grange got to debate, ask questions, and ultimately vote to adopt or reject each one.  My votes were informed by the discussions we had at our October CCG meeting, and emailed input I got from one member–your voice can be heard too!
The voting on all the Resolutions will be posted on the State Grange website soon–like our website, all that work is done by volunteers.  Check there to see what the Grange decided.
We also heard about the upcoming National Grange Convention, which will happen Nov. 14th to 18th, at the Stoweflake–in Stowe as is probably obvious.  For the National Convention, the State Grange is soliciting volunteers for everything from meeting delegates at the Burlington airport, to helping with registration, being hosts at the Hospitality Room and more.   Please check out the list of things to do, and their schedules:  National Grange Convention Volunteering  Contact me to find out more, or to sign up.

If you’ve read this far, we know you are interested–thanks!

If you want more info, specifically on the contra dances put on by the Contra Dance Umbrella, we want to let you know that there is a new email newsletter from the CDU, which will send you reminders about upcoming dances, news about “Montpelier Contra Dance” nametags, any special dance events, and other dance news.
I don’t include dance news in the Grange Notes, unless there is a Grange connection–like the fundraising dance on Labor Day.  For ongoing CDU dance news, sign up by emailing CDU Newsletter, or on the Grange website Contra Dance page.

Oct. 6th: meeting, greeting & eating

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) for October 3, 2018

Window cleaning on Oct. 6th postponed–Hall is too busy

In case you heard me announce it at the Sept. 29th contra dance–we had originally hoped to do a Hall cleaning party before the Oct. 6th Grange meeting, but we’ll have to re-schedule that–there is a “Intensive Youth Musical Theater Workshop” happening, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  We’ll send out a new schedule as soon as possible.

October Grange meeting  starting at 4:15 PM on Saturday

We’re starting 15 minutes earlier than usual, so we can deal with a good-sized agenda:
  • Elections of officers:  every 2 years, we must hold Grange elections.  We’d love to have some more candidates, some of us old war-horses are getting pretty creaky!  We’ll happily train you!
  • Discussion of resolutions:  the State Grange meeting on Oct. 18 & 19 will consider proposed resolutions from Community Granges like ours.  They range from calling for more regulation of neo-nicitinoid pesticides, to changing the day of town meetings, state and national elections to Saturday, to supporting the Equal Rights Amendment, to eliminating Daylight Savings Time–and many more.   You can see more info, and download all the Resolutions at the CCG website:   2018 vt state grange proposed resolutions Let us know what you think!  I’ll have a number of printed copies for the meeting.
  • Continued discussion of how to better define the “mission” of our Grange–besides maintaining and improving the Hall, how can we best involve more people in the Grange and do more community service?  After this meeting, we provide a chance to meet the local candidates; we’ve been sponsoring cooking classes, which have been very popular–are there other new things we could do?  We’d welcome your suggestions!

After the meeting comes the greeting and the eating

The other reason that we want to start a bit early is that we want to have time to Meet the State Rep Candidates.
At the Nov. 6th election, voters in the Washington-1 district (Berlin and Northfield) will be asked to choose 2 of the 6 candidates.   We’ve invited all of them to come by about 5:45, so anyone can come  to meet them. They will be staying for the Community Potluck dinner, so you can meet them, then sit down and interrogate them over home-made food.The 6 candidates on the ballot:

  • Gordon Bock–Independent
  • Anne Donahue–Republican (unable to come because of a family reunion in PA)
  • Kenneth Goslant–Republican
  • Jeremy Hansen–Progressive/Democrat
  • Denise MacMartin–Democrat
  • Rebecca Trower–Independent

Community Potluck Dinner

Now that we are back to 1st Saturday meetings for the fall, winter and spring, you can put on your calendar the regular schedule of 1st Saturday potlucks, starting about 6:00.   This month’s dinner will have special guests, as noted above, but like all of them, it will also feature tasty dishes brought in by our Grange members and friends.  We usually have everything from chips to casseroles, salads to sweet treats.  It’s a delicious way to socialize, and to get to know your neighbors–and your State Rep candidates this time!

Completing the landscaping

A dedicated crew went back to work on the flower beds by the “new” entrance–the one added to the building in 2008, which we put in to allow access to everyone.   Take a look at the photos below, to see a few pictures of the process, from moving stones to the finished product.  There are more in the Photo Gallery at the CCG website:  http://capitalcitygrange.org/category/gallery/
This group of volunteers is pretty much the same as the one which put in the first set of flower-beds in 2017–with a new Community Service Volunteer.   The bottom right picture shows the crew with the extremely helpful Kubota, which helped us place the rocks.  From left to right:  Gerold & Carol, Ryk, Tim & Merry enjoy the late afternoon sun and a job well done.  Elizabeth had to leave before the photo, but was also a stalwart worker.
We also want to thank Ann Pearce & Carol Noyes for donating plants, and also Berlin neighbor Gale who brought over some daylilies, and offered good suggestions on the old entrance flower beds.
We’d like to recruit some more help to keep the flowers weeded and watered next year–we have an outside faucet now which will make the watering much easier!   And there is much more that could be done to improve the old flower beds by the original “dancers'” entrance, add plantings to other areas, etc.  Please contact Merry Shernock (rentals@capitalcitygrange.org) or Tim Swartz (swartztim15@gmail.com) if you’re interested.  You can do this on your own schedule, and help to improve our Grange Hall’s appearance!

Grange mission discussion, Rocky II and another community Hall

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Grange Notes for September 21, 2018 by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help)

Rocky II–corrected day = Sunday

In the last Grange Notes, I incorrectly said that the flower bed project would be on Saturday–please come on Sunday, Sept. 23rd from 1:00 to 5:00 to help us move rocks, shovel soil & plant perennials on the remaining sides of the entrance porch.
In the to picture below, see the first new planting bed, full of late-summer greenery & flowers.  We could use some help weeding this bed as well!
Below that, see the other corner–doesn’t it look naked?   A few more rocks and a little time will make it look good!
  

Dancing at the Grange Center Fall Festival–one more picture

Debby Ploof of the State Grange, who organized the Fall Festival sent me a better photo, showing the range of Grangers who enjoyed the dancing. I couldn’t resist!

Grange Meetings for the Fall began on Sept. 15th.  “Mission” is on our minds.

We had a chance to do a “summer catch-up”, reviewing all the work that has been done on the plumbing, the septic tank pumping, and the driveway re-work.   We gave the expenditures a formal approval to supplement the email discussion.  We also decided on a formal limit to the amount that can be spent between Grange meetings, with authorization from the President, the Vice President, or the Executive Committee:  $250.
We also had a good discussion of ways to make our meetings more interesting–which quickly morphed into a discussion of how to attract more people to get involved in the Grange.  This in turn moved us to begin a discussion of the mission of our Grange.  Besides maintaining a community Hall, how can we broaden our community service?  What sort of projects would the people already familiar with the Hall like to get involved in–and what other types of people could we seek to serve with new projects?
This is only the beginning of a longer discussion, I’m sure.  We would welcome input from those who read these Grange notes–send an email to:  swartztim15@gmail.com and we’ll add them to the list.  Even better, please join us at our next meeting:  Oct. 6th, at 4:30 PM.
Our October meeting will also include our every-two-years elections for Grange Officers–which brings up the point that a lot of us who are officers are, for some reason, getting older every year!   We’d love to have some new, energetic faces join us, as active members and as the officers who work to chart the course for our organization.   Much support is available–as long as we last, at least!
Also on the agenda:   discussion of the Resolutions to be voted on at the VT State Grange annual session, Oct. 19 & 20.  These will cover all sorts of areas–agricultural, state government, environmental & Grange-related.  I’ll send out PDF copies, or a link to them on the VT State Grange website as soon as I get them from the State.
And starting about 5:45, we’ll also have a chance to meet the local state rep candidates–see below:
Vermont State Capitol

Coming in October:  Meet & greet VT State Rep candidates

Following our October 6th meeting, starting about 5:45, please join us to welcome many of the candidates for the Washington-1 district, which includes Berlin and Northfield.  We have gotten confirmation from the following:
  • Gordon Bock–independent
  • Jeremy Hansen–Progressive/Democrat
  • Denise MacMartin–Democrat
  • Rebecca Trower–independent
Current incumbent Rep. Anne Donahue will be unable to attend–at a family reunion.
Kenneth Goslant has not yet replied–we’ll keep you posted!
For information on all candidates who will be on the ballot on Nov. 6th, including financial disclosure forms, check the Vermont Government website:  https://www.sec.state.vt.us/elections/candidates.aspx
These candidates will join us for our Community Potluck, starting at 6:00, so you’ll have a chance to speak with them in a relaxed fashion–and see what they like to eat, also!

Our talented tenants!

The Barretones have been making beautiful barbershop music in Central VT since 1969.   Beginning a few years ago, they have rented our Hall on Monday evenings for rehearsals.  Check them out at their annual concert, this coming weekend.

Also nearby…Open House at the (now) Stickney Barn in East Granville–Sept. 30th

The picture below is one of many which will be on display at the “Dickerman Barn”, which used to be a hall with regular dances.   The Stickney family, which now owns the property, is having an Open House, and will be showing their large trove of photos, diaries, letters and memorabilia from the decades when the Barn was a happening place.   The Barn will be open from 3:00 to 7:00.   Bring a potluck dish, and share with other Central VT folks.  And there will be a community contra dance from 5-7:00!  Check out the event on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/752503061760047/

Contact Us

Tim Swartz, President
802-225-8921 (cell)
grangepresident@capitalcitygrange.org

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