Capital City Grange

We love seeing you at the Grange ~ Can you help us keep it open and running?

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Capital City Grange#469 was chartered in Montpelier in 1914; hence the old-fashioned name. In 1952-53 the members bought a lot in Berlin and built the hall we use today. The deed belongs to CCG#469 …as long as it is active. Since 2005, when 65 dancers joined CCG#469 to save the hall from becoming a private enterprise, the members of CCG#469 have been trying really hard to actualize the progressive agrarian values established just after the Civil War by national Patrons of Husbandry.

YOUR involvement in CCG#469 meetings, events & initiatives is what we need now!! There is plenty of room for your participation, and I hope you will join us. You can see how at the bottom of this letter.

In 2019 CCG#469 will be doing KIDS TRADE & PLAY (0930-1130 on Second Saturdays) , collecting donations for Holiday Food baskets (look for donation boxes in the Hall), and the 3 rd Annual Holiday Sing-Along. We will continue our Cooking Workshops in 2019 and, if we can manage it, host an Open House/ Family Fun Day or another UPSCALE/RETAIL event , or maybe a craft fair.

And we will keep our hall an affordable/accessible venue for community use.

We will continue our regular business meetings on First Saturdays, October – June starting at 4:15pm. The agenda is always in the Grange NOTES (subscribe here capitalcitygrange.org), and usually includes singing + reports on community needs & community service, health concerns, and the building itself. This is followed at 5:30-ish by a program of public interest and, at 6-ish, with a FREE&OPEN, family-friendly potluck. EVERYONE is welcome!

Past public interest programs have included information about Central Vermont Internet, maintaining indoor air quality, health care for all and candidate forums. And of course we have traditional things like baking contests and sing-alongs

You can utilize your skills and develop new ones; CCG#469 needs someone to take over bookkeeping (“Treasurer”), program coordination (“Lecturer”) and building maintenance (“Hall Steward”). And you could wear a velvet sash! We also need to wash windows, clean the fridge, mow the grass, and get rid of the birds’ nests…to name a few chores.

To RENEW/RESUME your membership for 2019, just send your check ($30 made out to Capital City Grange#469) to PO Box 208, Northfield Falls, VT 05664. If you are a NEW member, go here http://capitalcitygrange.org and complete the form at the bottom of the page on the right. Membership = only $30/calendar year .

Mid-January update: Holiday boxes thanks, Grange cleanup, acoustics test project…and the Grange will be the new home of Dance,Sing & Jump Around!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), January 17, 2019

Grange Hall cleanup coming next Monday!

Please join us for a clean-up party on Monday, Jan. 21st!   Those of you who have been reading the Grange Notes will have seen the pictures of various parts of the Hall that show lots of dirt build-up, thanks to the busy people and active groups that use our Hall!
So we are planning a Clean-Up Day!  Coming on the Martin Luther King “Day of Service”, Monday, Jan. 21st!  This is your chance to join other Grange Hall users and friends to spiff up the Hall.   Bring some cleaning supplies, if you can, but we are mostly interested in getting you–and your friends!–to bring energy and enthusiasm to make it a productive day for all of us, leaving the Hall shining and smelling good.

We plan on working from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with time off for lunch from about Noon to 1:00 PM. Come for the morning shift, the afternoon shift, or the whole shebang!  If you can’t come and clean, but want to provide some lunch, that would be great also.

About the Martin Luther King Day of Service:  in honor of MLK and his life of work for a better America, people across the country make this holiday a day ON, not just a day OFF, by volunteering in their communities.   We are organizing this clean-up to make the Grange Hall even more welcoming and attractive.  The Grange, an all-volunteer organization, owns and maintains this Hall to serve local community organizations, families and non-profit groups.  We hope you’ll pitch in with us to make it even nicer.   Past clean-up parties have been companionable and fun–as well as productive! 
More info?   Call Tim at:  802-225-8921.

First Grange meeting of the new year features reports & new activities at the Grange Hall

Our first meeting of 2019, on Jan. 5th, brought us up to speed on a variety of issues, both within the Grange and in the wider world.
We were able to begin right on time at 4:15, the slightly earlier opening time we’ve resolved to use.  Our goal is to have time for the many items we cover in our monthly business meeting, allowing us to close the meeting by 5:30 to begin the program–which at this meeting was Rights and Democracy VT.   See the report on Kate Logan‘s talk below.   Thanks to every one who arrived on time and ready to go!

After our usual opening ceremonies, we started with an Agriculture report.    Merry passed on a suggestion from the VT State Grange newsletter, the Green Mountain Granger that Granges (and individuals) look for opportunities to purchase VT milk, for personal use and also for Food Banks, Food Shelves, etc.   A good suggestion was made by Grange members–that people who want to donate milk should check that the recipient organization has the facilities to handle fresh milk.   A better option may be to buy vouchers to allow the Food Bank or Food Shelf to purchase milk when they can distribute it.
The motivation for increasing milk purchases is the plight of dairy farmers–the market price for the milk they sell is well below the cost of production.  With prices adjusted for inflation, this is as low as the price has been since 1930!  Please keep this in mind as the winter goes on–the needy families who depend on food aid, and the farmers who produce food all continue to need our help.  Note also that the ongoing shutdown of the federal government has held up payment of the subsidies which are supposed to help farmers withstand the effects of the trade war on agricultural exports.

Our report on Grange Home Ec was brief–the baking contest this year will be your own recipe for “Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Topping”.  So there will be room for individual variations for taste, nutrition, avoidance of allergens, etc.  May is often when we have the judging, so start experimenting!

Grange Vice President Phyllis Skinnerdid a Health Concerns report went through recent research about dietary and lifestyle choices and their impact on health.  For example, on the negative side, too much grilled meat (like 15 times per month) is associated with high blood pressure.  93% of bottled water sampled contain micro-plastic fragments.  And–following sports tends to make you miserable, according to the research!  
On the positive side, eating more organic foods does reduce the risk of cancer, holding hands can help reduce pain (proven with brain-wave research), turmeric helps reduce depression (as well as joint pain), and full-fat dairy products have actually been shown to reduce heart attack and stroke.

Moving on to the Hall report, we had a good presentation from Patty Giavara, Chair of the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, or FCCGH.  She reported that the year-end fundraising campaign, via letters to past donors, has raised over $4,900 to help with Hall improvement projects!   If you want to contribute, please to to the Support the Hall page, and click the Donate button to make a contribution via Paypal or your credit card.
Patty reported on an interim project the FCCGH is planning, before we re-submit our grant proposal for the downstairs improvements.   Because of the generosity of our donors, we want to use some of the money we have raised to make a visible (and audible) impact on an ongoing problem–too much echo or “reverb” in the Grange Hall.  This makes it difficult to understand spoken words in meetings or from speakers, as well as dance callers at contra & other dances.  
The Friends are planning to buy materials to make 18 acoustic panels, which will be hung on the South wall, opposite the stage, as a test for reduced reverb and acoustic improvements.  We’ll announce a work-party to do the assembly and installation when we have the plans finalized.  This initial test will be followed by meeting with a variety of Grange-using groups, to see if these have had the positive impact we hope for, and to seek feedback (not the audible kind) on next steps.  Additional panels can be made to increase the covered area, and panels can be put on other walls if that seems indicated.  Please contact Patty:  pattycope@comcast.net if you want to help out with planning, constructing, hanging or evaluating this acoustic panel trial.  See below for a drawing showing the planned location of our trial panels!

Note that the panels are shown as dark only for this drawing!   Actual color will be light.

The Grange meeting also was asked if the Grange could sponsor a dance series for small children, Dance, Sing & Jump Around, which has been organized by Grange members Liz Benjamin and Merry Shernock for the last few years.   The rent for their previous location at the Plainfield Opera House has gone up.  That venue also has poor parking located across Rt. 2 in the middle of Plainfield.  They asked if they could move to the Grange, a more central location, with great parking as well–and a great place to dance, by actual test.   The DS&JA events are held once a month from November through April, on the 2nd Sunday afternoons of those months, from 3:00 to 4:30.   The Grange voted unanimously to sponsor this series, which brings together children from about 3 to 8 years old, who bring along parents, grandparents and friends.  It’s an all-volunteer operation, with Liz Benjamin and Stan Carlson doing the calling, and a variety of local volunteer musicians, which have included Fran & John Mallery, Joanne Garton & students, Aaron Marcus and others.  For more information, or to make a tax-deductible donation to the dance, visit the Dance Sing & Jump Around website!  Spread the word about the Feb. 10th dance, from 3 to 4:30 PM, which will be the first at the Grange Hall.

After we closed our business meeting, we got to visit with Kate Logan, director of Programming & Policy Development for Rights and Democracy of VT, our speaker for the program.   She gave us a brief history of this relatively new organization, which was founded in 2016.  RaDVT brought together people from the Workers’ Center of VT, plus people from the environmental justice and labor movements.   The goal was to set up an organization that can provide political pressure by helping to elect candidates for local and state offices who support the progressive agenda of RaDVT.  They want to develop more candidates from the grassroots, by providing workshops, training and organizing help to encourage committed people to run for various offices.  They also have created a “People’s Lobby” to promote the positions and values of RaDVT in the legislature–and are providing workshops to give people the skills to effectively lobby their own representatives and senators.  Their goal is to have 10-20,000 members in VT, and about double that in their partner organization in NH, with 200,000 people getting news updates through RaD.   As partners with national organizations Center for Popular Democracy, People’s Action and Our Revolution, they aim to build a national network of grassroots political activism, planning for success through electing committed candidates, and supporting them politically and financially.

After Kate  made her presentation, she joined about 30 or 35 people who came for the potluck dinner–one of our best turnouts yet.  Hope we’ll see you at the next Grange meeting and/or the potluck dinner, on Feb. 2nd!   See the food line in the picture below.

Holiday box appreciation!

We got a nice note from our contact at Head Start (part of Capstone Community Action of Washington County), about the impact of the 6 holiday boxes which the Grange donated just before Xmas.   They went to 6 families with kids, selected by Head Start.  Here’s what they said:
Hi Merry,
I just wanted to let you and the others who helped put the food boxes together, how much the families appreciated them!
We have asked the families for feedback/ suggestions and got nothing but positive comments such as, “awesome’, “wouldn’t have changed a thing”, “loved it!”, and “kids loved getting a pie.” The flowers were a nice touch!

Thanks again for all your hard work!

How did these boxes happen?  Merry Shernock used financial contributions from Kids Trade ‘n’ Play, a family that used the Grange Hall for a holiday meal, plus individual contributions to purchase frozen turkeys, roasting pans, pie crusts and fillings for chocolate pie (see the thank-you not for special appreciation for the pie), among many other celebratory items.   She also sorted out all the ingredients for the boxes, and solicited deals from grocery stores–including the donated flower centerpieces.  Some food was brought in by Grange members and other Hall users.  Erin Barry brought in chocolate donated by Nutty Steph.  Alison Forrest made the decorated boxes.   
I’m sure we will repeat this project for the next holiday season–we’d love to have more donations and more help assembling the boxes.  We could do boxes for more families, with more help–we’ll put you on the list if you contact us!
Below is a picture of the assembled food for a family–including a box of non-refrigerated items, and a roasting pan filled with refrigerated foodstuffs.

Happy New Year! Time to re-start our engines at the Grange–join us for our next meeting on Saturday, Jan 5!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), January 2, 2019

First Grange meeting of the new year: Saturday, January 5th, 4:15 PM

We’ll have our monthly meeting this coming Saturday, and welcome anyone to come and join us.  The meeting will feature the usual sing-alongs that we always enjoy–sneaky of the Grange founders to include them in the prescribed rituals for opening and closing meetings!
We’ll also have updated reports on finances from our Treasurer, Merry Shernock, and on the upcoming Legislative session, from our Legislative liaison, Marj Power.   The Hall report will give an update on the fundraising by the Friends, and the plans to experiment with acoustic panels to reduce the reverberation that sometimes makes it hard to understand speakers in meetings, or callers at contra-dances.  We’ll be talking about membership–look for a special message asking you to join (or re-join) the Grange for 2019 in your e-mailbox soon!
After the business (and fun) meeting, we’ll have a program by a VT organization, “Rights and Democracy” which seeks to raise up VT’s working families and democratic rights, working to promote and actively use the tools of democracy.   From their website, I can see that they have projects to support paid family & medical leave for workers, universal health care, clean water, equitable work against climate change–a range of issues joined by the importance of equal opportunity and equity in all of them.  You can learn more at their website:  Rights and Democracy VT
Come about 5:30 to hear Kate Logan, one of their Program Directors tell about the “People’s Lobby” that RaDVT has established at the State House, about the prospects for legislation they’re focused on, and  to answer questions about their campaigns and how to get involved.

And then stay for the Community Potluck Dinner, at about 6:00, where you can share both good food and good conversation with everyone who has come for the meeting, the program, or for the contra dance that starts a bit later!   Kate Logan will be there, hope you will too!

P.S.  we want to start right at 4:15, to make sure we have time for our program and plenty of time to eat!

Did you hear what I heard?   If you were at the Grange Hall on Dec. 23rd, you certainly did! 

     

  

We had lots of singers, a busy craft table, lyrics projected, lots of tasty snacks, piano & guitar accompanists…and an on-stage dancer!

Our 2nd annual Holiday Carol Sing was at least 6 times bigger than last year–many thanks to the 30 or 40 or 50 people who came–it was hard to keep track!
We owe thanks to a lot of folks for making this possible:
  • “Marathon Man” Matt Nunnelly was glued to the piano bench for the whole 2 hours, leading us in a wide variety of tunes.
  • Intrepid Internet lyric-hunter Charles Mayhood had a large number of lyrics loaded on a laptop, and was able to search out others when audience members requested them!
  • Charles also provided decorations and lights, which increased the holiday feeling.  He also made the poster for the event.
  • Ben Ducadeli donated a projector for Charles to use–and told us the Grange can keep it.   We’ll use it for sing-alongs at Grange meetings as well as future Holiday events!
  • Ben and Charles set up the Grange with floor mats, tables for food, and the projector & screen before anyone else arrived
  • Many participants brought treats to share–Swedish Kringla, gingerbread, brownies, chocolates, muffins and deviled eggs–by no means a complete list.
  • The crafts table was a big hit with kids, making simple, attractive holiday ornaments kids could display with pride.   Thanks to Wendy, who set it up and kept all involved!
  • Merry Shernock did a lot of publicity, sending out notices to everyone, putting up posters and encouraging everyone to come.
All in all, it was a great pleasure to have so many people pitch in, and even more come to enjoy singing together.

    

  

New Year, New Hall Clean-up!

Now that I’ve taken pictures of some of the less-attractive parts of the Grange Hall, I’m looking forward to getting new shots of these same areas, cleaned up!
How many of these places can you identify?  Scroll down to the bottom of this part of the message to see where these are.
So, as I announced in the last Grange Notes, before Christmas, we are planning a Clean-Up Day!  Coming on the Martin Luther King “Day of Service”, Monday, Jan. 21st!  Your chance to join other Grange Hall users and friends to spiff up the Hall!   Bring your favorite cleaning supplies–things like:
  • Glass cleaner, squeegees, rags
  • Vacuum cleaner(s)
  • Buckets
  • All-purpose cleaners
  • Dust mops
  • Wet mops
  • Rubber/nitrile gloves
  • Snacks and beverages
  • Your favorite cleaning music!

We’ll supply some of all of these supplies and tools, but help us out by bringing your favorites!  We are mostly interested in getting you–and your friends!–to bring energy and enthusiasm to make it a productive day for all of us, leaving the Hall shining and smelling good.

We plan on working from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with time off for lunch from about Noon to 1:00 PM. Come for the morning shift, the afternoon shift, or the whole shebang!  If you can’t come and clean, but want to provide some lunch, that would be great also.

About the Martin Luther King Day of Service:  in honor of MLK and his life of work for a better America, people across the country make this holiday a day ON, not just a day OFF, by volunteering in their communities.   We are organizing this clean-up to make the Grange Hall even more welcoming and attractive.  The Grange, an all-volunteer organization, owns and maintains this Hall to serve local community organizations, families and non-profit groups.  We hope you’ll pitch in with us to make it even nicer.   More info?   Call Tim at:  802-225-8921.
Where are those dirty places?  From top left to bottom right:

  • Fuzzy light fixture in the Main Hall.
  • Sand and grit that have fallen from through the floor above onto the light-diffusers in the lower level.
  • Dusty screen and dirty window in the Main Hall.
  • “Something” spilled in the freezer.
  • Window blinds with accumulated dust
And it’s hard to take a picture which shows the dirt on the windows themselves, but it’s easy to see with human eyes!    We can make a real difference…and have a good time doing it.  Hope you can come!

Quarter notes roasting, on an open piano….

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

As a Cub Scout leader once said, you don’t have to be good, you just have to be LOUD…
Join us for the Second Annual Holiday Sing-along

We’ll gather ’round the piano, share our favorite holiday songs, some mulled cider and snacks.

Kick off Christmas week with some non-sectarian, non-denominational, non-partisan, yet strangely enjoyable community singing!  This coming Sunday, 4-6 PM will find us in the Hall and ready to sing with YOU!

Everyone has a favorite song for this time of year–it need not be a “traditional” Christmas carol–could be a pop song that reminds you of the holidays, a unique family favorite that you want to share, just bring your enthusiastic voice, some lyrics if you can (or bring your smartphone if you want to use our free WiFi connection to look ’em up), and your willingness to be part of a musical celebration.  Bring some snacks or cookies to share, if you want.

We’ll provide the Grange Musician, Mat Nunnelley, who is skilled at accompanying Grange members at our regular meetings, and loves Christmas songs as well.  We’ll also mull some cider, provide some kids’ crafts for those that don’t want to sing along, provide some lyric sheets for a few songs at least, and a warm Hall for a community song-fest.

If you’ve been to a Grange meeting, you know that we sing at least a couple of songs every time–it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of the meeting!   Now’s your chance to be part of the fun!

Holiday Meal Food Boxes–being filled with the last items

As I write this on the 19th of December, Merry Shernock has just finished purchasing some more supplies to complete filling the 6 Holiday Boxes, which will be picked up by our co-conspirators at Head Start/Washington County tomorrow, Dec. 20th.

We got some food donations dropped off in the boxes by Grange Hall members and tenants, plus some generous monetary donations.  Merry already bought 6 turkeys & roasting pans, and has used the rest of the cash to buy a few more items (especially perishables) to make for festive holiday meals.   The families which receive these can prepare their own feasts, plus having some more treats for the rest of the season.

We want to express special thanks to the patrons of “Kids Trade ‘N’ Play”, and to the Premont extended family that celebrated Thanksgiving at the Grange Hall.   Generous cash donations from these Grange users enable us to really fill up the festive “dinner boxes”, made by Alison Forrest.  Chocolates donated by Nutty Steph will be an extra special treat.

One of the original Grange values is to “dispense Charity“–living our lives so that we can share resources with others who need it, instead of thinking always of “more for me”.   Thanks to everyone who brought in food, or donated cash, or donated a special item!

Here’s the list of the items that fill up each of the boxes:
Frozen turkey, onions, potatoes, yams, clementines & apples, mac & cheese mix, chicken soup, pancake mix & syrup, 3 sticks of butter, pie crust & chocolate pie filling, salad mix & dressing, matzo crackers, pineapple chunks, cranberry relish, crackers, Nightly Calming herb tea–plus a centerpiece for the table, courtesy of an anonymous donor!

Below, see pictures of the boxes, and the refrigerator and freezer stuffed with the chilled items, waiting to be picked up!

        

Another “Grange Tradition” event to put on your calendar:  Hall Clean-up!

Every year or so, we need to provide some TLC (tender loving cleaning) to the Grange Hall.  Our cleaning service cleans the bathrooms and the floors of the foyers–but that leaves a number of areas untouched.  Have you noticed a layer of dust on the lights in the Main Hall?   Dust and dead flies in some of the windows?  Smears on the glass and dust on the blinds?  Spilled food in the freezer?
Coming on the Martin Luther King “Day of Service”, Monday, Jan. 21st!  Your chance to join other Grange Hall users and friends to spiff up the Hall!   Bring your favorite cleaning supplies–things like:
  • Glass cleaner, squeegees, rags
  • Vacuum cleaner(s)
  • Buckets
  • All-purpose cleaners
  • Dust mops
  • Wet mops
  • Rubber/nitrile gloves
  • Snacks and beverages
  • Your favorite cleaning music!
We’ll supply some of all of these supplies and tools, but help us out by bringing your favorites!  We are mostly interested in getting you–and your friends!–to bring energy and enthusiasm to make it a productive day for all of us, leaving the Hall shining and smelling good.

We plan on working from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with time off for lunch from about Noon to 1:00 PM. Come for the morning shift, the afternoon shift, or the whole shebang!  If you can’t come and clean, but want to provide some lunch, that would be great also.

About the Martin Luther King Day of Service:  in honor of MLK and his life of work for a better America, people across the country make this holiday a day ON, not just a day OFF, by volunteering in their communities.   We are organizing this clean-up to make the Grange Hall even more welcoming and attractive.  The Grange, an all-volunteer organization, owns and maintains this Hall to serve local community organizations, families and non-profit groups.  We hope you’ll pitch in with us to make it even nicer.   More info?   Call Tim at:  802-225-8921.

VT Community Loan Fund:  using the Grange investment and more to support Vermont businesses and communities

One of the highlights of our December Grange Meeting was a presentation by Jake Ide, the director for Investments and Philanthropy of the VCLF.   As you may have heard, the CCG has invested part of our “Rainy Day” fund in the VCLF.  We invited Jake to tell us what our money may be used for, and about the work of the Loan Fund in general.

Jake gave a brief slide-show about the 30 year history of the VCLF, describing their flexible lending policies and diversity of their loans, and their desire to help build community institutions.  They focus on providing loans that will foster jobs, affordable housing, quality health care, natural resources, working landscapes, downtown-located businesses and organizations, child care programs large and small, and much more.

Examples:  among their borrowers is the Champlain Housing Trust, one of the largest in the US, which has developed 92 houses, and served 11,000 residents over many years.  They also helped Fat Toad Farm, in Brookfield to develop their goat’s milk caramel production!

The Loan Fund has made 275 loans, totaling over $105 million since being formed in 1986, with about $30 million on average out on loan.  A large part of the money which they loan out comes from philanthropic funds–but 45% comes from individuals, an unusually high proportion compared to similar loan funds across the U.S.  A lot of Vermonters seem to agree with their philosophy that financial returns should be only one consideration for an investor–their focus is on the community return.  Their goal is to do more than just provide interest income.

It’s important to note that the VCLF has never failed to repay an investor–a major consideration when our Grange decided to invest $5,000 in the VCLF, with a 10 year commitment.  They assured us that if we suddenly needed the money, we can arrange to withdraw it early–for example, if the roof blew off.  As we learned about the VCLF, we gained a lot of confidence that they share another Grange value–Grangers are “noted for Fidelity”.   This includes making and keeping commitments, and handling finances openly and honestly.  We decided the VCLF was a safe place to invest.

Once money is donated or invested in the Fund, it is loaned out to worthy borrowers.  As loans are paid back to the Fund, the money is again loaned out to the next qualified organization or business, keeping Vermont money circulating and building Vermont communities.
In addition to making loans to borrowers, the VCLF operates a no-charge business resource center to help them operate more efficiently, and more effectively–which of course helps to keep the loan payments coming back.

Want to learn more?  Their website:  InvestinVermont.org has much more information about their history, their loans and the resources they can offer.  We enjoyed meeting and speaking with Jake Ide, who also shared our potluck dinner!

 

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.

Contact Us

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

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