Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), July 12, 2020
On May 29th the robins had eggs in this nest…by June 23rd the fledglings were about ready to fly!
Remember when we used to have Grange Meetings? In the Grange Hall?
Now that we are allowing other Hall users to meet in the Hall, and as Vermont continues to do a very good job following health guidelines and keeping COVID infections low, it seems like it’s time to try out meeting (safely) in person.
On July 18th, this coming Saturday, at 4:30, all those who want to can join us for a socially-distanced, masked meeting. Anyone who prefers to stay at home is welcome to join us via Zoom–we’ll project the Zoom meeting on the screen in the Hall, and see how a “hybrid meeting” works. No one should feel pressure to attend in person–the safety of everyone is our first concern!
In addition to requiring masks and social distancing, we’ll have the ceiling fan on, and the windows open to keep fresh air moving, in accordance with the best advice on reducing risks of transmission.
We won’t have a speaker or program, but will spend time catching up with how we are all faring during this strange and difficult part of our lives, and will also be looking at the finances & rental policies of the Grange as we navigate this slow time. This meeting will not be a formal Grange meeting using the usual ritual; we will concentrate on communicating safely and personally–without physical contact, but renewing our friendships mask-to-mask!
We won’t be able to have a potluck dinner….but whoever wants to bring a picnic dinner for themselves can do so. We’ll see how to best set up to enjoy eating together, with sufficient distance between family groups.
Hope you can join us! You need not be a Grange member to attend!
Finishing the painting, with Tim and the Ellens!
Alert readers will remember that I asked for (socially distant) help to complete the painting of the lower level. I was able to get that help from not one, but 2 Ellens!
Ellen Marsden and I put the first coat of the new paint color on the bathroom, kitchen and fire-stair walls; Ellen Holmes-Henry helped me put on the 2nd coat to get good coverage. I finished touch-up painting on the new trim, and re-painted the older trim with a new coat of the same white, semi-gloss. It looks pretty good–if you come for the meeting you can check out the lower level!
We are not allowing Grange renters to use the lower level yet, due to the difficulty of providing good ventilation, nor are we allowing use of the kitchen, but we will have a great meeting/eating/celebrating facility when we are able to open it up.
Basement window trim–upgrade!
Kurt Giavara offered to purchase new, plastic lumber for exterior trim on the 6 windows on the East side–facing the parking lot–and to help to install it! He said the sad condition of the old wood trim was ugly and depressing…as you can see in the upper photo below. Below that, you will see Kurt trimming off one of the rotting sills with his wonderful flush-cutting Fein tool, the windows stripped of all their trim, and two of the newly-trimmed windows. We also foamed the spaces around the old frames, and caulked and sealed the new trim in place. No painting will be needed!
This will be another area of improvement to admire, if you can come to the Hall for the Saturday meeting–or just stop by if you’re nearby, of course.