Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), May 30, 2019
Sing…sing a song…
Many of us enjoy singing, and lots of us (like me) are best heard as part of a crowd. We will follow our monthly Grange business meeting with a sing-a-long, with the aid of our Grange Musician, Mat Nunnelly, on the piano, and the enthusiastic singers of the Grange. Every meeting includes at least and Opening and Closing song, and we’re going to add to that with a more wide-ranging opportunity to exercise our vocal chords. The two songsters in the photo above are taking full advantage of their natural gifts, and we hope you will too! Our meeting runs from 4:15 to about 5:30, and will be followed by a solid half-hour of singing, and then by our…
Community Potluck, at 6:00 PM. The potluck dinner is, like the meeting and the sing-a-long, open to everyone, as the name suggests! We share the variety of foods that show up–everything from breads to soups to salads to meats, to vegetarian dishes, to drinks, to brownies or cupcakes or…whatever you bring! You need to eat something for dinner, why not make it a social occasion?
Help us put more acoustic panels together–Sunday June 2nd, 2:00 to 5:00
On our last work-party day in February, a great crew of volunteers helped us stuff acoustic batts into pre-built frames, wrap and staple acoustic fabric around the frames, attach hanging strips, and mount them on the end-wall of the Main Hall.
We’re ready to take the next steps–we will have 28 more panels ready to complete and hang by this weekend, so we’re asking for some more help.
We’ll provide some staplers, fabric scissors and rolling knives, drills, gloves, etc.
Panels will be mounted above the windows, and between some of them to see how much improvement we can make, without creating a “dead” sound. The first 18 panels made a noticeable, but insufficient difference–we were encouraged to keep expanding the area. This batch will more than double the acoustically absorbent panel area.
We’re looking for people to bring their interest in improving our Hall, and their willingness to pitch in. Please contact Tim to let us know you are coming, so we can plan for the number of volunteers. Let us know if there is something in particular you want to help with–we’ll figure out how to allocate the volunteers to get the jobs done.
Panel materials are ready to go!
Yesterday, May 29th, the acoustic batts (Roxul AFB in the picture) were finally delivered, Kurt and I completed making the panel frames and delivered them, and I brought the acoustic fabric (the wrapped roll in the center) to the Hall as well. So we’re ready for the work-party! Hope we’ll see you there!
Lost and Found–now found in a new location
Due to the success of the “Kids Trade & Play” clothing exchange, the original location of the Lost & Found shelf has been severely squeezed. CDU member Thomas Weiss, who has maintained the L&F system for the Grange and the dance community for years has been working with Grange Rental Agent Merry Shernock to pick a new spot; now the shelf has been re-established in a new place in the kitchen. If you leave something behind, please check there! Also: seeking a painter to improve the aesthetics! The Grange would like to paint the wooden shelf and the surrounding walls to make this alcove stand out. It’s a great opportunity to support the dance and the Grange Hall–please contact Merry: rentals@capitalcitygrange.org if you can help out with a couple of hours. We’ll provide the paint & brushes & cleaning supplies!
June 10th: Getting some “Community Service” clean-up help–from U-32 students
A few weeks ago, Front Porch Forum brought a notice that seniors from the U-32 High School–the union district that includes Berlin and other towns around Montpelier–would be offering community service work to local people and non-profit organizations, on Monday, June 10th. Prompted by Merry, I asked if the Grange could benefit, and then met with 2 student organizers. Our plans include outdoor clean-up–flower-beds, raking, perhaps improving the water drainage around the sign footings–possibly painting the new Lost & Found area (see above). Indoor work could include window and screen cleaning. Schedule (to be confirmed) is probably about 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Would you like to join us? As a mostly-retired person, I will have time to be the overall supervisor…but I’d love to have some other Grange friends join me! It’s an opportunity to leverage some extra help to make our Hall better looking and cleaner. Please contact me, Tim Swartz via email or phone: 802-225-8921 if you can help us out!
And don’t forget Kids Trade & Play!
Coming up again on June 8th!
The popular monthly clothing & toy exchange for kids and families happens on the 2nd Saturday of every month, all year ’round. Organizer Erin Barry & her crew of volunteers do a great job putting out the tubs of kids’ clothes, shoes, etc. on the cafeteria tables downstairs, and putting it all away afterwards. Erin usually bakes scones, and Merry makes coffee & tea for everyone. Merry also makes available information about resources for families, and gives away gun-locks for free. This month, I’ll be substituting for her, as she will be staffing a Wear Orange table at the Montpelier Farmers’ Market.