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

January 5, 2019 by Tova

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….

December 28, 2018 by Tova

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!

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?

December 6, 2018 by Tova

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!

December 6, 2018 by Tova

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

November 18, 2018 by Tova

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.