Capital City Grange

New Year’s Eve at the Grange–have a ball! With lots of balls!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, December 27, 2017

New Year’s Eve brings a new look to the Grange Hall and the Contra Dance
It’s the first time since 2011, and it won’t happen again until2022.  December 31st, 2016 happens on a Saturday–and of course it is a 5th Saturday, so you can dance until next year at the CDU dance.   For many years, the CDU has brought dancing and fun and special events to the Grange Hall; this year we’ll have extra dancing, and extrafood and extra special effects for this extra-special 5th Saturday Contra Dance.
          Nils Fredland  and Frost and Fire will provide dance calling and music, lasting until midnight by special arrangement.   We’ll have a dessert potluck to share sweet and savory treats…and for the last hour, we’ll have disco ball dancing to put some extra sparkle in your evening.   At midnight, we will give you our take on a ball drop, a lot like Times Square–but not exactly.   It’s not exactly a traditional contra dance look either…but it’s fun!
All this is being put on by the Contra Dance Umbrella, and will cost no more than the usual admission–$9.00 per adult, $5.00 for dancers 15 & under.  It’s a chance to strut your stuff to great live music from a great band, with dances called by a great caller, at a great local hall, with great, friendly dancers!
We sure hope you will bring a friend to this extra-special community dance party.  Our welcoming dance community is always happy to have new dancers, and it’s a great way to have fun with your friend(s)!
The music and dancing start at 8:00 PM, and go past midnight!
Want to hear more from the band and caller?  Check out the music onhttps://www.frostandfireband.com, and learn about Nils’ many talents at https://www.nilsfredland.org

Community celebration: New Year’s Eve dance at the Grange!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, December 18, 2016

A special dance to welcome the new year–by having fun with your friends, family and loved ones!

The CDU contra dance on December 31 features a favorite band, a favorite caller, a favorite dessert potluck at the break, and an extra hour of dancing!   All for the same low price as other CDU dances:  $9.oo per adult, $5.00 for 15 and under.   Plus a special event at the stroke of midnight, unique to the Grange on New Year’s Eve!  Our band Frost and Fire, and our caller, Nils Fredland have agreed to play and call longer than usual, to celebrate the advent of 2017, from 8:00 all the way to midnight!
If you’re reading these Notes, you know that the Grange is a place where people do things together, to enrich all of our lives–so bring a friend to enjoy this community dance party.  Our welcoming dance community is always happy to have new dancers, and it’s a great way to have fun with your friend(s)!
At the usual “break” in the dance, we’ll have a dessert potluck to keep up our energy–bring your favorite treat to share–from sweet to savory.
Want to hear more from the band and caller?  Check out the music on https://www.frostandfireband.com, and learn about Nils’ many talents at https://www.nilsfredland.org
frostandfire    nilsfredlanddecember2016    dessertpotluck

December Grange Meeting report

Our monthly Grange meeting happened on Saturday, Dec. 3rd; we got our usual set of reports on various topics, and followed with a special holiday sing-along. We heard from Marj Power about the local elections–we all know what happened on the national scene!  Notably, long-term State Senator Bill Doyle, who has served 24 terms as a VT legislator has decided to not contest the close count which resulted in the election of Francis Brooks as the new Senator from Washington County, joining Ann Cummings and Anthony Pollina.   Former Senator Boyle has been a strong supporter of the Grange, and will always be appreciated for his support of our grant applications.  He’ll always be welcome at our potluck dinners, too!
We also got an update of our Community Service report; our Community Service organizer Merry Shernock has prepared a display to encourage participation in our projects, based on the remarks which Adlai Stevenson made after Eleanor Roosevelt’s death–see the pictures below.  Here is the list of suggestions:

Donate Money . . .

  • $3 ~ sponsor a family at KIDS TRADE & PLAY ( clothing & gear exchange 2nd Saturdays).
  • $20 ~ sponsor a family at FAMILY FUN DAY  (January 22, 2017).
  • $100 ~ ‘match’ for the next Hall Improvement Grant.

Here’s how:  click DONATE at www.capitalcitygrange.org

Give of yourself . . .

  • KT&P fiber recycling (2ndSaturdays).
  • Light Carpentry Projects
  • Manage SOCIAL MEDIA for CCG#469.
  • Bring HomeShare Now participant to CCG event (part of CCG#469 + Onion River Exchange + HomeShare Now! working together)
  • Or join CCG#469 – learn more ways to help others

WWW.CAPITALCITYGRANGE.ORG
802.229-9425 ~ merrykaysings@gmail.com

Merry has also been learning to make QuickBooks work for the Grange, as our new Treasurer–if you’d like to be part of this transition, and eventually to take over the job once she has figured out best ways to automate parts of the job, contact her!
Our meeting was followed by a special singalong, led by our Grange Musician, Matt Nunnelly playing piano, and Alison Forrest leading singing with everyone.   The songs included some of the standards, plus some less-usual ones–like the Leonard Cohen song “Hallelujah”.
More people joined us for the potluck dinner, as well–A good time was had by all!
Put the next meeting on your calendar–January 7th–just one week after the New Year’s Eve special dance described above.
Between now and then, enjoy the holidays.

shewouldrather  candlesinaheart

We give thanks! November improvements, December’s plans, better driveway & parking lot–ready for winter?

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, November 27, 2016

Grange Meeting on Saturday, Dec. 3rd–getting ready for the winter, and a holiday sing-a-long with a difference!
Followed by a Community Potluck Dinner!

Our monthly Grange meeting will build on our decisions in November, and will look forward to the future.   We will give thanks for the people who have worked on improving the community and the Grange–I’ve listed a few lower down in these notes, but it will just be the tip of the iceberg.  Who do you think we should honor?
We’ll also get an update of our Community Service report; our November meeting featured a presentation by Patty Paola, Volunteer Coordinator from the Home Share Now organization, which has partnered with the Onion River Exchange to provide volunteer opportunities.   Patty explained about the Home Share program, which matches people needing affordable housing with seniors (55 and older, and/or disabled) who need help to be able to live independently in their own homes.  Needs and abilities vary with individuals, both home seekers and home providers.  Volunteers “fill in the gaps”, getting matched up with the help of Patty.   Examples of services that could be needed include:
  • Meal preparation
  • Help with grocery shopping
  • Transportation to Dr. appointments
  • Shovel snow from a walk
  • Light household chores
  • Bringing people to social events–like the Grange programs and potluck dinners!
Volunteers are screened–including a background check (at no charge).  Patty also discussed the benefits of volunteering, which have been documented in multiple studies–better health, increased feelings of self-worth–and the satisfaction of “making a difference”!  Contact Patty to learn more:  Phone:  (802) 479-8544 or email:  https://info@homesharenow.org 
       Our December 3rd meeting will feature the first reports produced by the QuickBooks program the Grange has purchased, to manage and monitor our income and payments.   At our November meeting, we accepted the official resignation of Les Skinner, and officially elected Merry Shernock to the post of Treasurer.
We’ll enjoy a sing-along starting at about 5:30, with Grange Musician Matt Nunnelley leading us in familiar songs–as well as some less “traditional” ones that we think will fit in the holiday season.    This is a chance to exercise your vocal cords and harmonic talents–as my son’s Cub Scout leader used to say, it’s not important to sing well, as long as you sing LOUD!  Here are some of the songs on the list:
My Favorite Things
Jingle Bells
Hallelujah (the Leonard Cohen song)
Over the River and Through the Woods
This Little Light of Mine
The Christmas Song (Which includes “chestnuts roasting….” to get us ready for….
The Community Potluck Dinner, which will start about 6:00.  We invite people from all around Central Vermont to join us for this as well as the singing.   Help us put on an especially good spread by bringing your favorite dish to share.  After dinner, of course, you can also stay for the next CDU dance at 8:00!

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Parking lot and driveway–re-graded just in time for winter!

parkinglot   driveway

We are pleased to have a newly improved driveway and parking lot.  We needed  to repair the eroded driveway, and to improve the parking lot to reduce the chance of more erosion there.   We contracted with Matt Dwyer, who previously filled in the gully that was invading our parking lot. Matt works on getting water to spread out and slow down as it runs off, rather than concentrating in channels which can lead to more erosion.  On Friday, Nov. 18th he added crushed granite to the parking lot outside the new entrance, and created a shallower, flatter slope to spread out the flow of water through the parking area.  He re-graded the driveway to slope gently sideways–to the Hall side at the top, and to the road side farther down.  He used his newly acquired compactor to make sure it will stay in place better.  We appreciate that he got the work done before the winter storms that started on the 20th!  The white in the lower picture is the crushed granite, not snow!

Giving thanks to the people who make the Grange what it is–and what we want it to become!

The recent holiday is a great reason to publicly thank some of those who have made special efforts and improvements in our organization, as well as our property and Hall.
The most visible recent change at the Grange Hall is  the re-worked driveway and parking lot–see the pictures and article above!  Thanks to Matt Dwyer for keeping us from washing away!
Thanks to Les Skinner, who has graciously stepped down from the post of Treasurer, after 73 years as a Grange officer.  As many of you know, Les kept this Grange going for years, acting as Master, Treasurer, Rental Agent, Hall maintenance organizer and much more.   Bringing in affiliate members from the Worcester Grange was all that kept CCG #469 afloat with enough Grangers to achieve a 7-member quorum for meetings.  Eventually, he convinced Grange tenants from the various dance communities that we had to join in the work of the Grange if we wanted to keep the Hall and the community-building activities it fosters going.  He has generously shared his experience since then, and will continue to do so.
Thanks to Merry Shernock, who has taken on being Treasurer, and has recruited Justin Sargent, an accountant (and dancer) to set up QuickBooks for the Grange.  Justin has also entered the checkbook records from the first 9 months of this year into QB, so we can start with a meaningful set of records!   There is much to learn about the system, and possible ways we can set it up to make and receive payments, as well as tracking rental payments, expenses, and much more.
Thanks to Bill Chidsey, who has done a full annual service on the furnace at the Hall–the same furnace he rebuilt for us a couple of years ago, getting us ready for winter.   He also installed WiFi enabled thermostats on both floors, which let us program a week in advance and monitor them.  He organizws the volunteer demolition of the old bathrooms, installed a new oil tank in a new location and much more.    Because of his responsibilities for his aging mother, Bill has moved out of central VT, and he requested a “demit” at our November meeting so he can officially transfer his membership to Upper Valley Grange in Norwich.  We accepted his request, with regrets.
Thanks to Erin Berry, who has grown Kids Trade & Play into an enduring family-supporting event, happening every 2nd Saturday for over a year.  It attracts dozens of families, and provides socializing and support, as well as clothes and toys for kids.
Thanks to Patty Giavara, Chair of the Friends of the Capital City Grange, who encourages us to think strategically about finances, paints signs like the Potluck sign now hanging on the side of the Grange sign, and is a hard worker on all sorts of projects.
Thanks also to Nancy Turner, who has taken on the job of interim Treasurer for the FCCGH, as well as being our grant-writing expert and vital board member.
Thanks to Alison Forrest, Marisa Keller, Joe Blakely, Hap, Todd Taska & Lewis Neill (who contributed the rolling scaffold) for painting the Grange Hall this summer, both inside (the entire main Hall!) and starting the scraping and painting of the outside!
An extra note about Lewis Neill–he has constructed a functioning model of a water-powered saw-mill, which has been on display at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier–it’s really cool!  Lewis and Maudean Neill are keen historians of the local area, and additional posters about local businesses and historical items are at the KHL now–check them out!
Thanks to John Mallery who filled in admirably as Musician for November’s meeting, when Matt was unavailable.   Also, John and Alana Norway collaborated to repair the magnetic hold-open on the fire door at the bottom of the basement stairs last month.
Thanks to Liz Benjamin, who has generously donated Onion River Exchange Hours to the CCG!  We have a starting balance thanks to Liz–and you can donate to us as well!
As you can see, the work of keeping the CCG going, and the Hall in good shape requires lots of hands, hearts and minds–there’s lots that goes on behind what you see–and room for more ideas and energy–contact us or come to a meeting to learn how you can get involved–and I’ll be happy to thank youpublicly too!

November 5th is coming, time for the Grange meeting and Community Potluck–plus photos from the Costume Contest!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, November 1, 2016

Grange Meeting on Saturday, Nov. 5th–learn about more than dancing at the Grange Hall!
And come for Community Potluck Dinner!
Our monthly Grange meeting will start at 4:30 this coming Saturday, following our usual pattern of meeting on the 1st Saturday.  We’ll hear our usual round of reports about Agriculture, Legislative,Health Concerns and the Hall, and will begin a regular focus on Community Service, and how the Grange can help youget involved.   As dedicated Grange Notes readers will know, Merry Shernock, in addition to being our volunteer Rental Agent, has been organizing contacts with Onion River Exchange, the Central VT Time Bank, and promoting ways that Grange members can do good works, and also earn “hours” for the Grange.  At this meeting, we’ll have a “guest speaker” from the Home Share Noworganization, which has partnered with the O.R.E. to solicit volunteers to donate time for the benefit of the seniors involved in Home Share programs.   Patty Paola, Volunteer Coordinator, will introduce their “G.I.F.T” (Giving Is From the Heart) program, as well as answering questions about how their organization solicits and supports volunteers.
We’ll also be taking care of some Grange business, of course, this time focusing on a transition in the Treasurer’s office, as we thank and honor Les Skinner, who has been a mainstay of the CCG as Master and Treasurer for at least 2 decades!  At age 89, Les is finally willing to give up the sash which goes with the Treasurer’s office, while Merry is ready to work with an accountant to set up electronic banking and recordkeeping, as well as online payment systems.  If you want to help out with this transition, come and talk to us!
And as always, we’ll start and end the meeting with a song, hope you will come and sing along with us.
We are promoting the usual post-meeting potluck dinner, which is always a good time to socialize, starting at 6:00 PM.   We are re-branding it as the Community Potluck Dinner, and inviting people from all around Central Vermont to join us.   Help us put on an especially good spread by bringing your favorite dish to share.  After dinner, of course, you can also stay for the next CDU dance at 8:00!
Making the most of the Halloween Costume Contra
A happy crowd came prepared to have a good time on Saturday night, with costumes ranging from the simple to complex, and characters from vegetative to eerie.   My photos, as usual, don’t do as good a job as I wish to give a good sense of the inventiveness, humor and dedication to detail which was exemplified by the crowd.  Merry and I did our best to pick a range of themes and winners for our locally-produced honey prizes–everything from The Greenest Man to the Electric Allemande, with the Most Magical combo from Hogwarts, a Left-Hand Star to keep the dance motif, and a Father and his wayward beauty.
Luke Donforth, with his rebus–can you read it?  (here’s a hint–you can dance to it)–called interesting dances, including a Grand March to display the costumes, and Tempest (in costumes as well) brought a diversity of tunes, musical styles and tempos that kept the revelers dancing until the end of the evening.
If you weren’t able to come, mark your calendars for Halloween 2020–October 31st that year will be the next 5th Saturday in an October, and hence the next Costume Contra in the CDU series!
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Will you recognize your friends on Saturday night? Will you recognize your…..partner?

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, October 26, 2016

The last chance for a few years….
…will come this Saturday, and then not until 2020.    That will be the next year for a Halloween Contra Dance in the CDU series…because that will be the next year with a 5th Saturday in October.   SOOOOO—-you’d better take your chances in the HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST this year!–this weekend! On October 29th!  With Luke Donforth calling and Tempest playing for the dancing!

As we have before, Merry and I will pick some excellent costumes from the multitude of creative choices we expect–and we’ll be giving out prizes!  What will the categories be?   You’ll have to wait and see, because we won’t know until we see who–or what–shows up.   We will give out prizes, and bragging rights, but mostly we will all have fun…Which is one of the things the Grange is about!  Join us on Saturday evening!

Grange meeting on Nov. 5th, and the moving  of the Treasurers
Once you have gotten the dreams (and nightmares) of Halloween out of your system, come on back to the Grange Hall on the following Saturday, to join us in guiding the CCG into the future.   As you may have gathered, keeping our Grange and our Hall going don’t just happen–it’s a participatory sport, and we’d love to have you on the team!
At this month’s meeting, we will be proposing a change in our financial management team, as long-time Grange stalwart Les Skinner passes on the responsibility of Grange Treasurer.    For many years, Les has served the Grange, including about 15 or 20 years as Master and 10 more as Treasurere; at age 89, he is finally ready to pass on the Treasurer’s sash, while still retaining the right to express his opinions!
Merry Shernock has volunteered to serve as Treasurer, subject to the Grange meeting voting her into the office.  She will be working along with accountant (and well-known member of the dance community) Justin Sargent to transfer the bookkeeping to a computerized system, using QuickBooks.    The goal is to reduce the work of paying bills, accepting deposits, tracking rental deposits, creating statements and understanding our cash-flow.    Merry’s service as Rental Agent has exposed her to the complexities of those transactions.  Once we have a system set up that does not require the paperwork and manual calculation which has been the standard, we will be looking for someone with the aptitude to take on the office–if you want to volunteer to be part of the team setting up the systems, contact Merry!
This Grange Meeting will also feature the debut of a “Community Service Report”, which we are setting up to spread the news about the good works that our Grange and its members do.   This one will feature a “guest speaker”, Patty Paola, who is an Americorps volunteer serving with Home Share Now  (https://www.homesharenow.org/).   HSN is working with the Washington County time bank, the Onion River Exchange, which the Grange has joined.   HSN is a partner organization which matches people seeking a place to live,  with people seeking house-mates, for mutual support and companionship.   As Volunteer Manager, Patty is encouraging volunteers to provide services like assistance with errands, housekeeping, outside chores or companionship; she will tell us more on the 5th.
The meeting will segue into a potluck dinner, as usual, about 6:00 PM, please bring your favorite dish to share, and then stay for the dance at 8:00!

Contact Us

Tim Swartz, President, CCG#469
802-225-8921 (cell)
grangepresident@capitalcitygrange.org

 

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