Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) April 11, 2025

Saturday:
Who will channel the best Bob Dylan?

A few weeks ago I mentioned that this event is upcoming–and now it is almost here!   The “Great Green Mountain Bob Dylan Wannabe Contest” will start at 6:00 PM on Saturday at the Grange–and we’ve agreed to sponsor it!
This event will be a benefit for the People’s Health and Wellness Clinic, a vital way that uninsured people can get free health care.   Located in Barre for over 30 years, it currently is housed at 51 Church St., by the east end of City Hall Park.   People who cannot afford to pay for care can get free, essential health care for from doctors and dentists.   You can learn much more about the health care providers who donate their services, help to staff the clinic and more at https://www.phwcvt.org/.  You can always donate there to support their services….or you can have some fun along with your donation by coming to the contest tomorrow evening!
The “celebrity judges” include Carl Etnier, Grange member, WGDR radio host and Board Chair for Hunger Mountain Co-op, Daniel Hecht, local author of 8 novels (and former classical guitarist), and Peg Tassey, Burlington-based musician!   There are 12 contestants lined up–a wide variety of “Bobs” should be expected.
The Executive Committee of the Grange decided that this cause is a worthy one for us to donate the Hall’s use, so that this fundraiser can be more productive.  We hope you will join us for this cultural extravaganza!

Also coming up:
“Family weekend” at the Grange Hall!

Saturday morning will feature our year ’round, very popular Kids Trade & Play clothing exchange–come by from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, and take all the clothes, books, toys and games you need from our inspected and sorted stock of donated items.  We ask for a donation of $5 per family, but no one is ever turned away.
On Sunday afternoon, the fun continues for kids and their grownups with Dance, Sing & Jump Around, from 3:00 to 4:30 PM.  Excellent live music from local fiddle teacher Joanne Garton and her students, and fun dances, songs and games taught by Liz Benjamin, Stan Carlson and Alice Smolinsky.   We even provide snacks!  FREE for kids, we ask for a $5 donation for adults–but no one is turned away.

Games Night at the Grange!

Mark your calendars for next Thursday evening, April 17, at the Grange!   Bill Meckel has revived an event first held quite a few years ago (see the photo below)–a chance to roll the dice (D6 or D20), move the meeples across the board, build some words, or put someone in check–your choice!  Drop in any time, from 6:00 to 11:00 PM.
Bill and friends will provide some games, but feel free to bring your favorite, or the one your parents have hidden in a closet that you haven’t played in years.   And:  there will be snacks!  Check out the Facebook Event too.
Note–the Games Night will be held in the Lower Level, better for those who (like me) can’t sit on the floor for a long stretch anymore.  Lots of tables and chairs!  And it’s FREE and open to everyone–please bring your friends too.

Mea Culpa!

Before telling you about the excellent program which followed our April Grange meeting, I want to apologize for switching the Zoom links for the meeting and the program in the last Grange Notes newsletter I sent out.  I know that this led to a few people missing out.
For future meetings and programs, I will be posting the link(s) only on the Grange website Calendar for those events.  You can always find the listings at:  www.capitalcitygrange.org/events.  This will avoid copying/pasting errors like the one I made in this case.

“Flora and Fauna on the Appalachian Trail”

Our free program for April featured Grange supporter and long-time contra dancer Phyllis Rubenstein, who gave a talk and slideshow about the many plants and animals she saw on her 2023 hike of the “AT”, which stretches from Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine.
I’m showing one of her photos below, of “Fringed Phacelia”–not something you will see in Vermont!   Phyllis saw and photographed quite a few species of plants we see here, and some that can’t tolerate our cold winters…at least not yet.  Among the ones she saw, starting in mid April in the mountains in Georgia were not only the 3 varieties of trillium that we see, but a few more as well, plus bloodroot, spring beauties, slippers, cutleaf toothwort and many more.   When she hiked across the summits of mountains in New England, she also saw alpine flowers like mountain cranberry, 3 leaf cinquefoil and Labrador tea.  I’m certainly not listing everything she showed us!
Animals featured in her slides, and in her talk as well.   She was warned to keep her food hung up over a tree branch, 100′ from her campsite, and avoided any problems!   She was also warned about the wild hogs which are a risk at some points on the trail.   She did see some of them–from a distance–and was happy when they moved off.   More benign animals she encountered include hares, eastern box turtles, zebra swallowtail butterflies (and others), spruce grouse, salamanders and wild ponies!   One pest insect she saw was a spotted lantern fly, in Pennsylvania–we don’t yet have them in Vermont.
Interspersed with the plants and animals, we also heard a few stories about her hike, and the others whom she met on the trail–but this program was mostly about the plants and animals.   We appreciated Phyllis sharing her pictures and her memories with us!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) April 3, 2025

Phyllis Rubenstein started out in Georgia, April 15, 2023….

….and in this picture, she’s made it to Mt. Moosilauke in NH, just one state away from her ultimate destination in Maine.
This Saturday, April 5, she’ll be talking to us and showing pictures of what she saw on the trail, which included lots of spring flowers as she “followed spring north”.  She saw some animals too!
Please join us for this FREE program at the Grange Hall, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM.   If you can’t make it in person, you can watch and listen via Zoom, by following this link:

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75036202871?pwd=TWF6jVhFOcQjUC5vYLfL609lUeAjnX.1

Meeting ID: 750 3620 2871
Passcode: 2AuMen

Note that this is different Zoom link than the one for the Grange meeting–see below.
The program will be followed by the semi-legendary Community Potluck in the Lower Level.   Bring something to share (your homemade specialty or something you picked up from the store) and enjoy a social meal with some friendly folks!

Thanks for the cards!

I visited Phyllis Skinner the day after her birthday, and was impressed with the number of cards she had gotten–see left  for some of them.   She appreciated all the good wishes that came her way for her 90th birthday!  Not all of these came from her Grange friends–Phyllis has been an active part of many groups over her long life, but they are all appreciated!

A cobbler by any other name…

…..could be a Betty, a Crisp,  a Buckle, a Pandowdy, a Crumble, a Grunt, a Slump, or a Sonker…we’re not sure!   I had to look up a few of these, but they all could be delicious…and they all could be entrants in the 2025 Capital City Grange Cooking Contest!  Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 3rd, which is when we’ll have some local celebrity judges making judgements on the entrants–and we’ll all get a chance to try them out as well!
The rules are simple:  “Make a cobbler using seasonal fruits for summertime (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries).  Include your recipe.   Bring enough for servings for at least 4 people”.   Besides our contest, anyone can also bring their cobbler to the VT State Grange Family Camp in July, for judging at the State level!   By the way, the “seasonal fruits” are based on the summertime contest–we know you probably won’t be able to find local fruits in May!
Two Grange members have stepped forward to organize this contest:  Marty Roberts and Cecile Sherburn.  We look forward to a report on what they have planned at our Grange meeting this Saturday.   If you want to help also, please let me know by replying to this email, and I’ll put you in touch.

Saturday Grange meeting

• Winter expenses should be mostly over–we’ll look at what we spent on pellets for heat, and plowing and sanding the driveway and parking lot.
• The Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall have been working on the grant application, to help pay for installation of a ventilation system for the Main Hall–we’ll hear about how that’s going.
• We’ll also be checking in on reports on the maple syrup harvest, which (judging by the buds I can see on the trees) is likely coming to an end in these parts.  What about in your area?
• I’ll bring some information about benefits of Grange membership, offered by the State and National Granges–there are quite a few!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) March 21, 2025

April 5:  short Grange meeting, then:  “Flora and Fauna on the Appalachian Trail”

Our free program for April will feature long-time Grange supporter and dancer Phyllis Rubenstein.   In the spring and summer of 2023, she hiked the “AT”, and she’ll share photos of spring wildflowers and wildlife taken on the hike.   One example is included below!   There will be opportunities to ask questions, too.
There will be a short Grange meeting from 4:30 to 5:00 PM, then the program with Phylis from 5:00 to 6:00.  We hope you’ll stay to join us for the Community Potluck from 6 to about 7:00– where there are always tasty dishes to share!
There will be a Zoom link available for the meeting and program, which will be on the Grange website Calendar post, for those who are unable to attend in person.   No Zoom link for the potluck, you’ll be much more satisfied coming in person to that!

Phyllis Skinner is turning 90!
Please send her a card!

On Tuesday, March 25 2025, our friend and loyal Grange member Phyllis will reach a milestone birthday!  Help her to celebrate her big day by sending a card (or dropping it off in person!).  Her address is in the Mayo home in Northfield:  610 Water St., Room 209, Northfield VT  05663.
Those of us who joined the Capital City Grange in the “big join” of 2005 got to know Phyllis well, at Grange meetings, potlucks and (some of us) in the town of Northfield.   Phyllis served as Treasurer (with help from her husband Les, who was Master of CCG at the time) and later as “Overseer” (we changed the office title to Vice President in November, 2017).
Phyllis, who worked into her 80s as an RN, was also the “Health Concerns” reporter for the Grange.  For years, she found interesting and useful health recommendations and useful info–reporting on research into best ways to maintain mobility and strength, new dietary recommendations, and quizzes to test our health care acumen.
She will enjoy hearing birthday wishes from all of you!

Coming soon, and VERY soon to the Grange!

I want to spread the word about a couple of great events for which our Grange Hall is the venue, sponsored by local non-profit organizations.   Our affordable, accessible Hall is a place where the community can enjoy events like these–and many more!

This afternoon and tonight!
Mud Season Spectacular

Since 2023, the Summit School has put on this show, which features local artists and young musicians, in honor of Pete Sutherland–a superstar of the Vermont folk scene, and someone who dedicated his life to mentoring young folks who want to carry on “home-made” music.  This season’s event features folks like Nicholas Williams & Alex Kehler, Joanne Garton, and Oliver Scanlon, all of whom have performed at the Grange–many times!  For more info check out the Summit School website!

April 12:
Your chance to channel your inner Dylan!

The poster below says it all…

By the time you see this, there will be much less mud!

Because March always reminds us that the only constant is change, this snapshot shows a muddy moment that will soon pass away.  As it probably is wherever you are reading this, the remaining snow is retreating every day…at least until the next snowstorm.  This spot is just off the driveway to the Hall. The driveway itself has remained in quite good shape–kudos once again to the repairs done by contractor Matt Dwire, last done in 2023!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) February 21, 2025

February 1st Grange meeting

Life-saving training at the Grange!

Our Feb. 1 Grange meeting was followed by a training session in “Hands-Only CPR + AED use“, which brought in about a dozen people to take part, plus the nine Grange members who were there.  Our teacher, Nick Strance, from the American Heart Association stressed the importance of calling 9-1-1, and then being willing to start this simple process right away after cardiac arrest occurs.  He shared statistics about how using CPR  can provide vital blood circulation, and some aeration of the blood as well, and can literally keep someone alive until EMTs can arrive.  According to the statistics Nick showed us, the average wait time for an ambulance to arrive in Central VT is 15 to 20 minutes–and CPR and AED use needs to start in the first few minutes to increase the chance of survival until then.
Nick also demonstrated the AED that the Grange has, showing how it literally instructs the user how to apply the pads, tells you to allow the unit to diagnose heart rhythms, and–only if needed–how it will instruct everyone to move back while it delivers a shock that can help the heart start beating at the right rhythm.  After the shock, the AED also tells the rescuer to begin CPR again, and even provides the correct rhythm in which to do the chest compressions.  Nick demonstrated (on a manikin) how to position your weight above the chest and press down hard, and to keep up the beat to make the CPR effective.
         Then the “trainees” clustered around the eight training manikins, and took turns pushing down on their chests, hard enough to make them “click”.  You can get an idea of the effort involved in the photo to the left.   Nick played “Stayin’ Alive”, which has the correct cadence (about 100-120 beats per minute) to pump blood around the body and brain, and to bring some air into the lungs.
This simple training is designed to give us confidence to do what’s necessary to save a life.   Having the hands-on practice on a manikin is the best way to get a feel for how simple it could be to keep someone going until the EMTs arrive.
You can read more about these courses, and other information at the AHA’s handsonlycpr website.  You’ll also find a link to a Spotify playlist of songs that have the right beats per minute for CPR.   The playlist, called “Don’t Drop the Beat”, includes songs at the 100-120 beats per minute rhythm!   Everything from “Stayin’ Alive” to “Walk the Line”–check them out, too.
As at our previous training in December, several people expressed serious interest in a longer training in CPR, AED use and even First Aid training, that would supply them with certification that is needed by teachers and others.   We are pursuing setting up this sort of training session.  If you are interested, please email Tim, and I’ll put your name and email address on the list to be notified when we are able to schedule this type of training, which will require payment of a fee for certification.

FCCGH:  upgrading our air-filtering

On Feb. 18th, we took delivery of a new, commercial air-purifying unit, which was purchased for the Grange Hall by the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall.   The purpose of this addition is to provide filtration of the air in either the Main Hall or the Lower Level, at a much lower noise level than the existing “Room Air Filtration Boxes” (or RAFBs) which we built during the pandemic.
Our experience with the RAFBs is that Hall users have not been willing to turn them on, because the level of noise that they put out is enough to be disruptive for music rehearsals, quiet meetings, etc.  We believe that we need to continue to make air quality improvements, even though we don’t currently have a “pandemic” situation.   Right now, for example, there are reports of relatively high levels of influenza (“flu”), colds and other respiratory viruses in Vermont.   During the cold-weather months, it is not realistic to expect Hall users to open windows (except for the very hot contra dance crowds!).   While the Friends continue to seek grant funding to help us install outside-air ventilation with pre-heating, we will also need to continue to purify indoor air to maintain good air quality inside.
This purchase was made possible by anonymous donors to the FCCGH, which combined with finding an “demo unit” that the manufacturer was willing to sell for a well-discounted price, made it possible to purchase this Iso-Aire RSF1000.   It can put out twice as much clean air as two of the RAFBs, with about 1/2 as much noise as one RAFB makes.   Mounted on casters, it can be moved to either floor of the Grange Hall.   It has a 24″ x 24″ x 12″ HEPA 99.99% filter, plus a pre-filter, and utilizes an extremely well-designed and well-balanced fan to move air quietly.  Please come and listen to it!  And join us in thanking the generous donors who made this possible.  We will be moving it from one floor to another depending on where the biggest need is–the pictures below show the one unit in two different locations.  Note also the AED location in the Main Hall shelves!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) January 28, 2025

February Grange Meeting–4:30 to 5:00

As usual in even-numbered months, before our Community Program, we will hold a short and informal meeting for half an hour. We’ll have reports on finances (how much are we spending on snowplowing, sanding and pellets for the furnace in these winter months?), the blood drives and CPR/AED trainings (see below!).  You’re welcome to attend in person, or via Zoom, using this link.  In case you need them, the Meeting ID is: 862 3165 3483, and the Passcode is:  986607
This link will also be posted on the Grange website Calendar listing for the meeting, as usual.
We’ll also be discussing plans for celebrating the 20-year anniversary of 70 new members joining the Grange in 2005!   That event was a milestone in preserving the Grange and our beautiful Hall as a community resource for Berlin and central Vermont–and we hope it’s a precedent for (at least) 20 more years of active involvement in the Grange here.  If you’re reading this newsletter, we know you care about what happens at the Hall, and we need you to help the small core group that keep us going!
Below is a picture from the mass induction of the members who joined in 2005:

After the Grange meeting, at 5:00
It’s time for another FREE training session:  Hands-Only CPR + AED training

Another chance to hear a “Play Every Town” concert

In 2022, the Grange was the location for concert #10 in David Feurzeig’s project to play a piano concert in every Vermont Town.   We’re pleased to publicize his next concert in his continuing quest: in the State Capitol, as part of the Farmers Night concert series, David  will play pieces ranging from Beethoven’s Sonata opus 49 no. 2 to an arrangement of Oliver Nelson’s jazz classic “Stolen Moments”, with 2 Montpelier High School students joining in.  He’ll be playing the State House’s Wurlitzer piano; the whole event is FREE.  Voluntary donations can be made to the VT Flood Response Recovery Fund.  You can learn more at the Tour Website.
Note:  David plays concerts in venues he can reach in his EV–he used to fly all over the world as a concert pianist, but he has chosen to reduce his carbon footprint.