Capital City Grange

September! Grange meeting Saturday + more news

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Grange News by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s helo) September 16, 2021

Grange meeting time this Saturday at 4:30–join us electronically to hear the latest news and help us plan for the fall

The last few weeks have been busy with Grange events of various kinds–see the photos and articles below for details on our greatly enjoyed, musically successful and also charitably successful benefit concert, our prize-winning display at the Champlain Valley Fair and Kids Trade & Play on the Statehouse lawn.  We’ll be talking about all of these on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18th, plus more, and we hope you will join us from wherever you are.   There is a memorial service taking place in the Hall that afternoon, plus the ongoing Delta surge in COVID, which make a remote meeting seem like the best option.  The link is in the Grange Meeting “event” on the website Calendar as usual; here it is in any case:
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/91846817691
Meeting ID: 918 4681 7691Some more of the topics:
  • Faster internet coming to the Grange Hall!   The DSL service we’ve gotten has never been great; the 80% price increase which was sprung on us this summer by First Light was the last straw.   Consolidated Communications (formerly Fairpoint) now has fiber going past the Hall, and offered a good deal.   It is more expensive than DSL used to be, but very competitive with the increase price.  The “gigabyte upload and download” capacity will be a huge improvement!
  • We have filed a request for property tax abatement with the Town of Berlin, making the case that our cash-flow, severely impacted by pandemic restrictions, can’t handle the annual tax bill of almost $5,500 for which we’re being billed.  We’ll talk about next steps to reinstate the full exemption we were voted in 2016, which ran until this year.
  • State Grange annual session will be back at the Capitol Plaza On October 15-17th.  We will be selecting delegates, and beginning discussion of the Resolutions that will be voted on there–including the one proposed by Grange Lecturer Carl Etnier, and sent in by our Grange!  Hear more when you tune in Saturday.
  • We’ll also be talking about changing COVID protocols for the Hall, and discuss the impact this has on our renters going forward.  We’ll talk about our existing ventilation and its benefits and drawbacks, as well as looking forward to possible improvements.
  • We hope to have a presentation from Just Food Hub.   This outfit is a non-profit whose mission is to sell fair-traded food products from Equal Exchange and local producers, and to share profits with other non-profit organizations.   They have asked to present their ideas for selling to Grange Hall users, and possibly to use the Hall as a distribution point.   You can find out more about the organization and their products at the Just Food Hub website.

The weather was great, and the music too!

The panorama to the left shows the crowd picnicking and listening to the sound-check being engineered by Peter Macfarlane (in the blue shirt on the left).    We had about 65 or 70 people attend in person, plus another 20 or so on Zoom.   People enjoyed seeing each other at the Grange Hall, some for the first time since contra dances stopped in early March 2020.   Others came to the Hall for the first time–and it was fun to give them a quick tour of our beautiful (but under-used these days) Hall.
The concert started about 7:00, with Aaron Marcus and Joanne Garton of The Turning Stile playing–and dancing!   Joanne is an accomplished Scottish dancer; Aaron is a flatfoot/clog dancer; each performed on the bottom step of the porch, to the delight of the crowd, while the other played!   Their keyboard/fiddle duets were the main attraction, earning lots of applause.  The pictures below show them in the gathering dusk.
Our second act was Atlantic Crossing, another great Vermont band.   Viveka Fox, Peter Macfarlane and Rick Klein played Vermont, French Canadian and British Isles tunes and songs–including several of their own compositions.   Their connection to the sea and sailing is evident–Rick is a licensed maritime skipper, and Peter builds wooden guide-boats and canoes–and it infuses their songs as well.
The evening was capped off by a “big-band” sound as Joanne & Aaron joined Atlantic Crossing, and they jammed together beautifully.  What you can’t see in the darkness behind the porch is a number of couples and individuals who danced in the parking lot–socially distant but with great enjoyment!
We were pleased that generosity at the admissions tent let us pay the bands well–we are happy to provide some income for the very talented folks who bring such joy to us all.
We also welcomed Just Food Hub, the distributor of Equal Exchange food products, who gave out very popular free samples of chocolate, and also sold EE products to audience members.  They were able to donate a portion of their proceeds to the fundraising effort!  Speaking of which….
Fundraiser success, too!
        We were so pleased that the crowd was generous in their response to our appeal for contributions for the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, and the Contra Dance Umbrella.   The FCCGH supports the Grange with planning and project management of Hall improvements like the new doors and new exhaust fan installed this summer; the CDU runs the contra-dance series which–up until March 2020–was the largest event at the Grange Hall, and our highest-paying tenant.   Since then, the CDU has generously been contributing 25% of the usual payments for “dance evenings” even with dancing not safe or practical.   The funds raised will help both organizations, which in turn will help the Grange to survive the pandemic, and thrive going into the future.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this event happen, came to enjoy it (or tuned in on-line) and contributed both in admissions, and to the fund-raising campaign, which matched the $2,000 challenge, making a total of over $4,000 to support the Friends and the CDU!

Promoting the Grange at the Champlain Valley Fair

We were a significant part of the VT State Grange’s annual display this year, joining 5 other Community Granges in putting up displays matching the theme “Reaching Out to Communities”.   As you’ll see to the left, we won the 3rd prize ribbon.   The real conversation piece was the bread sculpture made by Alison Forrest, re-creating the Grange seal with its sheaf of wheat.   It survived remarkably well for the 10 days of the Fair!
Putting together a display pushed me to create a new Capital City Grange brochure, plus a Hall Rental brochure, which you’ll soon see at our Hall, along with the tri-fold display board with pictures of our many community-serving activities.
The booth was staffed by CCG members for several shifts during the run.  Many thanks to Erin Barry, Jody Pettersen, Alison Forrest, Merry Shernock (and me) for helping to welcome fair-goers to learn about the Grange.   Besides looking at the displays, there was a raffle for a quilt (for a donation), a free raffle for the last copies of the VT Grange cookbook, and the free opportunity to select pre-cut fabric panels to be sewed into “comfort pillows” by Grange members; these are used for comfort by cancer patients, nursing mothers, and more!

Kids Trade & Play steps into the sunshine!

Last Saturday afternoon, Sept. 11th, KT&P was invited by VT 350.org to set up on the lawn of the Statehouse for a public version of the usual monthly kids clothing exchange that happens in the lower level of the Grange.   This brought us exposure to quite a few people who hadn’t been aware of this wonderful service, organized by Erin Barry and sponsored by the CCG.   Lots of families who are regulars also showed up–probably about 60 families over the 3 hour time frame.
In this photo, you can see some of the hard-working volunteers sorting donations (we got lots!) under the left hand shade canopy.   In the center “welcome” tent, I sat saying Hi to folks and collecting donations.   The green canopy in the background featured Merry providing info on Central VT resources services for families.   And behind the tents are the Grange’s folding tables, which held the many bins of clothes and shoes for kids, all sorted by size/age range.  Many full bags were taken away by parents and kids!
Many thanks to Erin, who supervised the volunteers who packed up the boxes, drove the truck to deliver them, organized the tables, and was kept busy all afternoon answering questions and keeping everything running.  Then she worked with other volunteers to pack it all up after the 4 PM closing time, and brought it all back to the Grange Hall!
Erin donated all the money taken in on the 11th to 350Vermont.org, which is working to keep useful items out of the landfill, as well as organizing Vermonters who care about climate change to resist fossil fuel lobbying, and work for climate justice and resilience.

Live benefit concert tomorrow! With a picnic beforehand!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) September 3, 2021

The weather will be great, and the music too!

Co-sponsored by the Contra Dance Umbrella and the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, the Grange Hall will host an outdoor concert featuring two Vermont bands who have played many times for dances.   Since we are not yet able to hold dances safely, this concert will celebrate and encourage donations to match the $2,000 Challenge assembled with donations from long-time supporters.
We’re starting at 6:00 with a picnic outside, in the Grange parking lot, open to everyone of course.   Bring your favorite food and drink for you and your party–it’s not a pot-luck this time.   But it is a chance to see and socialize with friends, people you’ve danced with, and others you will like too!
The Grange Hall will be open for access to the bathrooms and the drinking fountains, but we will ask you to wear a mask indoors–we’re following the VT Dept. of Health recommendations.  We’ll also ask anyone who has not been vaccinated to stay masked–for everyone’s health!
The music starts at 7:00, and will run to about 9:00 PM–live and streaming via Zoom.   You can find a link to register for the Zoom live-stream at:  https://bit.ly/3jKSsAc, plus more info about the bands:
Concert Details:
          On the bill:  Atlantic Crossing, and The Turning Stile!  Both bands have played for contra dances at the Hall for many years, and both have strong concert repertoires besides the tunes which get you on the dance floor.
Admission to the concert will go to pay the bands.   The CDU (and the Grange) are committed to supporting our music and dance community by paying bands well–especially in these times when gigs have been few and far between.   Here’s what we’re asking:
  • Adults:  $12.00
  • Low income folks and kids:  $5,00
  • Dance and Grange supporters:  $20 (or more if you can!)
         The concert will run to about 9:00 PM with a break to change the setup for the 2nd band.   Peter Macfarlane, who will also be playing with Atlantic Crossing, is providing the sound–and the Zoom live-stream, which will open at 6:30.
There are pictures of the bands, and more info available at the link given above–but we also want to tell you about the fund-raising purpose of this event:

Support the Dance, and the Hall and the Grange!

For many years, the Contra Dance Umbrella, the all-volunteer committee which organizes the dances has raised money to keep the Grange running and to improve the Grange Hall, by sponsoring a “Challenge Fundraiser” every fall.    We find a number of generous folks from the dance community, who put up about $2,000 as a challenge for other dancers and Grange supporters to match with their own donations.
Until 2020, we’ve been able to promote this at a month of dances, culminating in a celebratory dance with special decorations and a dessert potluck, and an air of mounting excitement as donations are tallied on a big sign.  Admission to the dances pays for the bands, callers, and the Hall; donations come in on top of that.  We can’t hold dances or the potluck safely, so we’re offering this concert as the big event this year–as we did with a Pete’s Posse live-stream concert in 2020.
The money raised this year will be split between the Contra Dance Umbrella and the FCCGH (Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall).   The CDU has been supporting the Grange with payments of 1/4 of the normal rent for the usual dance schedule through the pandemic–cutting into their bank balance considerably.   The Friends have funded major Grange Hall improvements like:
  • A new dance floor in 2012!
  • New Hall windows in 2013!
  • New bathrooms in 2015!
  • Lower-level insulation and remodeling in 2020!
  • New entrance doors & a new exhaust fan in 2021!
        This year, the Friends will be working on ways to install a fresh-air ventilation system for the Hall, to make it safer for everyone, even when we can’t open the windows.   There are lots more improvements waiting to happen, and your donations will help make them real!    The FCCGH is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, and donations to them are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the law.
We hope that if you can, you will donate either online at:   www.capitalcitygrange.org/donate, or by check or cash at the concert, or by mailing checks to:  FCCGH, PO Box 192, Northfield Falls VT 05664.   All donations by check or via the Paypal link at the website will be acknowledged for tax purposes.
Every dollar you donate will help us keep the dances going as soon as we can safely hold them again, and will keep the Grange surviving and thriving as vital part of the community for all sorts of dances, music, meetings, family celebrations, and much more.   The all-volunteer Grange, the all-volunteer FCCGH and the all-volunteer CDU will make good use of all donations for everyone’s benefit!

Special added attraction: Equal Exchange products for sale!

We’re please to announce that the Just Food Hub, a new non-profit business that sells and distributes food products from Equal Exchange will be selling a selection of their line at the picnic and concert.   And they will have free samples as well!
You can learn more about their dedication to selling fair-trade products from small farmers and the global South at their website:  https://justfoodhub.us/.   A portion of the proceeds from their sales will benefit the Grange, too!

Labor Day Weekend benefit concert–and Re-Opening!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), August 11, 2021

Support the Grange–and the Montpelier Contra Dance–with a lively concert on Labor Day Weekend!

Co-sponsored by the Contra Dance Umbrella and the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, the Grange Hall will host an outdoor concert (weather permitting) featuring two Vermont bands who have played many times for dances.   Since we are unable to hold dances yet, this concert will celebrate and encourage donations to match the $2,000 Challenge assembled with donations from long-time supporters.  On the bill:  Atlantic Crossing, and The Turning Stile!
  Atlantic Crossing, featuring Peter MacFarlane, Viveka Fox and Rick Klein, has been “rocking the contra dance halls of New England and beyond”, and also “entrancing concert audiences” for well over two decades.  Their music is drawn from Celtic traditions of the British Isles, as well as from Maritime and French Canada, and from Vermont singing traditions.
Now is our time to hear the concert side of their repertoire–dancers have been propelled by their music for a long time!   You can read more about them, hear clips from their many albums (and buy them!) and more at their Atlantic Crossing website.
We know Aaron Marcus and Joanne Garton, The Turning Stile duo from our dance floor and from the stage!    We’re lucky to have these two Montpelier residents nearby, and we’re glad they want to perform for us! Multi-instrumentalist Aaron on keyboards, concertina, banjo and feet, and fiddler Joanne will showcase some of their vast variety of musical styles in a concert setting instead of a dance hall.   More info is available on Joanne’s website.
Concert Details:
       For the most up-to-date info, check the listing on the Grange website Calendar–follow this link:  https://bit.ly/3jKSsAc
Weather permitting, the concert will be outdoors at the Grange Hall!   If we need to move it inside, we will use our new exhaust fan, which can provide 6 air changes per hour, supplemented by fans pulling in fresh air from the windows.
       Admission to the concert will be by donation, and will help us pay the bands (we want to support some of the musicians who have been hit hard by the pandemic):
Adults:  $12.00
Low Income:  $5.00
Dance & Hall supporters:  $20.00 (or more of course!)
We will not be able to have the “Dessert Potluck” which has been much enjoyed at past Challenge Fundraisers–feel free to bring your own refreshments!
We will be asking all those who attend the concert who have not been vaccinated to wear masks.
Fundraiser Details:
       In addition to enjoying the concert, we ask you to support the Grange Hall and the Montpelier Contra Dance.  A number of dedicated dance and Grange supporters have pledged a total of $2,000 to challenge the Grange community–just as has been done in the past.   Your donation will financially aid the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall (FCCGH) and the Contra Dance Umbrella (CDU).
Donations can be made online, at the concert by check or cash.   Checks should be made out to:  FCCGH.   Online donations can be made at any time at:  www.capitalcitygrange.org/donate.  For those who choose to attend this concert via ZOOM, this link for donations will be posted in the Chat.   If you want to mail a check, please do!  The FCCGH mailing address is:  PO Box 192, Northfield Falls VT  05664.
All donations made online or by check will be tax-deductible, to the fullest extent allowed by law, since the FCCGH is a non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) corporation.
Questions?   Please email me (swartztim15@gmail.com) or call me (802-225-8921).

Grange Re-Opening Celebration
Many thanks to the crew who helped us celebrate last Saturday!

       We had a hot but happy group of participants who enjoyed our smorgasbord of activities–and a great group of volunteers who helped make it happen.
As you’ll see in the top photo below, the cast-iron 8″ frying pan we purchased for the occasion did not survive intact–but contestants managed to hold onto the “pan” section after we had to discard the handle.   A variety of grips and throwing techniques were employed, and people from kids to seniors took part, with winning tosses ranging from 18’11” to 64’8″.   In the left photo below the pan you’ll see me and Linda Sanderson, a Grange veteran of these events, combining my 50′ measuring tape and Linda’s measuring wheel to tally one of the longer throws.  Many thanks to Patty Giavara for taking all the photos, as well as making the “Bounce House Free” sign on the spot!

 

 

 

 

 

As expected, the Bounce House was enjoyed

     Many thanks to Kasie McCarthy and Dean Grondin, who staffed the house and kept kids bouncing safely all afternoon long!
The Vermont Fiddle Orchestra, 14 musicians strong on this occasion and led by Susan Reid, played beautifully for us, including playing for simple dances called by Liz Benjamin, maestra of Dance Sing & Jump Around, which usually involves kids and families during the winter months inside the Hall.
Rob Nichols, who has grown healthy and beautiful potted plants for Grange fundraisers for years, came by with a selection of varieties, many of which found new homes with participants in return for donations–which help us toward matching the Challenge!
Merry Shernock recruited all the helpers, and assembled the beautiful bouquet from the Grange flowerbeds and surrounding wildflowers, and led the singing of This Land is Your Land, Take Me Out to the Ballgame and other favorites, along with Grange musician Matt Nunnelly.
And last but not least, we were honored by the presence of a Monarch, who enjoyed refreshments from the zinnias in the pots by the ADA entrance.

Save this date too:  Saturday, August 21st for our next Grange Community Potluck!

       We invite everyone to join us for another potluck dinner, at 6:00 on Aug. 21, to socialize with the friends you may not have seen for a while–and the friends you just haven’t met yet!
As we did in July, we’ll eat in the cool lower level of the Grange Hall, where we can use the vintage dishes, utensils, glasses, serving spoons & ladles which the Grange has accumulated–no paper plates needed!
As always, bring whatever you like!   “Potluck Magic” always seems to ensure we have a good variety of main dishes, sides, breads, spreads & dips, beverages, desserts, cheeses, vegetarian and vegan options, and more!

Painted doors!

       Since the last “Grange Notes”, meticulous volunteer painter Ellen Holmes-Henry has come back and completed the painting of the new doors on the “Old Entrance” porch–in time for our Re-Opening event!

Re-Opening the Grange celebration: Next Saturday!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), July 31, 2021

Are you ready to help us Re-Open the Grange?

We are excited to have more groups using the Grange, after the long hiatus, and we think it’s time to celebrate our re-opening!
As you’ll guess from the picture above, we’re renting a “Tropical Bounce-House” for kids to jump in!   We hope you can join us
We’ll be holding most of these events outdoors–please light a candle to the deity or non-deity of your choice for weather like today’s sunny, dry day to repeat on Saturday the 7th!   You are also welcome to check out the recent improvements to the Grange Hall:  new doors on the Old Entrance, a new exhaust fan, and the complete remodeling of the lower level completed in February 2020, which hasn’t gotten much use!

July 17th potluck brings nice people together

Our Community Potluck drew people from far and near to share food and a continuous buzz of friendly conversation in our “newly” remodeled lower level.  We had a total of about 35 people, some of whom are lining up in the panorama above.    Potluckers who came ranged from single digits to mid-80s in terms of age, and geographically from Berlin natives, to our local and non-local Grange members and to contra-dancers from Burlington.   Everyone was pleased to see the many people they hadn’t seen since before the pandemic shut things down.   Food was there in abundance!   See pictures below for some idea–it was great to be a pie aficionado.
And Save the Date! for our next potluck, on August 21st at 6:00 PM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save this date too:  Saturday, Sept. 4th for a “hybrid” benefit concert

With our new fan for better ventilation (see below) and open windows, we are planning a live and live-streamed concert at the Grange Hall!   This is the replacement for the “Challenge Fundraisers” which the CDU and the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall have been putting on for years.  Generous friends of the Grange and the Hall who can afford some larger donations are putting up $2,000, and challenging the rest of the Capital City Grange community to match that.   This year, the donations will be split between the CDU (which has been paying partial rent throughout the pandemic to support the Grange) and the Friends, who have also been supporting the Grange during this time of extremely low revenue.  The CDU is working on booking a Vermont dance band for this event!
I’ll send out news about this concert as soon as we have the details worked out!   We continue to watch the public health statistics closely, of course, and will take all needed measures recommended when Labor Day weekend rolls around.
If you are ready to chip in to help right now, of course, we can accommodate that:   just click on capitalcitygrange.org/donate to send in your contribution via Paypal or credit card!   All donations will be through the FCCGH, and since it is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit, will be tax-deductible to the full extent possible.

We know we have Grange fans.…and this one is a real blow-hard.

Earlier this week, the project was installation of a new, more powerful, yet more quiet and efficient exhaust fan in the attic of the Hall.   With Bill Hulstrunk and Kurt Giavara and me, we had an excellent crew.   The new fan pulls air from the ceiling in front of the stage, which should reduce the direct draft which some musicians noticed from the old fans mounted above the stage.   We were impressed with the well-designed fan, mounting and duct package and the clear installation instructions, it was relatively easy to put in with confidence.
Among other improvements, the insulating “doors” which are just above the ceiling grille open and close automatically, eliminating the manual opening and closing of ceiling hatches we used to have to do.   The fan runs extremely quietly at the lowest of the 3 speeds, but still is rated for 2,361 cubic feet per minute (CFM).  The high speed is rated at 4,280 CFM–and is still far from noisy!   The controls allow setting for time periods of one to 8 hours.
Before winter, we’ll be installing a duct to direct the air outside, to avoid condensation.
I’m putting a few more installation photos below; thanks to Patty Giavara for getting some good photos–and to the anonymous donor whose door donation had enough left over to cover half the cost of the fan!   The Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall is paying the rest of the cost.  We expect to improve ventilation of the main Hall, and save money on electricity as well with this fan.   There is still work to do to get ventilation downstairs, and to facilitate winter air exchange upstairs, when we don’t have a hundred or more dancers to heat up the air there.  Still looking for a good HVAC contractor to help us–recommendations welcomed!

Finishing out July, bringing back the ghosts of letters past

Hot off the presses…here’s the scene this morning (7/31), with volunteer Ellen Holmes-Henry getting ready for the next ladder placement to re-paint the much-faded label over the old entrance.  After giving all the letters enough coats to make them look good again, Ellen moved on to painting the new doors–check them out when you come for our Re-Opening celebration next Saturday!

Tomorrow’s the day! Potluck at the Grange Hall!

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Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyoone’s help), July 17, 2021

Saturday evening at the Grange Hall:  good food and good friends

With rain forecast, we’ll be eating together in the lower level of the Grange Hall, which was completely remodeled, getting finished just before the pandemic shut down activities at the Hall.  The insulation and the dehumidifier make for a comfortably cool and dry atmosphere, which will be nicer than a lot of the weather we have had this summer.  We’ll also have some windows open and some fans to give us good ventilation.
Bring whatever you want, we frequently get:  hot dishes, cold dishes, vegetables, salads, soups, breads, cheeses, butter, chips, dips, cookies and cupcakes, even ice cream…your choice!  We always have lots of food, so even if you aren’t able to bring something, odds are good that there will be plenty to eat.
We will provide serving utensils/plates/glasses/bowls/spoons, forks & knives–besides that we just need you!  We are looking forward to seeing you!  And of course this is a free event, and open to everyone, so bring your friends.
Questions?   Feel free to give me a call:  802-225-8921, or email me:  swartztim15@gmail.com.

Step up to the new doors, to join us for the potluck!

We’re pleased to report that we have new doors, complete with weatherstrip at the “old entrance”, where contra dancers and others enter to access the lower level.   Kurt Giavara and I finished installing these about a week ago, using funding provided by a generous anonymous donor!   We sure appreciate the donation that made these possible!
These doors also feature a keypad lock, which we’ll also be installing on the doors at the ADA entrance porch.  This will allow us to give a code to renters, rather than having to give out keys and worry about getting them back.
You can also knock the parking-lot sand off your shoes on the grate, which was installed in March of 2020, so not many folks have had that opportunity, either!
Come check them out!

Contact Us

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

 

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