Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), March 28, 2020

Trying new ways:  April 4th “Virtual Meeting” will feature a program on Health Care, 5-6:00 PM
Our next Grange meeting, on April 4th will be held by “GoToMeeting” video and/or phone conference call, as we keep in touch while following the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order from the Governor.  
      Grange Lecturer Carl Etnier has arranged for a discussion with Dr. Marvin Malek, a community-focused physician practicing in Ludlow, VT.  Dr. Malek will talk about what we can learn from the Covid-19 pandemic, and the response to it about the value of a national health care program?
       Dr. Malek has been a member of the Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) since 1988.   He has worked closely with Dr. Deb Richter, who has spoken at Grange programs about single-payer health care systems a couple of times.  Both have testified at the VT Legislature on this issue.
       After a 15-20 minute presentation by Dr. Malek, we will have a chance to ask questions and discuss how the current health care “system” has dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic, what could be done differently, and options for alternative systems.
       Jeremy Hansen, former Berlin Selectboard member and good friend of the Grange is helping to set up the tech to supply this “virtual meeting”, and will be the moderator for the discussion.
How can you take part?  It’s relatively simple.  You can phone in, by calling:

• 877-309-2071 (toll free)
• you will be prompted to enter the “access code”, using your phone:
• 581-606-484

To see Dr. Malek and other attendees, you can be part of the “GoToMeeting” webinar.  You just need to register at this website; Jeremy will send you a link to the online meeting, and the “Meeting ID” you will need to join.   With webcams showing who is there, Jeremy will be able to see who is raising their hands to speak, for example, which should lead to a smoother meeting.
      We will be having a brief “executive session” by the same method, from 4:30 to 5:00.  We will be getting a brief report on our finances–impacted as they are by the lack of renters–and reports from people who attend about how they are surviving the Covid-19 crisis, I expect.

How we’re getting through this As I asked, several people sent in suggestions for things to do in this limbo of separation; here they are:

• Recommended by Alison Forrest:  Richard Morales’ Social Justice Art Studio, which includes some free downloads–including pictures of animals giving pandemic advice, like “Support the Most Vulnerable”.  Also posters, buttons, books, much more, for kids & adults.
• Found on CDSS.org:  a new podcast about contra dance music and musicians, hosted by one of our favorite piano/accordion players, Julie Vallimont.   Listen to the first episode now, and upcoming ones at:  https://contrapulse.cdss.org/.  A great way to learn about the music that goes along with the contra-dancing, which I know many of the Grange Notes subscribers value.
• In my email, I found a letter from the Burlington-based Local Motion. whose mission is to bring walking and biking in reach of all Vermonters; besides explaining how they are coping, they had a list of outdoors things to do for kids, families and everyone.   Check it out at this Local Motion link.  We  have lots of active people in our Grange community!

      I invite all of the Grange members and friends who read this to send in even more stories of how you are maintaining connections, when we’re all forced to avoid personal contacts.  
      The most important thing we can do is to stay healthy, following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the VT Dept. of Health.  Follow those links for the most up-to-date information.

Have you ever wondered what the Coronavirus looks like?   This is an image from the CDC, so I think it is reasonably accurate.  So if you see one of these, practice “social distancing”!

Final renovation details–on hold       In my last Grange Notes, I asked for help with some trim and other painting, the last few items to finish up for the basement renovation project.  I had a volunteer (Ellen Holmes-Henry) lined up to work with me today
      We have had to put these plans on hold, to comply with the best medical advice and the Governor’s order.  I have regretfully canceled the painting project, to wait until the situation improves. 
Keep in touch if you want to help out when the time comes!

I’m re-using this photo…. ….because it shows the doors closed…and also shows the love that we have for the Grange and the connections we have made there.   We will need to support each other through the current Covid-19 crisis, and afterward.

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), March 23, 2020

I’m re-using this photo…. ….because it shows the doors closed…and also shows the love that we have for the Grange and the connections we have made there.   We will need to support each other through the current Covid-19 crisis, and afterward.

Covid-19 knocks us for a loop, along with the rest of the world       Our Grange Hall is regrettably quiet right now, as all events have been canceled completely, at least for the next couple of weeks.  Some of our tenants, notably the Contra Dance Umbrella, have canceled for the next 2 months–contra dance has so much personal contact, for substantial groups of people, that the CDU is anticipating this crisis lasting for a period of months, not just weeks.   We (the CDU) feel that the responsible thing to do is to avoid the risk of passing on the virus–even if people were willing to come.
Our next Grange meeting, on April 4th will be held by Zoom video and/or phone conference call, I’ll send out Zoom invitations, and details of the phone number to call as we get closer.  This approach is being encouraged by the National and State Grange organizations–another confirmation of the wide spread of this problem, in case we needed it!  The video/conference call will allow us to stay in touch, continuing the connections we have made through the Grange.

How we’re getting through this        I invite all of the Grange members and friends who read this to send in stories of how you are maintaining connections, when we’re all forced to avoid personal contacts.   One example, which I’ve also sent out in the “CDU Dancers” email is the “Social Disdance” Facebook group.  I’m sure that there are other ways which others have heard about , or come up with on their own–please share them!   I will continue to send out these Notes and  pass on news about the Grange and the Grange community.
      In the words quoted by Corinne Stridsberg, a frequent contributor of good food and good conversation at our Grange potluck dinners, “Also highly contagious are:  kindness, patience, love, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude. Don’t wait to catch it from others, be the carrier.”
       I have been enjoying listening to live-streamed concerts by Pete’s Posse; many other musicians are starting to do these.  One listing I found of these is in 7 Days.  I’m sure there will be updated listings published soon.   Consider supporting your favorite musicians via their websites, as they are losing all public gigs.  True of all small businesses, of course!   Hope everyone is doing what they can to support the shops/restaurants/markets that they want to still be in business after this crisis finally ends!
      The most important thing we can do is to stay healthy, following the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the VT Dept. of Health.  Follow those links for the most up-to-date information.

Have you ever wondered what the Coronavirus looks like?   This is an image from the CDC, so I think it is reasonably accurate.  So if you see one of these, practice “social distancing”!

Just a couple of weeks ago… …which seems like a long time, now…I was promoting the Grange cooking contest (the one formerly known as the baking contest), which was morphed by the State Grange Home Ec programmers to be….“What can you make with a pound of ground beef?”.   
       At our March 7th meeting, we were joined by this year’s panel of “celebrity judges”, which included:

• Justin Turcotte, head chef for the Montpelier Senior Center FEAST meals program
• George Gross, owner of Dog River Farm, just down the road from the Grange
• Corinne Stridsberg, assistant town clerk in Berlin, and one who brings good dishes to many of our potluck dinners

       This panel took their duties seriously, spending a lot of time tasting alone, followed by a confab together, finally coming up with consensus decisions on the dishes made by our 3 contestants.   They gave specific feedback on each of them, with suggestions for the cooks for even better flavors the next time.   So, without further ado, the 3 winners:
#1:  Phyllis Skinner, whose tasty chili con carne earned her the opportunity to go on to produce it again at the “Pomona” Grange level, and likely  the State competition in June (assuming that is able to be held, in this strange new world).
#2:  Stan Carlson, with Asian-ish beef meatballs.
#3:  Jill Tucker, with a beef stew.      Community potluck dinner enjoyed the leftovers!        Our usual dinner gave us the opportunity to second-guess the judges, and pick our own favorites from the entrants.  As described above, this will be the last Potluck for some time, as we avoid large gatherings at the Hall for any purpose.

One piece of grate news:

New grate graces the Old Entrance porch       In a break of decent weather recently, Kurt Giavara and I were able to install a 3′ x 6′ grate in front of the doors, to remove some of the grit, snow and “mess” from the shoes and boots of visitors.  This will help protect our dance floor, and also reduce the dirt which ends up in our newly-carpeted stairs and lower level!   I’ll put in a couple of pictures of the process of putting the grate in, below this article.  We hope to find another day of dry, not too cold weather soon to install another grate in the accessible entrance porch as well!
Still a few things to paint–want to paint with “social distance”?
       We still have some painting to do–trim around the windows, the walls of the bathroom and kitchen, the trim around the kitchen doors and openings–and I’d be happy to have a volunteer who will join me to do this.  We will keep our distance from each other; I have had no risky exposures that I know of.  Please send me an email at:  swartztim15@gmail.com and we’ll set up a time to meet.
       All of these volunteer hours count toward our “match” with the grant funding from the VT Arts Council, as do the monetary donations received by the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall–thanks to everyone who is making this possible!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), March 2, 2020

The Valentine Phantom strikes the Grange Hall! A pleasant suprise awaited me when I got to the Grange Hall on Friday, Feb. 14th!  Evidently we have a fan…thanks for the love!

Is this the beef?

Or is this the beef?

Could this be it?

What about this?

So many things you can do with ground beef…or something like it!       This year, the Grange cooking contest (the one formerly known as the baking contest) has been morphed by the State Grange Home Ec programmers to be….“What can you make with a pound of ground beef?”.   As usual, our Grange is also willing to consider “What can you make with a pound of plant-based meat?” as an equally valid question.
      The pictures above show just a few examples of dishes made with ground meat, or ground “meat”…and they all look tasty to me!  
      On Saturday, March 7th, at about 5:30 PM, we’ll see what folks from the Grange community can do with these ingredients, and we wait with interest to see how they respond.   As with baking contests in the past, we’ll have some “local celebrities” to evaluate the results–and we’ll be happy to share the “leftovers” at the Community Potluck which will follow, so we can all make our own judgements.
        This year, our celebrity judges include:

• Justin Turcotte, head chef for the Montpelier Senior Center FEAST meals program
• George Gross, owner of Dog River Farm, just down the road from the Grange
• Corinne Stridsberg, assistant town clerk in Berlin, and one who brings good dishes to many of our potluck dinners

       Bring your entry to the Grange before 5:30; bring a card with your name and the recipe, and we’ll put it on a plate or in a bowl, with the card taped to the bottom, so the judges won’t know who made it or what’s in it until their evaluation is complete!
       We will come up with some prizes for the top 3 contestants, as determined by the judges–but the real prize is bragging rights!   The first place winner will also be asked to repeat their winning dish for the State Grange contest, bringing the chance for real glory!
       We are happy to have entries from both Grange members and friends; if a non-member wins, we’ll give that person a membership for this year, and sponsor them at  the State Grange judging!        Community potluck dinner follows at 6:00!        Our monthly open dinner, as mentioned above, will give you the opportunity to second-guess the judges, and pick your own favorite from the meat or plant-based meat entrants, and to share the many other contributions.   We are happy to have whatever you want to bring–a jug of cider, some chips & dip, some cookies for dessert–it’s all good!  Like all Grange events, these dinners are free and open to everyone; hope you will join us!

Good planning, good contractors, and good volunteers help us close in on the “new” lower level changes!

Carpet changes the floor, and the stairs; volunteers help us move the shelves and furniture      

In the last Grange Notes, I was looking forward to the laying of carpet in our cafeteria area, and asking for help moving the shelves full of Kids Trade & Play storage, and the movable tables, and the chairs, out of the alcove.   In the photos above, you can see how the carpet changes the look and feel of the basement–along with the new ceiling panels and the new walls!
       You can also see the volunteers moving tables, chairs, shelves and bins of kids’ clothes and games, allowing Country Floors to complete the carpet tiles in the alcove next to the kitchen.  Many thanks to Fred, Ginger, Oliver, Stephen and Dean, who made it happen in just a couple of hours!  Kurt Giavara and I were able to complete the replacement of ceiling tiles in the alcove and the kitchen the next day, too!
       All of these volunteer hours count toward our “match” with the grant funding from the VT Arts Council, as do the monetary donations received by the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall–thanks to everyone who is making this possible!

And on to the stairs!         

After Stan Carlson finished up the caulking between the FRPs, we got Country Floors back to put the carpet on the stairs.  Our goal is both to make more comfortable and attractive stairs, and to help remove the dirt and moisture from the shoes and boots of people coming in.  We will need to be keeping up with vacuuming of the stairs, to get that dirt out of the carpet, but it will keep it off the floors in the lower level and also upstairs, thanks to the folks who change their shoes before going back upstairs for dancing!
         Next step in our floor-protection strategy is installation of grates in both entry porches; Kurt and I are awaiting some temperatures which are at least temporarily warmer before starting to cut 3′ x 6′ holes, since we can’t quit after that until the grates are in!   More finishing touches:  sump pump, dehumidifier and new storage!       On Friday, Feb. 28, Northern Basements came by to start up and test the sump pump–and reported that there is evidence that water has been captured by the sub-floor drainage channel, and drained into the sump!  So we are already getting a return on our investment.   While it was not enough to need the sump pump, we are happy to have the channel working.
        Also on Friday, I installed the dehumidifier, which will turn on and off automatically when more humid weather arrives–it’s currently only about 26 % relative humidity.   The unit will drain any condensate into the sump; the hose is visible in the photo of the sump pump.
        I also completed a rebuild of the storage closet in the kitchen, making space for the toilet paper, paper towels and other cleaning/janitorial supplies that used to live in the large white cabinet in the basement “alcove”–the space where we hope to have smaller performances. 
          See the pictures below for these improvements!

What’s left to do?      

We are closing in on the last steps of this big project.   We have a few more opportunities if you want to pitch in–and we’d be happy to have you be part of this major improvement!

• Cleaning in the kitchen:  a lot of cleanup has already happened in the kitchen, where the dust from changing the ceiling tiles fell on pretty much everything.  We got help from Nancy Gore, through the Onion River Exchange time-bank, who cleaned the counters, stoves and some of the cabinets.   You can see her on the step-stool in the photo below!
• Cleaning still to be done:  pans, lids and mixing bowls stored under the kitchen table, and some of the dishes in the cabinet.  
• Painting the bathroom and kitchen walls:  we are ready to update the paint on the other walls, to match the attractive yellow paint which is on the new sheetrock on the outer walls. 
• Painting the trim:  window trim downstairs still needs a coat of the semi-gloss white paint.  Many of the edges were pre-painted, so there is not too much “cutting-in” to be done–mostly where the extension-jambs meet the windows.
• Kitchen organizing:  Now that storage has been improved, we have the opportunity to do a better job organizing cleaning products, kitchen supplies, pots and pans.   We have a lot of useful items, donated over the years by Grange kitchen users, and we can do a better job storing and labeling them.

To join in finishing off any of these last steps, contact me, Tim:  swartztim15@gmail.com and we’ll set you up with painting supplies, co-organizers, or whatever else you need!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), February 17, 2020

Lookin’ good and feeling better–finishing steps are happening on our project

Can you help us this Thursday?

Country Floors started prep work for the carpet tiles which will cover the floor today, Monday the 17th.   They expect that by Thursday morning they will have the carpet tiles for the back end of the lower level completed, so that we can move the stored items out of the alcove where they are stored–the shelves for Kids Trade & Play, the cafeteria tables, the folding chairs and other items–onto the carpet tiles.  
      WE NEED HELP to move these items–my 68 year old back can’t do it all!   Please contact me by emailing swartztim15@gmail.com, or phone:  802-225-8921 if you can help, starting at 8:00 AM.  

Now, read on for more info on the project, and other Grange news.

Since the last report…

…at the end of January, the improvements have continued to accumulate.   Contractor Stan Carlson has been hard at work.   I’ve been doing quite a bit as well, and we’ve had help from several volunteers. Paint on the sheetrock, and trim for the windows      With help from Erin Barry, Grange member and organizer of Kids Trade & Play, we got the sheetrock above the fiberglass reinforced panels painted a bright and attractive yellow, which has gotten compliments from everyone who’s commented on it.    We appreciate the color choice made by Patty Giavara and Cynthia Haviland, who worked off a suggestion by Alison Forrest, who organized the re-painting of the upstairs Hall a few years ago.  We like to get decisions on design, colors and other details to involve a variety of input from interested Grange community members, and it pays off.
         With the wall-painting done, Stan was able to put the new trim on the windows, as well as on the stairwell edges.   He installed 1×6 trim screwed to the foam panel “studs”, to make for solid mounting of the new handrails.  As you’ll see below, he’s installed some sturdy and attractive railings.   Before they were installed, they were varnished by Liz Benjamin, Grange member and organizer of Dance, Sing & Jump Around, and also by me.  The stairway trim was painted by Elizabeth Templeton, one of the board members of the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, before the railings went up.  After the photo below, Stan also installed a new railing on the opposite side of the stairway, they look great!
      In the middle of all this, we were able to set up Kids Trade & Play on Feb. 8th, and at the end of that event we tucked all of the shelves, the movable tables, the Quarry project props and most other items into the “alcove” next to the kitchen.  Many thanks to the KT&P volunteers, who helped us do that!  The stowing of all that stuff made room for us to receive the new ceiling tiles on Feb. 10th.  Longtime volunteer Kurt Giavara and I spent the next several days installing them in the cafeteria ceiling, and in the kitchen–see the pictures below. Cleaning up for carpet tiles–and for the dancers!       On Friday, Feb. 14th, with the help of Grange member Charles Mayhood and his pickup truck, and CDU member Thomas Weiss, I took 2 loads of old ceiling tiles, old painted trim and other construction debris to the Central VT Landfill, leaving the floor relatively clear to the back wall.  
      Stan is nearing the end of his work on this project, and has moved most of his tools out to make room for the carpet tile installation, which started on Monday, Feb. 17th.  In the pictures below, you can see Thomas Weiss cleaning up the floor before the dance on the 15th.   We appreciate the help from many dancers at the end of that dance to pack away the temporary tables and chairs we put out!

Still lots of ways to help!      

Besides the moving of stored stuff mentioned at the top, we are still in need of help with finishing up.  We are very appreciative of all the volunteers!   And we will still need others to pitch in to get this project done!   Remember, as well as feeling part of the project, your volunteer hours count toward our “match” with the grant from the VT Arts Council, which will fund 50% of the project cost.  Here is the reduced list of volunteer tasks that are still coming up:

• Painting new trim–around the windows the extension jambs need to be carefully “cut-in”, plus the faces of all the trim need painting.   Also the railing support in the stairwell needs to be painted.
• Cleaning up after this work–we will be scheduling a work-day to make sure that the newly refurbished space is clean and as dust-free as we can make it.

       Can you pitch in on some of this work?  What skills do you have that will help?   Please contact me (Tim) via email:  swartztim15@gmail.com and let me know how we can fit you in!  
      We look forward to showing off the renovated basement once it’s done, we are inviting the Senators from Washington County, and Representatives from our district (Washington-1) to join us and representatives from the VT Arts Council for a ceremonial presentation of an oversize, symbolic “check” to the Friends.   We won’t get the actual funds until our final report is submitted–but we want to show our legislative officials how the money the State gives to arts facilities can help a small non-profit community organization like ours.   Grants like these have also helped us renovate our bathrooms, replace our dance floor, build our “new” ADA entrance and the upstairs ADA bathroom, too!  We’ll spread the word when the date is fixed, so you, who contributed money or time to make this happen can be there as well.

What’s your beef?

Or more specifically, what can you do with it?       This year, the Grange cooking contest (the one formerly known as the baking contest) has been morphed by the State Grange Home Ec programmers to be….“What can you make with a pound of ground beef?”.   As usual, our Grange is also willing to consider “What can you make with a pound of plant-based meat?” as an equally valid question.
      On Saturday, March 7th, we’ll find out what our community does in answer to those questions.    There are no other constraints, which opens up a wide world of possibilities, from burgers to chilies to meatballs…we wait with interest!
        This year, our “celebrity judges” include:

• Justin Turcotte, head chef for the Montpelier Senior Center FEAST meals program
• George Gross, owner of Dog River Farm, just down the road from the Grange
• Corinne Stridsberg, assistant town clerk in Berlin, and one who brings good dishes to many of our potluck dinners

We will come up with some prizes for the top 3 contestants, as determined by the judges–but the real prize is bragging rights!   The first place winner will also be asked to repeat their winning dish for the State Grange contest, bringing the chance for real glory!
      We’ll also have our monthly Community Potluck dinner following the judging, so there may be opportunities for us mere mortals to taste the prize-winners, and the other delicious entries and make our own choice of favorite recipe(s).   Put it on your calendar!

Is this the beef:

Or is this the beef:

February program features honest discussions about inevitable choices at the end of life      

The most recent in our alternate-month programs was a heartfelt discussion of the workings of the “medical assistance in dying” which is available to Vermonters, under Act 39, “Patient Choices at End of Life”.  We were joined by Betsy Walkerman, chair of “Patient Choices Vermont”, the organization that developed the bill–and lobbied for its passage for 11 years until it was signed into law in 2013.  Also joining us from Patient Choices was Toni Kaeding, who takes calls from patients and doctors.
      The bill provides a legal process by which Vermonters can request medical aid in dying, if they have been diagnosed as having a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less.   From when the law was passed through June 2019, 52 Vermonters have used this process to end their lives.
       Beyond these facts and statistics, our discussion with Betsy and Toni was much more about questions of how the law’s impact is felt in individual lives.  People in our group of 12 or 15 wanted to know how to open up a dialogue with doctors, when to start the dialogue (answer:  as soon as possible), the impact of dementia on the ability to use the Act 39 process (you must be judged as competent to request the medication, and must be able to administer it yourself), can Patient Choices help with talking to doctors (they have brochures and will respond to doctors who want to know more), and much more.  We heard stories from Betsy and various attendees about their family’s experiences with dying–both positive and painful–and the ways that parents and loved ones have responded.  One participant told us about “Death Cafes” which have been held, as a way for people to get practice talking about what has been a taboo subject.  Perhaps our talk was another approach to the same thing.
       You can read more about this law at the Patient Choices VT Website; there is also access there to the brochures they distributed at the program, and several more items to download–to help in discussions with your family, or with your doctor.  They strongly encourage the use of Advance Directives, regardless of one’s attitudes toward the choice of medical assistance in dying.  I’ll vouch for the Advance Directive process as one that requires you to make conscious choices about what you want to have happen regarding treatment options, and places them in the context of what you want your quality of life to be in your last days.

      Our next program meeting will be the April Grange meeting, on the first Saturday as usual, it will be April 4th.  Stay tuned for an announcement of the topic and speaker(s).

In the midst of winter…flowers!      

On Feb. 8th, following a snowstorm and cold weather, 8 intrepid folks enjoyed the dried flower wreath workshop which Carol Noyes put on at the Grange Hall, while Kids Trade & Play took place downstairs.  Below, the participants show off their creations–fun was had by all!
      Carol provided materials–wreath rings, wire and ribbons, plus flowers (like larkspur, celosia and others), dried grasses and more.  Carol has been involved with the Grange for years, part of the contra dance community, as the first Treasurer of the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, and as a main designer for the flower beds around our ADA entrance.   She also donated a lot of the plants for those beds, and helped us plant them!
         Based on the positive response, we expect we’ll do another one of these workshops with Carpol, keep your eye on the Grange Notes, and the Grange Facebook page for announcements!
        And if you have an idea for a workshop, class or other event that would interest the wide variety of folks that know the Grange is a happenin’ place, please contact us and we’ll work with you to set it up!

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), January 27, 2020

Options at the end of life:  a discussion of patient autonomy and your choices under VT Act 39

Do you have a plan for your last days?  We are pleased to invite the public–especially the “Grange Members & Friends” who get these email Grange Notes–to join us next Saturday, Feb. 1st, from 5:00-6:00 PM for a discussion with Betsy Walkerman, President of Patient Choices Vermont, about the options that Vermont residents have to control their final exits–or not!
       In 2013, the VT Legislature passed, and the Governor signed Act 39, “Patient Choices at End of Life”, which provides a legal process by which Vermonters can request medical aid in dying, if they have been diagnosed as having a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less.   The law was the result of over 10 years of lobbying, organized by Dick & Ginny Waters, along with their daughters–one of whom will be our speaker.  You can read in more detail about their reasons for pursuing this law at the Patient Choices VT Website; suffice it to say that their dedication was based on the experiences of their relatives, friends and acquaintances.  The law was also based on the Oregon “Death With Dignity” law, which was put in place by referendum in 1997.  Vermont was the first state in which this type of law was passed by the Legislature.
       In addition to educating Vermont residents about Act 39, Patient Choices VT also provides resources to doctors about how to talk with patients about end-of-life choices–and for patients who want to talk to their doctors.  They provide a “Guide to Advance Care Planning for Dementia” and a “Guide to Medical Decision-Making” to aid in making choices in case of serious illness.
        At our meeting, Betsy Walkerman will share stories about people’s end of life choices, the details of Act 39, including its safeguards for patients, and will take part in a discussion of questions raised by members of the audience.  She is very interested in having the open discussion needed to deal with this sensitive issue.  We invite you to join us–and spread the word to your friends and families.   While the question of making these decisions is not easy, there is no doubt that we will all face them eventually.

Community Potluck dinner after the program!

Join us from 6 to 7:00, after the program.  As usual, we welcome everyone–bring whatever you want:  casseroles, side-dishes, salads, desserts, vegetables, meats, cheese, bread, beverages, chips, candy…
       This is an opportunity to hang out with people you may know as audience members for the program, or people you dance with at the contra dance, or just interesting folks from the community.  And an opportunity to have a good dinner without having to make a whole meal!   Hope we’ll see you there!  Like all Grange events, this is free and open to everyone.  

Feb. 8th:  Dried Flower wreath class

Here’s an opportunity to do something with flowers, even if there is snow–or sleet–outside.   We have arranged with Carol Noyes, owner of Lightfoot Farm in Northfield Falls to do a class on Saturday, Feb. 8th, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Grange Hall.   You can see more photos of Carol’s work on her Lightfoot Farm website.  She also makes and sells teas, jellies, and other items.
      Carol will provide materials–wreath rings, wire and ribbons, plus flowers (like larkspur, celosia and others), dried grasses and more.   She’ll also bring forty years of experience making these sorts of wreaths and other arrangements.   We’re limiting this workshop to 10 participants, so everyone can get personal attention–and at least 5 people have already registered, so don’t hesitate if you want to take part!  Please sign up at the Grange Facebook page event to reserve your spot, or email merrykaysings@gmail.com.  Please plan to bring $10 to cover the material costs  We also ask for a $10 to $20 donation to cover Grange expenses.  
      Carol has been involved with the Grange for years, part of the contra dance community, as the first Treasurer of the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall, and as a main designer for the flower beds around our ADA entrance.   She also donated a lot of the plants, and helped us plant them!

Progress continues on the lower level!

Sheetrock & FRPs!     

When I wrote the last Grange Notes on Jan. 18th, the sheetrock was going up; since that time Stan Carlson has put up all the sheetrock, taped the seams and screw-holes, and put up most of the Fiberglass Reinforced Panels, FRPs for short.   As you can see in the photos above, the panels are covered with a protective film–and as you can see, Stan has written “please don’t remove!” on the film.   This is because one of the next steps is to caulk the seams between the panels.

Trim for the windows & stairwells!    

Another big part of the carpentry work is putting up extension jambs and new trim on all the window openings, and on the stairwells.   Last Friday, I used my “Grange Truck” to pick up a lot of primed, fingerjointed pine and deliver it to the Hall.  Stan and I set it up on tables covered with plastic, and on Saturday Jill Murphy & Lisa Wilson painted all the edges with the finish coat of paint.  This will keep us from needing to “cut-in” the paint on the edges after the trim is up.  The faces of all the trim will be painted after they are nailed in place and the nail-holes are filled.

Still lots of ways to help!       

We are very appreciative of volunteers like Lisa & Jill!   We have been offered a pickup truck for use in carting off the old ceiling panels and other construction debris.   But we will still need others to pitch in to get this project done!   Remember, as well as feeling part of the project, your volunteer hours count toward our “match” with the grant from the VT Arts Council, which will fund 50% of the project cost.  Here are some of the needs that are still coming up:

• Painting above the Fiberglass Reinforced Panels, which will cover the bottom 60″ of the walls.
• Painting new trim–around the windows and on the stairways.  As  noted above, the faces of all the trim will still need to be painted after it’s installed.
• Brushing on varnish on the new hand-rails for the basement stairway–soon!
• Installing new ceiling tiles in the existing grid.  We’ll provide dust-masks!
• Taking the old tiles to the transfer station.
• Moving the furniture for carpet-tile installation–we’ll need to move the tables into the “alcove” space, and the chairs and other smaller items into the kitchen, so that Country Floors will be able to put tiles down in the cafeteria–and then move the tables back into the cafeteria so that they can carpet-tile the alcove.
• Cleaning up after this work–we will be scheduling a work-day to make sure that the newly refurbished space is clean and as dust-free as we can make it.

       Can you pitch in on some of this work?  What skills do you have that will help?   Please contact me (Tim) via email:  swartztim15@gmail.com and let me know how we can fit you in!  
      We look forward to showing off the renovated basement once it’s done, watch for the celebration to be scheduled!

Join us in the work of the Grange!      

It’s the time of year when we reach out to people who are interested in what goes on at the Grange–because you are needed!  Joining the Grange means supporting what we do–and becoming part of it.
     When I talk to people about joining, I frequently get questions like What is our Mission?  Many people don’t know much about this 150 year-old institution.  Here’s what I wrote for the Grange website “About Us” page:
Capital City Grange shares the mission of the National and Vermont State Granges to provide opportunities for all to be part of a community organization, striving to improve the life of rural communities.   At CCG, our special focus is on providing a convenient, affordable and comfortable community hall, that can serve as a meeting place for organizations, families and individuals.  Grange Hall users are those who make our small-town communities companionable, stimulating and interesting, with classes, meetings, church services, dances and much more.  Completely run by volunteers who care about the community in which they live, Capital City Grange welcomes everyone who wants to improve the quality of life in Central Vermont.
      To take part in this mission, a small group of dedicated folks are already members of our Grange.   Everyone who joins the Grange brings their own interests, ideas and opinions, and adds to the activities we take on.  Members come to Grange meetings most of the time, and they are the only ones who can vote–the people who make decisions about things like setting rental rates, spending Grange funds for donations, scheduling Grange special events, voting on Grange resolutions, supporting events like Kids Trade & Play and Dance Sing & Jump Around, and much more.   They are also the people who help us figure out what it means to be a Grange in–now–the decade of the 2020s.   We need you!
       We also need to have Grange members, to keep our Grange alive!   In the worst case, if we ever stop having enough members, we would have to close the CCG–and the VT State Grange would get title to our Grange Hall.   The VSG doesn’t want that to happen–and neither do we!  The Grange has a mission to build bonds among rural communities, for the benefit of all of us.   We’re proud to be part of that, and hope that you will join us to do even more.
       So the bottom line is that we need people to be paid-up and active Grange members.  If you’ve been a member, now is the time to send in your $30.00 annual dues!   If you want to join, we’ll make it easy!    Come to a meeting, bring your check (or cash, even), and we’ll vote you into the membership, unless you’ve really offended us somehow!
      Checks for dues payments, made out to “Capital City Grange”, go to our Secretary: Charles Martin
639 Minister Brook Rd.
Worcester, VT  05682