I attended the VT State Grange meeting on Saturday, Oct. 18th, along with Merry; Marj Power went on Friday the 17th. We dealt with various resolutions, some of which we discussed during our October Grange business meeting. On Friday, the retiring State Grange Master gave an address that mentioned a controversy involving the National Grange organization and the California Granges. Intrigued by this, Merry has done some investigating, including contacting the Sonoma Valley Grange (www.sonomavalleygrange.com), which she had visited on a trip earlier this year to California. Then, she was interested to find out more about an active Grange whose Hall is a vital part of the community. Now, she was interested to find out more about the issues that led to the National Grange claiming that the California State Grange was illegitimate, and suing to close the State Grange and re-start it.
At our meeting on Nov. 1st, Merry will tell what she has learned about this controversy, and the issues behind it. Come learn about Green Granges, the question of whether Grange Halls should be saved, and more!
Article by Tim Swartz

Join us at our Nov. 1st meeting to make a tax reduction strategy
We’ve talked for years about the burden that our property taxes (over $7,000 per year) place on our budget. About 1/3 of our annual expenses are property taxes paid to Berlin! We’d love to reduce that burden. We’ll be talking about how to reduce or eliminate those at from about 5:30 to 6:30, after our usual business meeting on Nov. 1st. We’d like the expertise and input of our talented membership, and all who want to see our Grange and Hall thrive!
Can we:
get Berlin to reduce our taxes? As in all towns, the Town Meeting would have to vote to reduce or eliminate our property taxes.
transfer legal ownership to a tax-exempt non-profit? The Grange is a “fraternal organization”–a non-profit which is not automatically exempt from property taxes.
come up with more strategies–and plans to actually pursue them?

On Sept. 6th, a record amount was raised by the Contra Dance Umbrella and the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall.

This annual “challenge fundraiser” is designed to help the Grange cover the operating expenses of the Hall, and to help fund the Hall projects organized by the FCCGH. Probably you all know that some generous supporters pledged $2,000 this year, to be matched by donations from the contra dance community. I’m pleased to report that donors to the fundraiser more than matched that!

Donations were solicited starting at the CDU dance on August 16th, and by the beginning of the ultimate event on Sept. 6th, $900 was already given. Rob Nichols was bringing in plants to give away in return for donations, and dessert makers were bringing in a huge variety of treats, both sweet and savory. Ben and Jerry’s donated big boxes of vanilla and strawberry ice cream. And the donations kept rolling in all evening, with exhortations from caller Nils Fredland, great music by the Free Raisins, and lots of good will from the dance community. During the evening, an anonymous donor even pledged to give an extra $500 if we met the “challenge” goal.

During the break, the dancers grazed on the potluck dessert treats downstairs, which were organized by Dana Dwinell-Yardley, and dropped money in the pitchers labeled for donations. A couple of us served cup after cup of Ben & Jerry’s donation, and the punch Dana made kept disappearing. Thomas Weiss organized dish-washing sinks, and lots of dancers pitched in to clean the glasses, plates and bowls–as usual, we use the Grange’s extensive supply of dishes and silverware, rather than paper products. The dessert treats ranged from tomatoes with goat cheese and olive slices, to vegan brownies, to gluten-free pumpkin bread with chocolate chips–and many more more traditional cookies, cakes and bars.

By about 10:30, Friends chair Patty Giavara, who was keeping track of donations was able to report that we had met the goal of $2,000 more in donations to add to the $2,000 previously pledged–so we also got the extra $500! The picture above shows Patty with the celebratory sign, to be placed on the “donation ladder” which had been climbed during the evening.

A bit more money was sent in in the next couple of days, so the total raised is actually $4,602!
Of this, $2,000 is being given to the Grange, which is chronically struggling to keep up with the many costs of supporting our Hall (heat, taxes, plowing and sanding, insurance and more), and the rest will help the Friends to fund the major renovation projects in the works–the basement fire egress improvements and bathroom renovations.
Thanks to everyone who donated to this fundraiser, and to everyone who helped set it up, including the donors who pledged the “Challenge” amount! As usual, the Grange survives and prospers when everyone pitches in, and this event was a great illustration!