That’s what he said at the UN about Eleanor Roosevelt…
DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE TOO?
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS:
Donate Money . . .
- $5 ~ sponsor a family at KIDS TRADE & PLAY ( clothing & gear exchange 2nd Saturdays)
- $100 ~ ‘match’ for the next Hall Improvement Grant.
Click DONATE at capitalcitygrange.org
Give of yourself . . .
- KT & P fiber recycling (2nd Saturdays).
- Light Carpentry Projects
- Manage SOCIAL MEDIA for CCG#469.
- Or join Capital City Grange #469 – learn more ways to help others, and help us maintain and improve this beautiful Grange Hall for the community to use!
For more information, contact Merry Shernock at merrykaysings@gmail.com.
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Campaign to Obtain Tax Relief Thank you, Berlin Residents for voting at Town Meeting 2023 to grant a 5-yr tax exemption to the GRANGE HALL in return for free use of the Main Hall when it is not reserved for paid use.
Contact: merrykaysings@gmail.com
History of our tax exemption: did you know that VT is the only state in New England (plus NY!) that does not automatically grant tax exemption to Granges? And Berlin used to be the only Town in VT that collected 100% of the property tax from our Grange Hall? Though the Hall is not located on a Common, like most Granges in New England, it is just on the other side of the line from Montpelier and the assessment got higher every year. The tax bill in 2015 was just about $7,200.
This was the biggest item in the budget; twice what we pay for sanding and plowing, and WA-AY more than the heat! Every year we ran a deficit. Closing the Hall seemed inevitable some day, if something does not change.
So, on Town Meeting Day in 2016, after an educational campaign about the Grange, our volunteer nature, and the services we provide to the community, we asked the voters of Berlin to grant an exemption from property taxes, and in return promised to give free use of the Hall a minimum of two times each month to the Town or to any Berlin resident, or to Berlin non-profit organizations.
By 2018, we have already had well over 40 unpaid uses of the Hall by Berlin residents, organizations and Town groups. More Berlin residents have been showing up at our monthly Community Potluck Dinners (first Saturday of every month, except July, at 6:00 PM), and we are becoming better known as a good place to hold family celebrations, birthday or retirement parties, civic meetings, and more. We’re happy to be keep building relationships with our neighbors!
Every year since then, we have had Berlin residents and non-profit organizations use the Hall for FREE well over 25 times a year. If you’re in one of those categories, click the Calendar button on this website to see if teh time you want is available. Then, contact Merry Shernock, volunteer Rental Agent and Treasurer at: merrykaysings@gmail.com to make arrangements.
