Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President, (with everyone’s help) for December 6, 2018
Donations still needed for our Holiday Meal Food Boxes
We’ve been collecting non-perishable food items, destined to be part of the 6 “holiday meal kits” we will be donating to 6 needy families. The Washington County Head-Start office is working with us, as they did last year, and will direct the food boxes to deserving families with children.
How can you help? We’re looking for things that will make a special meal that will bring some holiday good feelings to folks that need it. Think about items that will bring smiles to the parents and the kids. Here are a few ideas, please add your own!
How can you help? We’re looking for things that will make a special meal that will bring some holiday good feelings to folks that need it. Think about items that will bring smiles to the parents and the kids. Here are a few ideas, please add your own!
- Candy! and Cookies! especially holiday types
- Coffee or tea–the good stuff that may be hard for some to afford
- Pickles
- Macaroni & cheese (a favorite of kids of all sizes)
- Jam
- Stuffing mix (to go with the turkeys we are buying–see below)
- Pancake mix…and maple syrup!
We’ve already gotten financial donations from patrons of “Kids Trade ‘n’ Play”, (our once-a-month clothing exchange which happens on the 2nd Saturday of each month), which have let us purchase 6 good-sized turkeys to include. We had a family from Berlin rent the Grange Hall for their extended-family Thanksgiving dinner–and they collected $125.00 more, which will help us by fruit, vegetables and other perishable items.
So think of other special things that will delight the palate, sweeten the celebrations, and warm up the hearts of people just like us, who need a little extra help. Drop ’em in the boxes around the Hall, and we’ll make sure that they get to the right homes, by Dec. 20th.
So think of other special things that will delight the palate, sweeten the celebrations, and warm up the hearts of people just like us, who need a little extra help. Drop ’em in the boxes around the Hall, and we’ll make sure that they get to the right homes, by Dec. 20th.
Felt so good, we have to do it again
(with apologies to Koko Taylor)–it’s time for our Second Annual Holiday Sing-along
Put it on your calendar!
Mat Nunnelly, our excellent Grange Musician, will accompany songs on the piano. We’re working on printing up some song sheets for some of Mat’s favorites–and we want to hear yours! We will do our best to sing along with any seasonal songs you bring, from sacred songs of any tradition to less-than-sacred ditties about the demise of elderly relatives at the hands (or hooves) of seasonal ungulates. We are non-denominational and non-partisan, we just like to sing!
Join us from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. We’ll provide some mulled cider–please bring some goodies to share if you can. We’ll also provide some crafts for little ones downstairs–or they can join in the singing!
P.S.: no judges will be present to award points for flashy singing(–or to take points away if you sing like I do–Tim)
Join us from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. We’ll provide some mulled cider–please bring some goodies to share if you can. We’ll also provide some crafts for little ones downstairs–or they can join in the singing!
P.S.: no judges will be present to award points for flashy singing(–or to take points away if you sing like I do–Tim)
Kids Trade ‘N’ Play–back again on Saturday, Dec. 8th
Wanna pitch in? Join Erin & the volunteers on Friday to plan the future!
Nearing the 3rd anniversary of this very successful community service tradition (we can certainly start to call it that!), organizer Erin Barry reported at our Dec. 1 Grange Meeting that it’s busier than ever. In November, about 80 adults and 50 kids showed up, to donate out-grown, gently used kids’ clothing and toys, and to get “new” ones in bigger sizes.
Erin has a number of dedicated volunteers who help to organize the donated clothes, toys and kids’ gear. Before the 2nd Saturday morning events, all of the items are set out on the cafeteria tables, sorted by sizes in plastic tubs; donations are sorted as they come in, and then it all has to be put away again afterward, on the shelves that the Grange purchased.
The clothing exchange has turned into a real meeting place for parents & children–which is just what Erin wants to foster. Besides the clothers, connections are made, information is shared, kids and parents bond with each other.
To keep the good things going, Erin and some of the core volunteers will be meeting (along with doing set-up for the Saturday KTNP) on Friday evening, from about 6:15 to 9:00 PM to discuss how to grow the operation and share the work, while maintaining the personal connections.
Erin has a number of dedicated volunteers who help to organize the donated clothes, toys and kids’ gear. Before the 2nd Saturday morning events, all of the items are set out on the cafeteria tables, sorted by sizes in plastic tubs; donations are sorted as they come in, and then it all has to be put away again afterward, on the shelves that the Grange purchased.
The clothing exchange has turned into a real meeting place for parents & children–which is just what Erin wants to foster. Besides the clothers, connections are made, information is shared, kids and parents bond with each other.
To keep the good things going, Erin and some of the core volunteers will be meeting (along with doing set-up for the Saturday KTNP) on Friday evening, from about 6:15 to 9:00 PM to discuss how to grow the operation and share the work, while maintaining the personal connections.
- Want to join the volunteers? Come on by on Friday evening at the Grange Hall!
- Looking for more information? Email Erin Barry.
- Want to donate kids’ clothes & get new ones? Come by on Saturday morning, 9:30 to 11:30. Nominal fee of $3.00 per family (and no one is turned away)–take all that you need!
Time for a “Repair Cafe”?
Also at our December meeting, we talked about hosting one of these special events–and members were on board. You may have read about these events in VT newspapers, since 2 were held in Central VT in 2018. I was able to take part in one held in Barre, as “fixpert” working on furniture and woodworking repairs–there were others concentrating on appliance repair, smart-phone repairs, sewing repairs, and much more. I really enjoyed helping out with people’s problems, and I know that a lot of people benefited from the various “fixperts” and their varied expertise.
I was contacted recently by an organizer from the Central VT Solid Waste Management District, which has the “selfish” motivation of keeping things out of the landfill, and the altruistic one of helping people save money by fixing damaged or worn items, rather than buying new ones. He asked me if I would be interested in taking part in another…and if I knew of a space that could be used. As it happens, I do! No date set yet, but I’ll send out news if we can get one set up.
Want to learn more? Check out this link to the CVSWMD page on Repair Cafes. Want to help with organizing one at the CCG? Contact me. We will need people to:
I was contacted recently by an organizer from the Central VT Solid Waste Management District, which has the “selfish” motivation of keeping things out of the landfill, and the altruistic one of helping people save money by fixing damaged or worn items, rather than buying new ones. He asked me if I would be interested in taking part in another…and if I knew of a space that could be used. As it happens, I do! No date set yet, but I’ll send out news if we can get one set up.
Want to learn more? Check out this link to the CVSWMD page on Repair Cafes. Want to help with organizing one at the CCG? Contact me. We will need people to:
- Help schedule the event, and publicize it
- Recruit volunteers to staff it
- Bake some cookies, make some coffee & tea
- Other refreshments to keep the “fixperts” going?
- Cover the floor with mats
- Set up work tables
- Direct people with “repairables” to the right fixer
- Purchase supplies of glue, screws, wire, tape, etc., and monitor them at the Cafe time
- Help track the items repaired
- and more!
Please contact me: swartztim15@gmail.com to help out on any of these tasks, or other that you may think of. For more info, see the website of the international organization that promotes these: https://repaircafe.org/en/
“Friends” are seeking year-end donations
Another end-of-year tradition in which many of us participate is making contributions to our favorite non-profit causes. As they did last year, the “Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall” are seeking tax-deductible gifts, that will help further improvement plans for the Hall. It starts with letters mailed out to previous donors, and regular users of the Grange Hall, so many of you who read the Grange Notes may have already been asked.
But if you haven’t heard–now is a perfect time for a donation to the FCCGH. A partner organization for the Grange, with 501(c)(3) status, the Friends will put your contribution to work. It may help to provide matching funds, to combine with grant money for the next big project on the planning board: “Mess Hall to Dining Hall”. Your contribution could also go to one of the shorter-term projects: installing more ceiling fans in the Main Hall to improve ventilation for large events like dances, and starting experiments with acoustic panels to improve the sound quality of the Hall. Whereever it goes, your contribution will make the Hall an even more attractive, comfortable and useful space for community meetings, celebrations, services, clothing exchanges, dances, rehearsals and much more!
To contribute, use this link to the Grange website: Donate. There, you can use your credit card or Paypal, as well as learning more about the projects the Friends are planning, and what has already been done to improve the Hall. Or you can send a check made out to FCCGH to:
But if you haven’t heard–now is a perfect time for a donation to the FCCGH. A partner organization for the Grange, with 501(c)(3) status, the Friends will put your contribution to work. It may help to provide matching funds, to combine with grant money for the next big project on the planning board: “Mess Hall to Dining Hall”. Your contribution could also go to one of the shorter-term projects: installing more ceiling fans in the Main Hall to improve ventilation for large events like dances, and starting experiments with acoustic panels to improve the sound quality of the Hall. Whereever it goes, your contribution will make the Hall an even more attractive, comfortable and useful space for community meetings, celebrations, services, clothing exchanges, dances, rehearsals and much more!
To contribute, use this link to the Grange website: Donate. There, you can use your credit card or Paypal, as well as learning more about the projects the Friends are planning, and what has already been done to improve the Hall. Or you can send a check made out to FCCGH to:
FCCGH
PO Box 192
Northfield Falls, VT 05664
PO Box 192
Northfield Falls, VT 05664
All contributions are tax-deductible, to the extent allowable by law. You will receive a receipt, however you donate, for your records.
It’s almost Membership Renewal Time
And in yet another year-end tradition: we know that it’s hard to keep track of everything that happens in this holiday season, with special events, special foods to prepare and eat, special songs to sing, family to entertain (or be entertained by), presents to agonize over, buy and wrap and much more.
So–we’ll be sending out a reminder to Grange members and friends soon, letting them know that as of Jan. 1st, it’s time to renew your Capital City Grange membership, or sign up for the first time! I’ll keep sending out Grange Notes to all of you regardless of your membership status–but it really helps us to be an active Community Grange if you join us. Help us provide community service that makes a difference, and respond when you get the membership email soon! Then you won’t have to remember when January rolls around. You can mail a check for $30.00, made out to “CCG” or “Capital City Grange”, to:
So–we’ll be sending out a reminder to Grange members and friends soon, letting them know that as of Jan. 1st, it’s time to renew your Capital City Grange membership, or sign up for the first time! I’ll keep sending out Grange Notes to all of you regardless of your membership status–but it really helps us to be an active Community Grange if you join us. Help us provide community service that makes a difference, and respond when you get the membership email soon! Then you won’t have to remember when January rolls around. You can mail a check for $30.00, made out to “CCG” or “Capital City Grange”, to:
Charles Martin, Secretary
Capital City Grange #469
639 Minister Brook Rd.
Worcester, VT 05682
Capital City Grange #469
639 Minister Brook Rd.
Worcester, VT 05682
or give it to any Grange officer, or bring it to our next meeting, on Jan. 5th, 2019! If you are joining for the first time, fill out the simple application form on our website: link to form and mail it to the same address.