Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) March 2, 2026
Welcome to March, with a Grange meeting this Saturday!
Please join us at our meeting on Saturday, March 7, as we plan for Spring events, and perhaps make a decision about new chairs for the Grange Hall!
- One decision that we have already made is to hold a performance of the “First Degree” ceremony of Grange membership on May 3rd. I’ve written about this already, please come to the meeting to learn more!
- We now have 3 choices of upholstered chairs we might purchase to upgrade the seating in our Hall. The 3 choices are pictured below. All have vinyl covered padded seats and backs–vinyl is recommended as the most durable choice. They are accompanied by “feedback sheets” where Hall users can rate the chairs for different features, so we can see what people with various body types, leg lengths, etc. like and don’t like about these choices. Please try out these chairs (they’re currently located in the Lower Level) and fill out a line on the form to let us know how they work for you! We’ll see if we are ready to make a choice at our March 7 meeting.
- We still need to schedule a Hall Cleaning Day and confirm when we want to hold our Chili Cooking Contest. Should we combine one or both with our June 3rd Grange meeting?
- I’ll be reporting on my visit to the Berlin Town Meeting on Saturday, Feb. 28, where I renewed old acquaintances and spread the word about the Grange. In 2028, we will be petitioning the Town Meeting to renew our exemption from property taxes from the Town’s voters, so it’s important to remind them of the Community Hall that Grange volunteers keep running in Berlin!
- At the meeting, I will also be talking about our need for Grange webmaster help. I’ve spent a number of hours over the last couple of weeks trying to solve a problem that cropped up. I hope I’ll be done with it by the meeting–I am a complete novice at this, even after several years of emergency problem solving. Are you savvy about running a website? Want to make our website better, and take one headache off our long list of tasks? Please send me a reply and we’ll talk!
Coming very soon to a town nearby–
Wednesday in Northfield
As the editor of the Grange Notes for over 20 years, I’m using “executive privilege” to publicize a FREE community gathering and activities which I’ve helped to organize in Northfield–just a few miles south of the Grange Hall on Rt. 12. The poster below provides most of the information.
In Northfield, where I live, I’ve been part of the “Accessibility, Walkability and Pedestrian Safety Task Force” (AWPS) for nearly 3 years. We advocate for the interests of people who want to or need to get around without cars, and to increase the physical and social connections of the Town’s citizens. Last year, we were able to apply for a grant from AARP to put together a “winter place-making event” to bring people together and get them to enjoy doing things outside their houses. And it’s happening this Wednesday, Mar. 4!
As you’ll see on the poster, everyone is welcome for this event, starting with the FREE lunch at 11:30 AM. Then, all afternoon we’re providing a wide variety of “workshops“, in Plumley Armory of Norwich University, and outdoors as well, during the afternoon. And we’re having a Contra Dance for the community from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. The dance will feature calling by Mary Wesley, a regular caller at the “Montpelier Contra Dance” series at the Grange Hall–as well as all over New England and the whole U.S. Live music will be provided by “Frosty Frog”, a Plainfield band which includes Macey Mayfield on fiddle, and Erik Pendleton on guitar; they come highly recommended.
At 5:00, we’ll gather everyone by firepits, where cocoa and cookies will be available, and we’ll start organizing our “Lantern Parade“. This features lanterns made of paper, bamboo sticks and LED lights, by Northfield folks who came to one of several lantern workshops held in the Town in February. Some of these workshops were taught by MK Monley, who is the founder of the Waterbury River of Light, which happens every December in that town. Our parade will be smaller, but equally fun! We’ve hired the Brass Balagan band to lead the parade with their assortment of instruments!
I hope some of you folks will come and join us to celebrate the returning light happening now–and continuing as we get closer to actual spring! It will be a fun opportunity to socialize and connect. I’d especially love it if some contra dancers would come and help to encourage the folks of all ages we hope to have at the dance!
For more info, get in touch with me, Tim: swartztim15@gmail.com.
They’re back at the end of March–
the Bob Dylan Wannabes!
Last year, the benefit “Green Mountain Bob Dylan Wannabe Contest” at the Grange raised about $2,500 for the People’s Health & Wellness Clinic in Barre. We’re sponsoring the contest again this year, by providing our Grange Hall, and we hope you will attend, enjoy and donate! Put March 28 on your calendar!
As noted on the flyer, if you want to be a contender, you can contact Bronwyn Fryer to see if you can be added to the list.
