Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help) May 26, 2022
The birds aren’t the only ones who are happy to sing
After a long hiatus, we’re looking forward to an opportunity to have another “Community Sing-Along” at the Grange Hall, as our “Program” from 5 to 6:00 PM on Saturday, June 4th. Following our brief Grange meeting from 4:30 to 5:00, Grange Musician Matt Nunnelly will lead us in songs. Weather permitting, we’ll be outside on the ADA entrance porch, for maximum fresh air. If we need to be indoors, we’ll be using our exhaust fan and open windows to keep the air moving, plus our Room Air Filter Boxes. We do ask that only people who are fully vaccinated come to this event; we don’t expect to wear masks, but we will provide room to spread out.
What will we sing? That’s up to Matt and the people who send in suggestions! Matt is a talented song leader and accompanist, and he is willing to do his best, especially if people contact him beforehand at: mattkatvt@gmail.com with the song(s) they want to sing! If you have lyrics for the songs, and want to send them to me (Tim) at: grangenotes@capitalcitygrange.
If you can’t make it to the meeting, and want to listen in to the program, and even sing along at home, here’s how to do it:
To join the Zoom sing-along program starting at 5:00 from your computer or smart-phone, use this link:
It’s great if you want to sing along at home, but we will need to you to mute yourself while singing, due to the inability of Zoom to synchronize the audio!
Don’t forget the potluck after the singing!
June Grange meeting: 4:30 to 5:00
We will welcome anyone who wants to join us–but we will continue to ask that only vaccinated folks join us in person. We will also be able to welcome people who want to attend from their homes, via Zoom, and we’ll be able to see you on the projection screen–here’s the connection info:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 850 0589 8289
Passcode: 534977
(this info is also posted on the Grange website Calendar listing for this meeting)
We’ll be going over the current finances of the Grange as usual, plus talking about some summer activity choices:
- Can we pull together a Grange Hall cleanup? After a couple of slow years, there are plenty of dusty screens, dirty windows, and other grimy nooks and crannies.
- Can we come up with a plan to improve the downstairs “alcove” space we planned as a small-scale meeting/performance space?
- Shall we have a cookout in August? If so, who can help to organize it?
- Some people are planting sunflowers as a show of support for Ukraine–is anyone interested in doing this at the Grange Hall? There are lots of gardening/landscaping opportunities, as a matter of fact.
- And we’ve been asked to participate in the Champlain Valley Expo starting in late August, as we did last year. We have some good ideas about publicizing the many arts/cultural/family events that happen at our Hall, please let us konw if you can help put together an exhibit!
April meeting: we’re paying for the pellet furnace, and happy to get off oil heat!
We will of course be paying that loan back, likely over 10 years or so. If anyone feels moved to make a donation to the Friends to help us reduce the balance on that loan, we will be happy to accept, of course! We will not be paying for heating oil, which as everyone knows is currently very expensive. Part of our research showed that our average per-gallon cost for oil for the Grange has increased by 45% over the last 5 years. This compares to an 18% rise in pellet pricing over the last 8 years, so we anticipate our relative savings will only increase with time. Since the meeting, we have gotten a check from our former heating oil supplier, Gillespie Fuels for the oil they pumped out of our tank before it was removed.
We voted at the May meeting that we are willing to cash out the CD we currently have at the VSECU credit union to pay off the balance due to Bourne’s Energy for the furnace installation. At this point, the FCCGH advises us to wait to see what happens with the applications which the Friends have put in for assistance with Hall projects from Senator Sanders’ “Congressionally Directed Spending” funds, as well as the application to the VT Arts Council’s “Facilities Improvement Grant Program” for a platform lift to allow people with mobility difficulties access to the lower level of the Hall. We will mutually decide what is the most sensible way to use the funds available.
Also at the meeting, Alison Forrest told us about a Vermont composer/pianist’s plans to play concerts in every town in Vermont–he has given up flying out of concern for climate change, and is limiting his performances to places he can reach with his electric vehicle! She suggested that we could be the venue for a concert in Berlin, so I’ve written to him to ask if he’s interested. You can check out David Feuerzeig‘s plans at Playeverytown to learn more about him and his concert tour.
We also discussed possible cooking events, since we have not had a “baking contest” for the last 3 years. Among the ideas was having a “best local tomatoes” contest with “celebrity judges”, similar to baking contests. Or having a “local ingredients” cooking contest–both of these would be scheduled around harvest time. Expect more discussion–and bring your ideas to the June meeting, per the announcement above. A love of tasty food is a universal bond that humans (including Grange members and friends) share, and we’re happy to provide excuses to indulge that love.