JACKIE BISHOP, LECTURER
479 Tuscany Drive
Portage, MI 49024
Tel: 269-365-0401
Cell: 518-222-6622
jacqueline_bishop@hotmail.com
JULY/AUGUST 2024 GRANGE NEWS
Home Made Food Contest
Family Recipe Contest
Summer is Here! Have Fun and Be Safe! Eat Ice Cream!
First, a thank you note. Thanks to everyone that sent my Dad, Roland Winter, cards for his 98th birthday. They came over several days, so that made it even more fun. Since his birthday, he took a fall, ended up in the hospital for four days and is now in rehab at Harold and Grace Upjohn Community, 2400 Portage St., Kalamazoo, MI 49001. His room is 64. He would enjoy cards again.
Banana Splits in Summer
I found an interesting article on ice cream in one of our local monthlies. It discussed who invented the Banana Split? My mouth is watering as I type this! Apparently, this is disputed by several locations. The Latrobe Pharmacy in Latrobe, Pennsylvania has historical documentation of David Strickler slicing a banana in two, adding scoops of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, three flavored toppings, and
whipped cream in 1904. Boston, Massachusetts and Wilmington, Ohio also claim to have invented the banana split, with Wilmington holding an annual Banana Split Festival. Walgreens is credited with helping make banana splits popular across the country when they named banana splits to be their signature dessert. I think I might take a day trip to Wilmington during their festival – about a 4 ½ hour drive from
my house.
Lecturer Contests
Several of the Lecturer’s contests revolve around summer activities. All entries will be judged at the Michigan State Grange convention in October. All Lecturer contests are open to Grange members and Grange friends. Asking a friend that you know really enjoys photography to enter the photography contest might just be the nudge to have them consider joining your Grange. Kids younger than 5 may enter all contests. Entries for kids will be judged in two age groups: 1) those 8 years old and younger, and 2) those 9-14 years old. Kids need not be Junior Grange members. We are hoping to see more entries from children this year. You might want to designate a day with kids/grandkids/great-grandkids to take a photo
shoot tour.
Photography contest
All photography classes may be taken in summer months. The classes are: Animals, People, Farm Crops Scene, Sky, and Monuments. Remember that judges tend to like un-posed photos that show some kind of action where possible.
Home Made Food Contest
Classes this year are yeast breads, fruit pie, and canned items. The recipe must be included for the item to be judged. Kids entries will be judged separately from over age 14 entries.
Family Recipe Contest
Since summer is the usual season for family reunions, this might be a great time to get suggestions from other family members what they consider a “family” recipe. An entry in this contest includes the recipe and a description of why this recipe was chosen, who originated it if known, and/or why it is special or unusual to the family. Photo is optional. This contest will be judged on Thursday night when the
Home Made Food Contest entries are judged.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 GRANGE NEWS
I hope that everyone has been taking photographs all year for the “Animals”, “People”, “Farm Crop Scenes”, “Sky”, and “Monuments” classes to enter into the photography contest. The photos are displayed via a peg board with photos placed on clips. The backing should at a minimum of card stock weight (minimum 67 lb), but heavier mat board is recommended. I am looking forward to all your entries in the photography contest at State Grange. My goal is 75 photos (about 15 more than last year). For those not photography-minded, consider entering the Arts contest. Note that the classes are now by what medium the item is constructed with as opposed to what technique was used to create it. An example: an entrant has a crocheted item they wish to enter. The article would be entered in Class A (Yarn) or perhaps Class D (thread) instead of the class “Crocheted items” which no longer exists.
Now is also a good time to practice making your entries in the food contest for “Yeast Breads”, “Fruit Pie” and “Canned items”. I am hoping to see entries in the new contest, “Traditional or Unusual Family Recipe Contest”. This contest will be judged on Thursday night with the home-made foods.
All contests are open to Grangers and Grange friends. In addition, contests are open to children through age fourteen.
Special reminder to Lecturer’s: Your annual report forms are due to me by September 10, or as soon thereafter as possible. Certificates will be awarded at State Grange for completed annual reports.
Election Thoughts
State Grange Session is soon! Are your contest entries completed or nearly done?
From experience, I know that a lot of entries are completed the week before State session. I challenge you to get your entries together now, including getting them labeled to avoid the last-minute rush. All entries must be labeled and each entrant should have an entry form that lists all their items in the Lecturer’s contests. Your Lecturer should have these labels and forms, but I will have extras at session.
I hope that everyone has been taking photographs all year for the “Animals”, “People”, “Farm Crop Scenes”, “Sky”, and “Monuments” classes to enter into the photography contest. The photos are displayed via a peg board with photos placed on clips. The backing should at a minimum of card stock weight (minimum 67 lb), but heavier mat board is recommended. I am looking forward to all your entries in the photography contest at State Grange. My goal is 75 photos (about 15 more than last year). For those not photography-minded, consider entering the Arts contest. Note that the classes are now by what medium the item is constructed with as opposed to what technique was used to create it. An example: an entrant has a crocheted item they wish to enter. The article would be entered in Class A (Yarn) or perhaps Class D (thread) instead of the class “Crocheted items” which no longer exists.
Now is also a good time to practice making your entries in the food contest for “Yeast Breads”, “Fruit Pie” and “Canned items”. I am hoping to see entries in the new contest, “Traditional or Unusual Family Recipe Contest”. This contest will be judged on Thursday night with the home-made foods.
All contests are open to Grangers and Grange friends. In addition, contests are open to children through age fourteen.
Special reminder to Lecturer’s: Your annual report forms are due to me by September 10, or as soon thereafter as possible. Certificates will be awarded at State Grange for completed annual reports.
Election Thoughts
Now that the Republican and Democratic conventions are over, it is certain that we will all be bombarded even more with many candidate ads. It is clear that many of us are passionate with regard to what we wish the future to hold with regard to our government and its emphases. In the current environment, where it is difficult to discern what is fact, it is ever important that we seek out multiple sources of information from multiple viewpoints in order to make wise decisions when we vote.
In the Third Degree of the Grange (Harvest), the opening by the Steward says: “We must reap for the mind as well as for the body, and from the abundance of our harvest, in good deeds and kind words, dispense CHARITY.” Let us all keep the concept of charity in mind as we participate in “promoting the welfare” of our nation. From the Fourth Degree (Home), we find this: “Let the agate be to you and
emblem of FIDELITY. May your principles of manhood and womanhood be as firmly impressed as the lasting colors of the stone, and may our friendship be as firm as the stone itself.” In the salutation of order, remember these words as we move through the Presidential Election process: “A good Patron … dispenses CHARITY and is noted for FIDELITY.
VOTE! Since the next issue of MGN will probably not be in your hands before the November 5 election, I encourage you to vote. Stand up for your beliefs by expressing them in this very
important way.
