MICHIGAN STATE GRANGE MASTER/PRESIDENT
Christopher D. Johnston
6241 Grand River Road
Bancroft, MI 48414
(989)634-9350 (H) (989)666-6648 (C)
msgprez19@yahoo.com
MICHIGAN STATE GRANGE OFFICE
404 S. Oak Street
Durand, MI 48429
(989)288-4546
msgrange1873@yahoo.com
Christopher D. Johnston
6241 Grand River Road
Bancroft, MI 48414
(989)634-9350 (H) (989)666-6648 (C)
msgprez19@yahoo.com
MICHIGAN STATE GRANGE OFFICE
404 S. Oak Street
Durand, MI 48429
(989)288-4546
msgrange1873@yahoo.com
JULY/AUGUST 2024 GRANGE NEWS
Resolutions
For those who wish to attend, there will be plenty of session time as well as tours and a lot of breakout workshops designed for the members who are not an officer or delegate. I encourage you to all attend if at all possible.
Degree Day
Welcome to Summer! The heat and humidity has arrived. While some of us enjoy the serenity and calmness of the frozen winter months, others enjoy this blistering intense heat that makes it hard to function. You can tell which one I am. Then there are those that are never excited about Winter or Summer. Yet the teachings of the first four degrees explain the functionality of each season of the year.
Still have questions?? August 4th at Burr Oak Grange Hall in the great town of Burr Oak, Michigan there will be the exemplification of the first four degrees, with a hog roast potluck lunch. Last I had heard, Roger Bostwick, High Priest of Demeter of the National Grange, will be in attendance with his wife Melanie. Between each of the four degrees Brother Roger will educate us on the meanings and the teachings of each
degree.
Mix the education of the very essentials of our organization with good food and fellowship and this will truly be a great Grange event. Bring a carload of Grangers, a dish to pass, and a wrapped white elephant prize for some fun at the end. As we celebrated last year the 150th Anniversary of our existence in Michigan, let us take this time to learn where we came from. Fore, you cannot truly know where you are going if you don't know where you have been.
Mix the education of the very essentials of our organization with good food and fellowship and this will truly be a great Grange event. Bring a carload of Grangers, a dish to pass, and a wrapped white elephant prize for some fun at the end. As we celebrated last year the 150th Anniversary of our existence in Michigan, let us take this time to learn where we came from. Fore, you cannot truly know where you are going if you don't know where you have been.
Resolutions
State Session is quickly approaching, in between our many events our respective Granges are holding we need to be thinking about resolutions. I hope that many of our members are planning to attend the convention in northern Michigan this October. It will be a great time to see the colors that northern Michigan has to offer, as well as time to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Keep watch for more information.
National Session
The National Session this November will be held in Bettendorf Iowa. This is a joint effort between seven states: Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. As part of the host committee we have worked diligently to make sure there is something for everyone at this convention.
For those who wish to attend, there will be plenty of session time as well as tours and a lot of breakout workshops designed for the members who are not an officer or delegate. I encourage you to all attend if at all possible.
Every year at National we do some sort of community service project. This year the committee chose to collect donations for Wreaths across America. The first 200 wreaths purchased at convention will receive a special wreath pin designed and printed by Eugene Fletcher. Many thanks to Eugene for always being willing to design great items for us.
If you are not going to be able to attend the convention but would still like to support the community service project and sponsor a wreath or more (each wreath sponsorship is $17.00), please make a check out to Michigan State Grange and send it to Connie Johnston at my address. Along with your donation, please let her know if you are sponsoring a wreath in honor of a current military member or one in memorial of a passed veteran and what branch they served or are serving in. There will be a display with all the names as well as a list that will be sent to Wreaths Across America with the donations received.
MAY/JUNE 2024 GRANGE NEWS
Grange Month
Grange Month
I hope everyone had a fantastic Grange Month in April and were able to open your doors for programs and awards. Hopefully even gaining a new member or more.
Day of Learning
I’d like to thank everyone that attended the Day of Learning as well as the Department Directors that presented their program. We were a small group of attendees, but we learned a lot. We started off the meeting with a zoom greeting from the National Master, Chris Hamp. Following that we had several of our directors present their programs. There are a lot of new contests for State Session so be sure to go through the program book and check them out. There is something there for everyone of every skill level. And of course we outdid ourselves with the potluck, something Grangers are known for. We had quite the spread and there was plenty. We ended the day with a fun game of Grange Trivia and door prizes.
Grange Picnic and Degree Day
At the State Session in October, there was a resolution brought forth and passed to have a Grange Picnic and Degree Day. Plans are currently in the works for such a day. So save the date of August 4th for a day of ritual and fellowship. Burr Oak Grange has offered to host the event. I believe there will be a hog roast potluck lunch and plans are even in the works for a special guest to attend. The High Priest, Roger Bostwick, has been invited and is planning to be there. Tom Smith is taking up the lead on this project and I’m sure will be in contact with folks to help form teams for doing the first four degrees.
Midwest Leadership Conference
Coming up June 21-23 is the Midwest Grange Leaders Conference. This conference is for all members, you don’t have to hold a leadership position in the Grange. The conference will be filled with workshops, fellowship and fun. This year is Ohio’s turn to host. They have it set up to be at Bowling Green State University. The cost to attend is $130.00 a person, which includes Friday’s dinner, all three meals on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday in a double occupancy room. There are other hotel options across from the campus and the rate will be adjusted for those that stay in a hotel. I encourage everyone to attend! You can find the registration form on the website or on the Facebook page. Please register by June 1st.
State Session
Plans are being worked out for the State Session in Charlevoix October 17-20th. But now is the time to start thinking about resolutions. These can be done throughout the year, they don't need to be done just before the session. I’m sure there is a change that is needed somewhere, whether it be in politics, within the Grange, or even your local community; a resolution is the perfect starting point to make that change. As a grassroots organization, it all begins with you. If you need help with writing a resolution, please feel free to contact me, I’ll be happy to help.
