As I write this, we are getting to the end of the traditional Dog Days of Summer of July 3-August 11.  With the climate changing, I won’t be surprised to see more hot and sultry days throughout the month of August.  When I go birdwatching, I can see the effects of time passage on what birds are most prominent as it changes dramatically from April to late summer.  Fewer warblers are to be seen, the red-winged blackbirds will leave soon,  the various flycatchers are on the uptick with all the flies and gnats, and goldfinches are numerous as they look for breeding mates as evidenced by their singing.  Time is passing and I hope your Granges are making good use of the summer with community serving events and programs.

Make sure your Grange and officers are properly bonded through the National Grange program.  For the Granges receiving grants from various foundations, this will boost your treasury holdings and your Secretary, Treasurer and Executive Committee should choose the proper level of boding to match your assets.  Secretaries, get your premium payments into our State Grange Secretary promptly as these are required by National Grange as they are usually paid by the State Grange for all its subordinates before you submit your premium payments to Todd Gelineau.

National Grange is in the process of switching to a new Grange Engage community online platform.  This will provided for enhanced fellowship, resources, and connections to member benefits.  The platform includes a digital hall where Community/Subordinate, Pomona, and State Granges can upload and access resources, hold discussions, and host virtual meetings and social events.  It will also provide a more clear view of the Order tp the public in regards to our values, policy, programs, history, leadership, and more.  Stay tuned and make use of this resource when it goes live.

I have been preparing for the upcoming 141st Annual Session of the Connecticut State Grange.  The Sixth Degree is once again memorized in but two weeks, down from one month last year and two and a half months on the first go-around.  Calls to the Session have gone out, so make your hotel reservations.  Get your resolutions in to your Pomona Granges.  As I write this, Mountain Laurel Pomona #15 has six resolutions so far to consider at the August 23 meeting.  Our National representative this year is to be National Grange Treasurer Joe Goodrich and wife Lisa from Vermont.

The Big E is just around the corner.  Maintenance on the building under the oversight of Building Manager Noel Miller keeps the edifice in good shape so we put on a good appearance for our Big E visitors and customers.  Noel doesn’t look for acknowledgements on this, but if you see him, thank him for all the hard work.  He puts a lot of time into this endeavor because of his love for the Order.  If you can attend the Big E, look into sitting in the Connecticut Room for all or part of a day to greet visitors.  

This year, the Northeastern Grange Weekend and Chaplains Service failed to materialize as of late July due to the difficulty in finding a suitable location.  They try to move it around to different parts of the seven state conference to give the Grangers in all the states a chance to attend periodically if not every year.  It is an enjoyable event and I hope this tradition will continue another year.

By the time you read this, Grange Family Day in Hillstown Grange #87 and its pancake breakfast will be past and I hope will have been successful with many contest entries and attendees.  Thanks to the Family Activities Committee for all their work on this.

Plan to attend the rededication ceremony for the Grange Plot in Peoples State Forest in Barkhamsted.  It is located near the intersection of Slade and Park Roads.  There will be a dinner afterwards at Riverton Grange #169.  It would be nice to have a good attendance by Grangers.  Parking will be along the sides of the road.   The boulder on which the plaque is mounted is only about 20 feet into the field and the grass is mowed from roadside to and around the monument.  Dave Roberts assured me that anyone who cannot walk into the field can watch easily from the roadside.   The Riverton American Legion Post #159 will provide an Honor Guard for the rededication.  Plan to attend this resurrection of sorts for an important piece of lost Grange history brought back to us by out State Lecturer Dave Roberts.

Food for thought from the Heirloom Program for July: “Changes and tranformations are constantly passing before us.” (Second Degree, Ceres)