National Grange

Not long ago, Battenkill Grange was wondering if they might have to turn in their charter and close their doors. But a simple idea and the determination to ask people to join, has brought in over fifteen new members is just a few months.

At the time that Lillian Wood and her husband joined Battenkill Grange as affiliates, there were twenty-one members, but only six or seven people were typically showing up at meetings.

“Right away they put me in as Overseer, and then it wasn’t long till the Master resigned and I got put in as Master” says Lillian. “They were trying to run Bingo, but didn’t really have enough people. So then they decided to try having a breakfast and see if we could get people interested in Grange. We started holding breakfast on the third Sunday of every month between September and May, and it really caught on.”

When people came in the door for breakfast, they also got an application and information about Grange. Agnes McDonald, secretary, says, “They had to see me because I was collecting money. And I told them about Grange as they came in the door. People really seemed interested because, you know, a lot of people just don’t know what Grange is.”

Among the things that Agnes explained is that for years Battenkill Grange has provided a service in the small community of Arlington, Vermont. “We don’t have a Grange Hall and have always met in the Annex to the Church. We own a half acre out back and have a pavilion there, and we make sure the lawn is mowed, the snow is plowed, and we pay the electric bill for the Annex. The church only meets once a month now, and we keep the Annex in decent shape for them. Without Grange, the church wouldn’t be able to do it on their own. I doubt that most people realized that.”

While Agnes gave out information, Lillian got busy and wrote a letter. Here’s what she said.

BATTENKILL GRANGE #487

APPEAL TO RESIDENTS OF
ARLINGTON, SANDGATE AND SUNDERLAND

Battenkill Grange # 487, located in West Arlington, is sponsoring a membership drive. We are in need of new members to keep this Community Service organization in the area.

The Battenkill Grange has been organized since 1928, and has always been a community-minded organization. Some of our projects are: donation of a scholarship each year at Arlington Memorial High School, a “Words for Thirds” program where we donate a dictionary to each child in the Third Grade at Fisher Elementary School, as well as Sunderland Elementary Schools, donations to local and state charities, and members who donate their time to individual projects (hospital, blood drives, etc.)

As most townspeople know, the Grange owns the dance pavilion behind the West Arlington Church, and uses the church annex for meetings and our popular Third Sunday of the Month Pancake Breakfasts, from September through May. We pay for the grounds upkeep and mowing in the summer, the snowplowing in winter, lights, gas, and two-thirds of the fuel, so we think this is a vital organization to the community as well as the church.

However, our membership is dwindling due to losing members by death, entering nursing homes, and some members who live out-of-state and are unable to help. That is why we are asking anyone interested, to please call one of our members or come to our breakfast and talk to any one of us for information.

The Grange has always been a good addition to any community. Some people we have talked to think that it is just a farm organization. This was mostly true, back in the mid-eighteen hundreds when the Grange was first organized, but over the years it has become more of a community- and family-oriented group with community service as one of our most important roles.

Again, if anyone is interested in joining the Grange, with some new ideas and new spirit, you can come to our meeting on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM.

Agnes McDonald, Secretary

Talking to people about Grange and writing a letter to the editor may seem like simple ideas, but they really got results!

“At the very first meeting after the letter appeared, ten new people showed up! I know I said that if you want to keep the Grange, they should show up at the next meeting, but I have to admit that I nearly fell through the floor when I walked in and saw ten new people there! Our Deputy was there that night and he swore them in on the spot!” Lillian still has a ring of surprise in her voice.

“So far we’ve taken in fifteen new members. And we have six more who are ready to join!,” Lillian says. “And they all seem ready to pitch in. We elected officers right off the bat. One new member took Overseer. Another took Lecturer. We filled all the offices and held installation on the spot.”

“At our last meeting, the Lecturer had the first program that we’ve had in years. It was on the history of agriculture and she did a really nice job. To be in a position where we can actually have a program seems like a really big deal to us!”

Agnes agrees. “It’s wonderful to see all the offices filled. And we’re just beginning really. All our new members are talking to their neighbors. Their enthusiasm is wonderful! One new member made a cake recipe and took it on and got second in the state! Our new Lecturer is the first one to get to every breakfast. It’s just given us a tremendous boost!”

Lillian adds, “It’s reminded us too, that people join for different reasons. Our new Overseer is very involved in community service. One girl joined because her grandmother belongs here.”

A meeting at Battenkill Grange is livelier these days. “We had eighteen people at our last meeting. That’s three times what we used to have!” says Lillian.

Agnes adds, “We have a potluck supper before our meeting, and now it’s like going to a real Grange meeting again! We had a picnic and told people to bring their families. There were 40 people there!”

With this new boost of enthusiasm, Battenkill Grange isn’t done yet. “We’re going to keep doing breakfasts. We serve 80-100 people each month, and we’re going to keep passing out applications as they come in the door! We do Words for Thirds and give a scholarship, and we’ll get a lot more active with more members to help out! Our new Lecturer is planning a musical program for our next meeting, and in September we’re all going to help her plan programs for the year.”

It turns out that Battenkill Grange was the home Grange of Phyllis Mason, State Grange Master. “I’m really proud of Battenkill Grangers,” says Phyllis who remembers when Norman Rockwell used to come to dances at the Grange Pavilion. “I danced there when I was a teenager, and he’d come and work just like anyone else,” she says.

“It’s in a beautiful area,” Lillian says. “It’s right next to the Battenkill River where there’s a covered bridge. People swim there and they rent the Pavilion in summertime. We keep it all mowed and nice.”

“What makes me proudest – and most excited – about what Battenkill Grange has done,” says Phyllis, “is that just asking people to help keep Grange alive there has made all the difference. Too often we forget to do that, but look what a difference just asking can make!”