Successful
Actions of Evening Star Grange - VT
“Evening Star Grange was founded in 1874, so we have celebrated our 125 th plus anniversary,” says Marion Gassett, past Master. “We own our Grange Hall which was built in 1909. It has been completely remodeled starting in 1987 at a cost of $40-50,000.”
“We have the full support of the people in our town. We do three to four fundraising meals per year where we serve 300-400 people each time. And we let the fire departments and churches hold suppers at our Grange too. We do senior congregate meals twice a month. Those are very well attended.”
Sally May, secretary of Evening Star Grange adds, “Marion is our chief cook. If you want to put on a successful meal, you need a good cook. We’ve got one of the best around!”
“The population of Sommerston is probably under 2000, but we’re sort of a bedroom community for Brattleboro which has a population of 12-15,000. We’re in southeastern Vermont. It’s a very rural area, but we’re just 2 hours from Boston so we’re not isolated,” says Sally.
“I’ve been a member of Grange for 13 years,” says Sally. “Some of the things we do in the course of the year - one that’s coming up soon is that we put on a luncheon for a town meeting that’s held on the first Tuesday of March. Everyone contributes to that – whether they’re members of Grange or not. We’ve hosted a dinner for the governor and meals for the Vermont Maple Syrup Producers and Vermont Emergency Management.”
“We adopt a family at Christmas, usually we find a single parent family that could use some help. The Youth and Junior Chair and I go shopping and spread the money out among however many children there are in the family. The kids give us a list, and we try and get something educational and also a toy that we know they want.”
“We do participate in the Dictionary Project,” says Sally. “I go to the elementary school to deliver the dictionaries and tell the third graders a little bit about Grange. The kids are really thrilled to get them. It’s very satisfying. And then the kids come and set the table for some of our dinners, and Marion holds a lunch for them.”
“A local theater group uses our Hall and puts on shows twice a year . In the spring, we do a Community Night Supper for seniors and provide entertainment. We’re a back-up for the Community Band Concert in case it rains. Then everyone is welcome to come inside where it’s dry and enjoy the concert.”
“We do a legislative night every year where prospective candidates come and tell us why we should vote for them.”
“On Columbus Day Weekend, we do a craft fair that takes about a week to set up and a couple of hours to take down,” says Carol Lynch whose husband Larry is the current Master of Evening Star Grange.
“Oh yes,” adds Sally. “That’s a big day. You can start out with a pancake breakfast at the Fire Department, then go to church. After church the apple pies go on sale and we open our craft fair. We also serve hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, and corn chowder, and of course we offer coffee and donuts for the crafts vendors that morning. We have a group of 45-50 motorcyclists who always come to get pies. These are mostly business types and older couples and they put on a nice show in their leathers and the bikes all shiny and chrome. Quite a few folks do hang around and wait for them to show up, and they do every year.”
Carol adds, “We have a table at the craft fair and we always have Grangers who are really go-getters who talk to people about Grange. A lot of people who come are traveling and don’t live in the area, but we figure that if they don’t join our Grange, maybe they’ll join some Grange when they get back home.”
“We have a lot going on,” says Carol. “And we’re only 67 members strong. Some of our busiest and most active members are retired and spend the winter in Florida, so we often get 9-14 people out to meetings on a regular basis. We meet once a month in December, January, and February, and then twice a month on the second and fourth Mondays the rest of the year. We have refreshments after the meetings.”
“We have a July picnic at a member’s house – and it’s a community picnic that does bring out non-members too,” says Carol. “And we also have a Christmas Party at a member’s home.”
Carol says that she and Larry are relatively new to Grange, “And we just hit 40.” When asked why they joined, Carol doesn’t hesitate. “Because Marion was relentless! She just kept asking. And we wanted to get involved in the community so Grange seemed like a good idea.”
“We use the alternative opening and closing ceremonies for most of our meetings. We don’t normally take up the password,” says Sally, “but we do tell it to our members every year.”
“I think our activities help members want to join. We just initiated four new people in January. One was 15 and I think the oldest was maybe 65. A lot of our members have children – and when they’re young, you just do what you have to do.”
“At our peak, we had 120 members,” says Marion. “But that was back in 1956. We have lost a lot of members to death. And we have some Associate Members who don’t want to come to meetings, but will help out anytime we ask.”
“We’ve sponsored children to attend conservation camp,” says Carol. “And we hold a community yard sale once or twice a year. In fact, our Grange was designated as the busiest building in our community. We just got a defibulator and are going to have training soon so that we’ll all know how to use it correctly.”
“We do sponsor a traditional Memorial Day service on the traditional Memorial Day,” says Sally. “This year the Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard spoke. We’ve had the governor speak. It has become a really big event. The National American Legion Band out of Brattleboro sent a few members up to play. They were so impressed that if we had space, they’d bring the whole band up to play.”
“Because we have so many elderly members on fixed incomes, we only charge $10 dues and offset the rest that goes to State and National Grange with our fundraisers throughout the year. We supplement the dues as one way to say thank you to all our members for working so hard. It’s just one small way to say thank you,” says Marion.
“We also have what you might call appreciation events,” says Carol. “We’ve rented buses – sometimes motor coaches and sometimes school buses – to go to dinner or the theater. We’ve rented the Belle of Brattleboro and spent a few hours cruising up the Connecticut River. Probably about 40-50 people turn out for those events.”
“Programs are just as good as your Lecturer who will do the leg work to set them up,” says Marion. “Our State Grange officers show up frequently to help out. All we have to do is ask.”
“We don’t have a Junior Grange anymore,” says Sally. “But Larry and Carol’s son who is 11 is very interested and comes to every meeting. So I believe we might be grooming a new member.”
“Oh yes, he’ll be a Granger,” says Carol.
“We really have support from our whole community,” says Marion. “Some folks help with activities, and some are very generous with donations. Our Selectmen and Town Board think we’re just the best. They tell me that every time I go into the Town Office.”
“And people are really dedicated to each other and to the Grange,” says Sally. “No matter what you need, you can always pick up the phone and they’ll be right there to help you.” |
