Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I now declare April 2008 as Grange Month!
The theme for Grange Month is Moving Forward, and rightfully so! After over 140 years, the National Grange and all levels of the organization, including State and local, are forging on into the 21st Century with determinism and optimism. Never has the Grange been more important in rural America as it is today. Grange Month is a chance to celebrate our relevance in today's society. This Grange certainly has done a lot to improve communities and enrich peoples' lives since 1867.
To celebrate the month, I am encouraging all Granges to organize an open house or similar program. Open house programs are an excellent way to begin building good relationships with the community your Grange serves. An open house program provides you with the opportunity to showcase your good works.
To get the community more invested in attending your program, I suggest that you present an award to an outstanding community citizen. Create an application and a flyer announcing that your Grange is accepting applications and display them in public places. In addition, make your community newspaper aware of your plans and ask them to print an announcement.
On this page we have supplied everything you need to make your Grange Month celebration a success! Award applications, media resources, order forms, posters... it's all here and ready for your use.
This year National really wants to encourage full participation from members all across the country. For the first time, we are offering a Grange Month T-shirt Contest to all members. The winning shirt will be made available for purchase in March. In addition, you will also find a Grange Month participation form for local Granges. Please complete the form and return it to the National Grange office, and we will recognize your participation with a certificate as well as a possible feature in the official National Grange publication, The New Grange!
What are you waiting for? There are citizens out there that want to make an impact on the world. They want to be a part of something bigger, and what better way to help them do so than by making them a member of your local Grange! This upcoming April, and all year around, get involved in the community and meet new friends. Let's face every month with the enthusiasm and hope that we exude in the month of April. Happy Grange Month! |
