By Walter Boomsma, Publicity Director

There may not be Grange Paparazzi, but it started to feel a little bit like it. Calls and emails have been coming in from all over the state - and not just from Grangers. “Hey, I saw you on television!” No, the Hollywood contracts haven’t arrived and at least so far no one is packing for Hollywood.

Besides, the kids were the real stars of the show—as close to 50 third graders from Guilford Primary School received their Dictionaries at the Valley Grange Hall in Guilford on November 14th. And the kids were so excited about their visit and dictionaries they barely noticed the Channel Five News Team and newspaper reporter.

This was the fifth year South Sangerville and Valley teamed up for the dictionary project. As Lecturer of Valley (and resident “ham”) I’ve always had the honor of working out the presentation details and speaking to the kids. Last year Guilford Principal Julie Orton and I had the germ of an idea: we’d have the kids make a field trip to the Grange Hall to get their dictionaries! Julie said she really wanted the kids to learn more about the Grange – it doesn’t get much better than that.

The kids spent nearly two hours at the Grange, beginning with a brown bag lunch. We based the program on RFD and created three mailboxes that were later delivered to the classrooms as a reminder of their visit and an educational aid. Each class received a “letter” that included a word they didn’t know and triggered passing out the dictionaries. Space here doesn’t permit outlining the entire program (we worked in some of the Grange implements), but if your Grange is interested, please contact me. (I also have the news story on DVD,) .

A quick thanks goes to the following Grangers helping out: Nathalee Marsh, Laura Pratt, Betty Vandyke, Jim and Civil War Mary Annis (great job on TV!), Farmer Bob Carroll, Pomona Janice Boomsma, and a special cameo appearance by Logger Guy Downing. South Sangerville Grange was represented by Henry and Carol Flagg and Liz Johnson and her git-tar! The kids really enjoyed singing “This Land is Your Land!”

It did appear that some of the kids were coveting Worthy Gatekeeper Bob's job even though he has to be on duty "24/7." I think they liked the owl. And based on our informal survey of the kids they knew that the Grange does a lot more than "meet and eat" before they came... and they know even more about it now! One little girl even knew about Kiddy Ditty Bags (another Valley Grange Project) -- her Mom works at the Courthouse!

So at least for a day we created some little stewards and patrons and husbandman (several of whom screamed, “EEEEEWWWWWW I don't want to be married!”)

On a personal note, my admiration of teachers went WAY up this year. There was a lot extra work involved in putting this trip together and after a few hours --as much fun as it is -- I can't IMAGINE having these little information sponges under my wing every day all day! But it was more than worth it to see the smiles and hear the excitement. And seeing the Grange featured on the six and eleven o’clock news was just… I’m out of superlatives.

I loved what the news anchors said after the story ran on WABI Channel Five. "Kids actually looking forward to getting dictionaries... wanting to read... THERE IS HOPE!" How cool is it to know that the Grange is bringing HOPE to the world!? Gee, that might be a slogan! If not a slogan, it ought to be our mission!

Valley Grangers are at least informally focusing on the kids because they are our hope. In another effort to deepen our relationship with the kids Community Service Chair Mary Annis is recruiting volunteers to help with our "reading to kids" effort. So Grangers will be visiting the school on a regular basis. Who knows? We might even be able to sneak some mail into the class mailboxes!

Oh, by the way, two days after the invasion of the kids we had nearly 70 folks show up for our “reunion and homecoming.” It was a night of “music and memories” featuring several area musical groups. And we had another first! Flora Linda Erwin is a member of an “African Drumming” group that played for us. We’re fairly sure that’s the first time in the history of Valley Grange that happened! But it’s probably not the first time there was lots of toetapping and laughter!

Our community service calendar is full again this year. I can’t resist saying, “Watch the news!” Reprinted from The Maine Granger – December 2007 Issue Kids actually looking forward to getting dictionaries… wanting to read… there is
hope!