| GRANGE
TODAY | JUNE
- JULY 2002 | |
The
Master' Message
"UNIFYING
THE GRANGE'S MISSION AND MESSAGE"
As
national master, it is my privilege to represent the National Grange at an increasing
number of State and community Grange functions across the country. It is one of
the responsibilities of this office that I enjoy most because I get to meet so
many dedicated community leaders, and the visits provide continuing clarity as
to how the National Grange can serve the Grange's over 200,000 members.
Recently
I had the opportunity to sit in on the state executive committee in New York,
and thought the exchange both insightful and beneficial. This experience also
emphasized the important leadership role state executive committees have locally
and nationally. I learn a lot by attending state executive committee meetings
and I am more than willing to open my schedule to attend others when requested.
The
feedback I receive gives me greater insight and guidance that I then pass on and
share with the National Board of Directors as we continue to examine, review and
develop the role of the Grange for the coming years.
Without a doubt, the Board and I are convinced that the Grange can-and must-refocus
and even reinvent itself, if you will, to encompass our traditions and values
in a rapidly changing America. It is the vision of the National Grange that, in
this changing America, community Granges nationwide reach-out and reflect the
diversity of the communities they represent, and that the Grange recognizes all
families-traditional families, single parent families and, of course, single persons.
American communities need the Grange, and I believe we can reach-out to our communities
and continue to serve them and to provide them with the leadership, service, hospitality
and sense of belonging that are all so important to individual and community well-being
and security.
How can we do this? By airing out our Grange Halls and opening our doors to a
variety of populations-all of which are now as American as our forefathers were
a century and a half ago. By creating interesting programs and providing nurturing
meeting environments where people of all ages can come and enjoy fellowship, recreation
and good food while working together to develop strategies on how best to serve
the community. Some
communities might see a need to help young people in school, other might see an
outreach to farm families experiencing disabilities due to age, disease or accidental
injuries, while other still might choose to reach out to the elderly or to work
on developing environmental projects. But, whatever we do must become relevant
to a modern America. On
a national level, we are still evaluating and charting our direction in a way
that can increase the national profile of the Grange and provide national community
service opportunities that will attract new members and retain the tried and true!
A new national staff is ready to assist state and community Granges in a variety
of ways. In the past six months a new communications/publications staff has been
hired, a new marketing professional is now reviewing member benefit programs,
a professional legislative staff has been hired to assist Leroy Watson, and the
national field directors are developing new programs and training materials that
can serve the community and State Granges. This takes time, and the Board is pleased
it is coming together. Each Grange member's feedback is not only critical, but
a source of inspiration. Fraternally, Kermit
W. Richardson top |
GRANGE FILLS
MARKETING AND LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS Chief
operating officer, Richard B. Weiss, has named DoriAnn Gedris marketing and sales
director, with direct responsibility for member benefit and marketing programs,
product development and merchandise sales. Prior to joining the Grange, she was
director of client services at E-site Marketing, an Internet marketing firm based
in Bethesda, MD. A native of Farmingdale, NJ, Gedris earned an undergraduate degree
in international relations and a MBA from American University in Washington, DC.
Gedris can be reached 202-628-3507, ext. 107, or dgedris@nationalgrange.org.
Weiss
also appointed Joanne Manelli as legislative program assistant to assist the Grange
in national and state grassroots policy development in its legislative affairs
department. Manelli is an native of Washington, DC, and earned her undergraduate
degree in art and philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington.
She can be reached at 202-628-3507, ext. 105 or jmanelli@nationalgrange.org.
Also
joining the staff as executive assistant to the president and chief operating
officer is Jodi Smith, a fifth generation Granger from New Jersey. She has an
associate's degree from Raritan Valley Community College and is currently completing
the last two courses towards a bachelor's degree in business and economics with
a focus on international studies through independent study with Empire State College
in Saratoga Springs. She can be reached at 202-628-3507, ext. 113 or through e-mail
at jsmith@nationalgrange.org.
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JUNIOR GRANGERS
NEED RECOGNITION
By
Sherri Harriman, Junior Grange
Director
 Recognition
for participation in Junior Grange programs and activities is very important.
I have a large quantity of seals left that each of you may order (at no cost)
as recognition. I will also provide the Action Proclamation Certificates to attach
them to or you can make up your own certificates. Directors or leaders may request
the certificates and seals at any time. They
may be ordered in volume or individually. Some of the seals are designed for specific
programs but, if a program is similar, I feel the seals could still be used. Seals
are: Community Service; Family Outreach; Farm Safety For Kids; Grange Week; Host
State; Membership Mania; OHK Rangers; Our Earth Needs You; Right to Read; Small
World-no country listed on it and Stop the Violence. You
can also make your own seals, but please give our Juniors recognition for their
hard work. If you are asking for seals and recognition certificates, I would need
some kind of report from you about that Junior Grange. If you already are using
a report form for your state, I would like to get a copy of the report. I am trying
to keep up with what our Junior Grangers are working on in the various areas.
Top
CAROLINE HALL
GRANGER CARE PROGRAM TO DONATE TO "MAKE-A-WISH"
By
Cindy Greer, Youth & Young Adults Director
Caroline Hall was involved
in charity work during her last days. She had an open heart and an open purse
for all good causes. We have chosen to honor Caroline Hall by naming this project
after her. This
year funds raised will be given to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Seventy percent
will go to the Foundation and thirty percent will go to the National Grange Foundation
for the Youth Leadership Fund. Already $600 from the Granges in Delaware has been
received. The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 and has granted a wish
to every qualified child referred to them - more than 83,000 wishes to children
around the world. The
Make-A-Wish Foundation has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening
illnesses. The Foundation's mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish
experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire
communities. Children under the age of 18 with life-threatening illness are potentially
eligible for a wish. After a child is referred to Make-A-Wish, the foundation
will contact the child's physician to determine if the child is medically eligible
for a wish, based on the medical criteria established by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In addition, a child cannot have received a wish from another wish-granting organization.
Donations for this project should be sent to the National Grange Youth Development
Director, Cindy Greer at 7629 C.R.
100, Hesperus, CO 81326. Checks should be made out to "Sunrise Express". Visit
the Make-A-Wish Foundation Web site for additional information at www.wish.org.
Top "DON'T
UPSET THE APPLECART" SAYS NATIONAL GRANGE The
National Grange is strongly opposed to passage of S.812, the Greater Access to
Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act of 2001, legislation that would amend the 1984
Hatch-Waxman Act to deny full patent protection to cutting-edge pharmaceutical
products that are about to come to market. Promoted as a way to "reduce" health-care
costs, instead, these proposals would disrupt both the availability of new medicines
and the introduction of lower-cost generic drugs that are vital for quality health
care delivery in rural areas. "S.812
will trigger a major new health-care crisis for millions of Americans who live
and work in rural America," said National Grange Legislative Director Leroy Watson
"Disrupting the availability of new and generic medicines will disproportionately
affect seniors, the very young, and persons suffering from chronic diseases who
reside in our nation's farming communities and towns. It is a crisis that we can
and must prevent by defeating this legislation," Watson declared. Watson
explained why S.812 will foster a new medical crisis in rural America. There are
basically three pathways by which medical innovations reach patients: through
the knowledge and skills of trained medical professionals; through the adoption
of new state of the art medical equipment and through the introduction of new
medicines. Rural communities, however, suffer from chronic shortages of nearly
all types of medical professionals and a lack of new medical equipment. These
shortages increase the cost and burden on the rural sick and infirm who must travel
farther to obtain quality care. Compared
to the other two pathways, Watson explained, medicines are relatively inexpensive,
have low overhead and maintenance costs, and are easy to transport directly to
patients regardless of where they live. Rural patients, he noted, have access
to the latest innovation in pharmaceutical technology on the same day it is introduced
to the rest of the country. "Thus, for much of rural America, quality medical
care and medicine are basically one and the same," Watson explained. Adoption
of S.812 could disrupt both the availability of new medicines and the introduction
of lower-cost generic drugs. For almost two decades, the American consumer has
benefited from the provisions of the Hatch-Waxman Act, ground-breaking legislation
that dramatically expanded the generic drug market. Since its enactment in 1984,
more than 8,000 generic drug petitions have been filed with the FDA and generic
drugs now account for almost 50 percent of all pharmaceutical sales. The law also
established a successful balance between the patent rights of the innovator companies
and the generic manufacturers' need to bring products to market as quickly as
possible. The result is that investment in the research and development of new
medicines has increased dramatically over the past 18 years from just under $4
billion in the late 1980s to over $30 billion today. "This is a medical life-line
for rural America - a lifeline that cannot and should not be compromised," Watson
asserted. "In
agricultural terms, the harvest created by Hatch-Waxman has been enormous," said
Watson. "Consumers have benefited, the generic drug industry has prospered, and
the innovator pharmaceutical companies have had the right incentives to continue
to develop new and more effective medicines, medicines that are desperately needed
to bring quality health care to rural America. Any attempt to amend the Hatch-Waxman
Act, such as S. 812, would upset the successful pharmaceutical applecart that
has delivered a bumper crop of positive medical products to all Americans but
especially to those living in rural America." Watson concluded. Top
MEMBER
BENEFITS CONTINUE TO EXPAND The
National Grange offers a number of member benefit programs to its members. These
programs are growing and changing as we grow as an organization and therefore
we would like to highlight some of the programs that offer savings and discounts
for Grange members. Prescription
Drug Program
With the growing costs of prescription drugs the
National Grange is proud to offer you a free discount prescription card through
Scrip Pharmacy Solutions that can save you 20-25 percent off of your prescriptions.
The card is free, simple to use and accepted at all major pharmacies including:
Rite Aid, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Drug Emporium and Eckerd Drugs. For your free National
Grange Prescription card, please contact DoriAnn
Gedris at (888) 447-2643.
Beltone
Group Plan
The National Grange is pleased to offer you a special
program through Beltone. Grange members receive free annual hearing evaluations,
free audiometric screenings, a fifteen percent discount off the list price of
hearing aids including the tiny Invisa, and free ear mold impressions with the
purchases of hearing aids. To take advantage of this program and to locate a Beltone
Hearing Center near
you, please contact Beltone at (800) 235-8663. The
basic design includes a community bulletin board, local weather, and room for
advertising from local merchants. No special software or advanced technical training
is required. A Web site is a great opportunity to keep your members up to date
on upcoming activities. For more information or view the demo click
here or call toll free (888) 447-2643, ext. 107 for further details.
Discount
Long Distance Service
The National Grange is pleased to offer
you a long distance program that not only helps you save on state-to-state calls,
but also on long distance calls within your state. All state-to-state calls are
as low as 4.5 cents per minute with no monthly fee. In addition, you will be able
to take an additional ½ cent off of these low rates in up to five states of your
choose. The program also offers low in state rates to help you save more. There
are no monthly minimums and you can manage your account online. For more information
and to sign up please call (877) 886-5840.
If you have any questions about these programs and how you can participate, please
contact DoriAnn Gedris at (888)
447-2643 ext. 107. We would also like to get some feedback about our current programs.
Are you using these programs? If so why? What do you like about our programs?
If not we would like to hear about what programs you would like to see the National
Grange offer. Please e-mail your comments to DoriAnn
Gedris. Top COUNTY
AND STATE FAIR COOKBOOK SALE
For a limited time,
take advantage of a special volume discount on What's Cookin' in the Grange. Order
1-5 Cases of twelve or 1-2 cases of twenty four cookbooks and pay only $9 dollars
a book. Order six or more cases of twelve books or three or more cases of twenty
four and pay only $7 per book. This is a savings of up to $4 per book. (Individual
cookbooks are $15 plus $4 shipping and handling).
What's
Cookin' in the Grange is filled with over 375 of America's best recipes from your
fellow Grangers. The cookbook also features some Grange history, facts and information
on the various Grange programs.
The cookbook will make a wonderful addition to your kitchen library and features
some wonderful summertime recipes ideal for picnics or barbeques. Try the wonderful
spinach salad, apple baked beans or the lemon herbed salmon and top it off with
the rhubarb pie. To
order, please visit our Web site at www.nationalgrange.org and click on Grange
Store, contact us at (888) 447-2643 ext. 107 or e-mail dgedris@nationalgrange.org
top
NEW ONLINE GRANGE
STORE IS NOW OPEN! The
new Online Grange Store is open and ready for business. The store can be accessed
through our Web site by clicking on Grange Store. The store features high quality
Grange products including tees, fleece vests, polo shirts, sweatshirts, jackets
and cookbooks to name a few. The clothing is embroidered with either the Grange
or Junior Grange logos. State,
Pomona, Community and Junior Granges can place bulk orders and customize t-shirts
and hats to include their Grange name and number. These customized products are
available in quantities of 24 or more are great idea for a fundraising effort.
Ordering
is simple and can be done clicking here
or by calling (800) 797-6728 extension 225. Show your support of the Grange by
purchasing a tee shirt, hat or any of the other products available. ACTION
GRANGE HELP GUIDES NOW AVAILABLE FOR ALL COMMUNITY GRANGES
By
Dudley Davis, Action
Grange Facilitator
If you have been reading the earlier issues of Grange Today, you know that the
National Action Grange Advisory Committee has published four Help Guides on:
Purpose of the Help Guides
The help guides are designed to provide the leadership of any Grange with the
fundamental information and skills needed to perform an important task in their
Grange. Usually around eight pages in length, these Help Guides are being developed
each month through the end of the summer to answer question raised by Action Granges
during the seminars held last summer. They
are designed to help leaders do things that might be different from what they
have been doing. They are steps in renewing a Grange and helping create a relevant
and preeminent organization. In addition, they are free to any Grange to reproduce
as often as they wish and use in their Grange. Help
Guides Receive High Grades
Grangers who have read and tried to
use the Help Guides say they are very user-friendly and helpful to their Grange.
Developed by members of the advisory committee, the Help Guides should be very
practical and useful at the community Grange level. According to David Donley,
advisory committee member from Illinois, " I've seen the guides being used by
community Grange leaders in our state (Illinois) and the feedback I'm getting
is keep them coming. Even if you don't get to use it each month, it will be there
for the leadership of a Grange when they need it." How
to Get Your Copy
To obtain your own free copy of one of these Help
Guides please contact your state master, Action Grange committee member, or Dudley
Davis, the Action Grange facilitator. Feedback
Welcome
The advisory committee would welcome both your suggestions
for Help Guide already produced and suggestions for title of future Help Guides.
You may forward your request directly to Dudley
Davis, the Action Grange facilitator.
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