Community Service is an integral part of the Grange that allows local members to interact and serve the communities where they reside.
Granger members participate in big and small projects, partner with other community organizations, they fundraise for various causes within their community and nationally. Serving our communities whether it is helping our neighbor in need or bake sale to raise money for the local school, you can always count on the Grange being involved.
Our local Grangers recognize outstanding citizens in their communities, like fireman and policeman and sponsor local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops. This allows for Grange families and other citizens to participate in community service.
If you want to be more involved in your neighborhood or you community then the Grange is the place for you. Connecting Communities through Service is the Grange way.
2011 National Community Service Award Winners
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Flora Grange #1762 Belvidere, IL |
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Congratulations to the Flora Grange #1762 for winning the 2011 National Grange Community Service Award! An astonishing 5,634 hours were contributed by 108 Flora Grange members for their community service projects, along with 190 community citizens who themselves contributed over 1,000 hours. We at National would like to extend our sincere congratulations on this most incredible accomplishment. Flora Grange celebrated their 100th Anniversary with a birthday party, for which they decorated their Grange hall and had the food donated. New projects this year included: donating to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois, care packages for our brave men and women in the military, supporting family and friends in need, the Linus Projects, and supporting their local schools. Ongoing projects include: Habitat for Humanity, Dictionary Project, Fall Diddley Apple Booth, donations to various charities, bell ringing for Salvation Army, food pantry, Hometown Christmas, Christmas trays for shut-ins, school supplies, scholarships, Safety Town, and Boone County Fair. As Laurel Ratcliffe, a Flora Grange member said: “Remember, together as members we can succeed and the Grange can grow through working together in this world. No one person can do it alone, everyone must work together as a Grange!” Amen to that Laurel! Congratulations to everyone for their very worthy achievement. |
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Richmond Grange #6 West Kingston, RI |
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Well done Richmond Grange #6 for being this year’s 2nd place winner of the National Grange Community Service Award! Over 400 hours were contributed by 114 Richmond Grange members towards their community service projects, along with 46 community citizens who themselves contributed over 200 hours! I’m sure the communities blessed with your hard work and devotion would beg to differ with your award to 2nd place! Congratulations from everyone here at National! Admirably, Richmond Grange raises all the money that funds their community service projects. Through dinners and other events, these devoted Grange members are able to raise enough money to sponsor all of their events, saving their treasury money for future uses. Their service projects include running a steak sandwich booth at the Washington County Fair each year, supporting Rhody Fresh (RI Farmers Milk), the local 4-H clubs, farmers markets and other agricultural groups in their area. In addition, they continue to donate to the local food banks and in 2010 managed to contribute over 2,000 lbs of food! Spreading the holiday spirit, Richmond Grange also adopted a family from the Cane Day Center in Wakefield for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They supply their adopted family with enough food for each holiday and with Christmas presents. Last but certainly not least, Richmond Grange also gives two $500 scholarships each year. Thank you everyone in the Richmond Grange #6 for all your hard work! |
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Ekonk Community Grange #89 Sterling/Moosup, CT |
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Good job Ekonk Community Grange #89 for taking third in this year’s Community Service Contest! Sixty-seven participating members of the Ekonk Community Grange contributed an astounding 18,021 hours to their community service projects, along with the help of 119 community citizens who themselves contributed over 600 hours! The Ekonk Community Grange began several new projects this year. Very noteworthy, they began raising money for Grange Hall improvements, and were able to spend $8,200 on new flooring in the main hall, entry way, two storage rooms, hallway, two bathrooms, and were able to purchase a new huge fan for the Hall and a new rack on wheels to store ten folding tables. Other projects included: the Home at Last project to help veterans have a place to live in Jewett City, CT, while also taking part in the Tree of Life, instituted in Sterling for the first year. Ongoing projects include: taking gifts to residents of convalescent homes; participating in Sterling Family Day (which includes helping raise $14,000 to fund the event); Words for Thirds dictionary project; Relay for Life sponsorship and participation; hosting the annual Earth Day poster/essay contests in local schools; supporting FFA through various donations; adopting needy children for Christmas; and much more. The Ekonk Community Grange has a long history of charitable community service, and does not refuse assistance to any requests for help. We at the National Grange commend the Ekonk Community Grange for their unyielding devotion to helping others in need. |
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Progressive Valley Grange #2433 Coshocton County, OH |
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Congratulations to the members of the Progressive Valley Grange for coming in fourth in this year’s Community Service Contest. Progressive Valley Grange managed to get all 72 of its members together to participate in their chosen community service projects, contributing over 8,000 hours! Just as impressive, they also got 500 non-members to assist with these projects as well. Progressive Valley has a long impressive list of projects, including: pop tabs to Friendly Hills Camp, homemade cookies to Oak Pointe Care Center at Baltic, and to West Lafayette Pointe Care Center at West Lafayette, Ohio, and collected box tops for education. They also ran a bake sale/lunch stand at a local cheese factory to pay the costs of their water project. The water project is ongoing for the Progressive Valley Grange and is directed at raising money to fix the plumbing in their Grange Hall to accommodate continuous running water. In addition, they have helped fellow Grange members and non-members who have ovarian cancer by taking them meals on the days following their chemo treatments. Progressive Valley Grange continued helping Journeys End Ministries by donating clothes, health products, canned food items, baked goods and other miscellaneous items. Journeys End feeds people in need and allows people to obtain donated items for free. Progressive Valley also collected and shipped items to three people in the military. New projects for 2011 included hosting two “Round and Square” dances at their Grange Hall, one in March and one in April; selling refreshments and having cake walks. They also sewed pillowcases for the ConKerr Cancer Pillowcases State Project and have made over 22 pillowcases. They also started the Dictionary Project. Their biggest new project was getting involved with the Wooden Quilt Block which was displayed on family farms and farm-related buildings. Progressive Valley Grange also worked with the Pomerene Arts Center of Coshocton and the Cohocton County Bicentennial Committee. Progressive Valley Grange continues to take on new projects whenever the need arises. Congratulations to the Progressive Valley Grange on their outstanding achievements. |
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