| JANUARY 2, 2011 -- Valley Grange #144 of Guilford, ME, has been recognized as the first place winner of the 2010 National Grange Community Service Awards Program, and the recognition came during the 144th Annual Session of the National Grange in November in Charlotte, NC.
James Annis is the Master of Valley Grange #144.
With the help and strong commitment of 25 of their members and 121 community volunteers, Valley Grange engaged in over 27 projects. Some of their projects and programs were Family Fun Night, Valley Kicks Off a New Year, purchasing new cemetery signs, recycling Christmas cards, hosting a legislative luncheon, April is Grange Month, Knitting for the Needy, Literacy for Health, Smart Starts, “Words for Thirds” dictionary project, Jump Rope for Heart, and many more.
Of major importance to Valley members is making upgrades to their Grange Hall and they have created a fund to finance those improvements. Valley Grange, with its hardworking volunteers and members, remains active in helping to meet their community’s needs, particularly by assisting with local schools and communicating to school children how they too can become better citizens in the future.
Established in 1867, the National Grange is the oldest agricultural and rural community service organization and meets annually to confer the Seventh Degree (the highest Degree of the Order), to develop its legislative policy for the coming year, and to recognize the talents of its members. There are over 200,000 members in 2,700 communities in 36 states throughout the United States. |
