By Terri Fassio, CT State Public Relations Co-Director

It’s a new year - and the perfect time for Grange housekeeping. Keep these points in mind as you plan out the months ahead.

• The Virtual Social Hours will continue in 2022! The first one will be held on Thursday, January 20, at 7:00 PM, where we will be discussing the Connecticut State Grange History Book Project. There will be updates on the book content, details of what we are still looking for, and even a sneak peak of what a few of the pages will look like. No Virtual Social Hour will be held in February, but the schedule will pick up again in March. The 2022 schedule will be published in the February CT Granger issue.
• Speaking of the Connecticut State Grange History Book Project, have you submitted your entries for the Book Naming Contest? Entries are due February 1, 2022. Details can be found on the CT State Grange website and in the CT Granger.
• Now is the time to start planning your activities for Grange Month. Grange Month is held annually each April. Need help generating ideas for a project or open house, or with execution? Contact Faith and the Membership Committee as they are waiting to lend a hand. membership@ ctstategrange.org.
• Need help promoting your upcoming Grange events and activities? Contact the Public Relations Committee for assistance (just be sure to not wait until the last minute - the more time we have, the better we can facilitate the promotions). publicrelations@ctstategrange.org  and information@ctstategrange.org
• Do you use your Grange’s custom   email   address?  Each Grange has been given a custom email address (yourgrange@ ctstategrange.org). If you are not using your email, contact Public Relations Committee for the login/ password and access information. Note that these email addresses are out in the public and are receiving emails. If you haven’t checked your account in a while, perhaps now is the time to see what communications your Grange may be missing?
• Does your Grange have a Facebook Page? When is the last time you posted an update? We know that some Granges have not posted an update in months, and in some cases, even years. It only takes a moment to say hello and announce when your next meeting or event will be.  Need help navigating the new Facebook administration tools? We can help!
• Thinking of setting up a Facebook Page for your Grange? Please contact the Public Relations Committee for assistance before you dive in - to make sure that you follow the guidelines of Facebook and the CT State Grange Social Media policy. We prefer to setup the page for your Grange, and then turn it over to your Grange to manage, to ensure that your page will get the most likes and views.
• Is your Grange interested in expanding its Social Media offerings beyond Facebook?  Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest and more can be beneficial tools for promoting Granges. Contact information@ ctstategrange.org for all the details.
• Looking for signage for your Grange? Give the Public Relations a call! We can work with you to help fulfill your signage needs. We can produce everything from lawn signs to banners of all sizes, to die-bond and metal signs, and much more.
• Looking for a fundraiser for your Grange? Check out the Custom CT Grange Hand Towels! We have partnered with Ann Johnson at Etceteranna to make these gorgeous heavy-duty custom embroidered hand towels for your Grange. Ann will donate $2 from the sale of each of the towels to the Grange of your choice. Place your order on Etsy at www.Etsy.com/shop/etceteranna
• Looking for custom T-Shirts for your Grange? This is a great fundraiser! Contact CT State Grange Secretary Todd Gelineau or Public Relations Co-Director Terri Fassio for all the details. Small quantities available. Shirts come in a range of sizes and colors. We will work with you to create a custom design just for your Grange.
• When is the last time your Grange had a custom brochure? All of the promotional pieces (brochures, posters and flyers) we offer can be personalized for your Grange. Looking for something even more tailored to your Grange? We can make that happen too! Contact the Public Relations Committee for details.

Drop us a line. We’re here to help! E-mail: publicrelations@ctstategrange.org  or information@ctstategrange.org .