DECEMBER 2008 --
THANK YOU! Those two words really say it all. The week we thought would never get here when the resolution was adopted more than 7 years ago has now come and gone. While the Northeast Regional Hosting Committee is responsible for a lot of the success of this event, the entire seven state region should be congratulated for working together to make this convention a memorable one.
Each state contributed a great deal of money, volunteers, and just about everything else they were asked to contribute. When Connecticut initially invited National Grange to meet in Connecticut, it was assumed the entire financial burden would be shouldered by the Connecticut State Grange. Connecticut Granges and members should be congratulated for raising over $70,000 of the money needed to meet the Region’s hosting obligations.
Every member of the Committee and every person who needed transportation during the Convention is grateful for the efficiency and competence of Sister Marge Bernhardt and the members of her family for keeping the wheels on the bus going “round and round.” for the twelve days before, during and after the convention. There were many challenges but Marge rose to each one of them and got people where they needed to go.
On Friday evening, a traffic accident on an area highway delayed buses from arriving at the Hotel to take members to Central Connecticut State Univ. for the Evening of Excellence. Without batting an eye, her son was on the phone with an executive at Dattco Bus Company getting the necessary permission to get “unscheduled access” to buses on a lot in a neighboring town.
We thank the members who brought ornaments for the Christmas trees, food for the Hospitality Suite, or volunteered to wash and iron costumes for the Seventh Degree, serve as Deputies, help confer the Sixth Degree and do the million and one things that come together to make a successful National Grange Convention.
The Sixth Degree Conferral by the Connecticut State Grange on Saturday morning saw 63 receive the Degree of Flora at the Crowne Plaza in Cromwell.
We are delighted to report 328 received the Seventh Degree at the Bushnell in Hartford on Saturday afternoon, with 96 from Connecticut!!! The Bushnell seats a lot of people and it was wonderful to see the majority of the orchestra level filled with candidates and members witnessing this beautiful degree.
In case we haven’t said it enough... thank you to each and every person who did ANYTHING to raise a dollar or to fill a need anywhere along the line to make this convention a success. As Convention Coordinator Jody Cameron has said, “It’s been the ride of a lifetime” and our best wishes and luck go to the Hosting Committee organizing next year’s convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan!
