| DECEMBER 3, 2024 -- Dec. 1: Honoring Our Veteran of the Month (Riverton Grange Hall); 6:00 PM
Dec. 6-8: Christmas in Riverton/ Grange Tree Festival; supporting Pleasant Valley Community Food Pantry
Dec. 13: Barkhamsted Seniors luncheon; Noon
Dec. 20: Zoom Meeting & Program: Holiday Traditions; 6:30 PM – refreshments and 7:00 PM – Meeting Dec. 27: Barkhamsted Seniors luncheon; Noon
Riverton Grange met on November 1st for our regular monthly meeting, both virtually and in person. Thirty- one attendees filled the hall, including five potential new members. Our special guests were Massachusetts State Grange Lecturer Deb Goodrich, her husband Brad, and Northeast Region SHIPmate Theresa Kinney. Judy Doyle and her family provided refreshments.
President Dave Roberts unveiled the new Hall Dedication Plaque from CT State Grange Vice President Ted Powell, recently engraved with the 1940 hall dedication date. For the first time since the hall was dedicated in 1940, President Dave pointed out that new member Michael Lazzaro had placed the number “17” on the Grange porch for folks to find our hall.
Lecturer Raine Pedersen was presented with the 2023-2024 Honor Lecturer Award. It was highlighted that Riverton Grange was also recognized in second place in the Community Service program and was recognized for positive membership growth during the recent Connecticut State Grange convention in Norwich. The Lecturer’s Program was led by Sister Raine Pedersen and titled “Thanksgiving Traditions.” During the program, Dave talked about 1939
-1942 when the United States had TWO Thanksgiving holidays thanks to President Franklin Roosevelt moving traditional Thanksgiving one week earlier to give holiday shoppers one additional week to shop.
Dave’s great-grandmother, Riverton Grange Charter Secretary Dora Woodward Roberts, died on “Franksgiving” in 1940 and was buried on traditional Thanksgiving one week later. Connecticut and 21 other states chose not to celebrate “Franksgiving.” Dave’s Dad told him about these two Thanksgiving holidays right before he died in 2018. The Grange voted to continue partnering with the “Barkhamsted Seniors” volunteer group to use the Riverton Grange Hall as their new home and approved specific meal dates.
|
