| JANUARY 1, 2025 -- Are you Grange Strong? Is your Grange “Grange Strong”? What does it take to be Grange Strong?
Do you support your Grange by stepping up and being a supportive participant? Do you join any committees or teams? Do you ask to learn? Are you an inquisitive new Officer? Are you a seasoned Officer or member looking for your future successor? Do you mentor?
Jodi Ann and I have had the opportunity to have heard National Grange President, Christine Hamp speak on many an occasion lately and she has asked the members, “are you going to be last one?” We have seen in our State Grange that in almost every instance when a Grange closes it is because they were not Grange Strong, their membership and every aspect of how the Grange operated, and when it operated, was controlled by one person or family, the “last one.”
How many times have you referred to a Grange by a person’s name? Oh, that’s Marta’s Grange, not that’s Bethlehem Grange. If you don’t see that as a problem, we need to talk. We cannot be Grange Strong if we are not inclusive in our decision making, our activities, our outreach. We cannot be Grange Strong if we are not “allowing” new members to share their time and talents to make us stronger, more relevant in our community. We cannot be Grange Strong if we do not keep “looking through the windshield,” but always referring to was in the rearview mirror. Folks, our history is written, it is up to us to write our future. It is up to us to Live a Connected Life and be Grange Strong.
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