| NOVEMBER 2010 -- Let me begin my first article as President of the Connecticut State Grange by thanking you for the confidence and honor to serve you, the membership of this State Grange. I will serve with respect and dignity, following in the footsteps of the outstanding Grange members who have served in this office before me. There will be a lot of fun and laughter to go along with the hard work and long hours at times. Not all decisions I will make will be popular, but please know this, they will be made with the best interest of you the MEMBERS of this State Grange as my guide.
This year will be one of changes, growth and fun. Some of the changes you can expect to see are not only in each department's programming, but also in our philosophy on communicating to our members and communities, membership development, membership and Grange sustainability and adding new Granges to our ranks. We will no longer be holding Pink Sash meetings as we have known them over the years. The State Grange Officers, Directors, General Deputy, Pomona Deputies and I will be meeting as a Leadership Team twice a year to strengthen our ability to represent each member of this State Grange. We will be holding at leastone"Rally" annually to educate, inspire and energize members, so mark your calendars for April 16, 2011; times, program and location to be announced.
We have changed some things around to streamline State Grange operations, we no longer have a Junior Deputy in each Pomona, we now have a Junior Committee. Their responsibilities are the same, and their work plentiful. It is the goal of the Junior Committee to have at least one Junior Grange in each Pomona by our State Convention in 2011. Very ambitious goal, but very obtainable! As long as we have a "host" Grange the rest is easy, just ask Hillstown Grange members, they have the newest Junior Grange in the State.
We have realigned the Information Committee and re-directed their focus to a Public Relations role. Therefore that is what that committee will be titled going forward, Public Relations. They have already started to put together a comprehensive PR program that we will all benefit from.
There will be changes in the Inspection and School of Instruction process as well, but it is not right for me to outline those details now as we will not have met with the entire Deputy Force prior to this being published. Once we have met I am sure your General Deputy will be communicating those changes to you through this paper and the Deputy Force.
There is a new Honor Grange system; it will be focused on sustainability, growth and Community Service. The entire details will be explained at the Schools of Instruction. I am excited about our future, I know we can do it, I know we will do it. Please join me in this ride; it will be one none of us will soon forget. |
