| July 1, 2021 -- It is exciting to see activity in our Granges once again. It’s been a long 15 months. We’re not completely out of the woods with this virus but we have come a long way. With each day that passes we are seeing that the decision to hold an in-person State Session was a good one.
By now each Grange should have received their delegate cards. Please select your Grange’s delegates to State Session as soon as possible. PLEASE DO NOT DELAY and get
the return card back to the State Grange. Also… please make your reservations at the Holiday Inn Norwich. Our hotel is one of the closest properties to the casinos. Because of this, rooms are high in demand as people are “vacationing” closer to home. The rate remains at
$105.00 plus taxes and fees, a great bargain considering what the “rack rate” is at this hotel. So… reserve your room early!
Resolutions are starting to come in and we should have a healthy amount of legislative work to do at Session. While it is preferred that resolutions go through Pomona before coming to State Grange, it is not required. Community Granges may also send resolutions they have adopted directly to State Grange.
The State Master plans on scheduling Zoom meetings in advance of State Session for the purpose of the Session Committees meeting to discuss resolutions. To make this happen, resolutions need to be in well in advance of State Session.
Please keep in mind that resolutions MUST be adopted by a Grange. They cannot be submitted by an individual without first being adopted in a Community or Pomona Grange. A notation of when the resolution was adopted and by what Grange will be most helpful.
In early August we will be sending out the annual Call to State
Session with official registration forms. Please return these to the State Grange as soon as possible.
Advance planning for this Session is imperative. Last minute registrations will be difficult for us as there are so many logistics involved in planning a convention in these COVID times!
We have had questions about the counting of affiliate members. Do they get added into the total membership. The answer is yes. They are counted like any member of your Grange. They pay the same dues to your Grange and have all the same voting rights and privileges. The only exception is they cannot hold the same office in two different Granges. When affiliates join your Granges, please make a notation at the time they join that they are an affiliate on the Quarterly Report Form.
We remind Secretaries that membership awards are available through the State Grange Office. Awards are available for 25, 30, 35,
40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 & 75 years
of continuous membership. Forms were recently sent to each Grange. If you have any questions, please let me know. Instructions are printed on the back for those awards issued by the National Grange.
Until next time… enjoy the beautiful summer weather!
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