Fall 2008 Newsletter

Winona Grange #271 Established in Tualatin in 1895 Fall 2008 Newsletter   Message From the Master             What a beautiful fall! This is one of my favorite times of the year!             Be sure to take note of our great new signs on the outside of the building. They look so nice-and thank you to Dick and Sam for spear-heading this project. Well done!             Our building is really beginning to look pretty spiffy—the new roof, new signs, and the cleaning and organizing have been on-going.             For quite some time we have held our meetings in the downstairs. I would like to start having the meetings upstairs. We have such a nice hall, and we need to enjoy all of it. So we may start doing that soon.             It was over three years ago that a number of us “old timers” started attending meetings after many years of inactivity. It's been a great re-connection with some old friends and we certainly did get involved. Looking back, we can feel good about what we've accomplished—building on what went before. Now—what new ideas can we put into action? -Dolores Crossway, Master November officer elections             Please be sure to attend the November 27 meeting, as according to Grange rules, election of officers is to be held on the first monthly meeting of each Subordinate Grange. Some of Winona's officers have served for many years, and it may be time for other members to step forward and take the responsibility of an office. We traditionally elect a Master, Overseer, Lecturer, Treasurer and Secretary. Following are guidelines sent out by Oregon State Grange:             Each Grange is encouraged to select its officers and committees very carefully. All members should have an opportunity to serve as an Officer or on a committee. Good leadership is essential to the progress of each Grange. The fundamentals of Grange Officer elections are: Nominations are never closed, which allows members to vote for whomever they desire.  Members vote by paper ballot to preserve their right to a secret ballot. An officer is elected if he/she receives 50% plus one of the total votes cast.  No nominating speeches are allowed, which includes campaigning for office. Members may attend any meeting, but should never state whom any member should vote for nor make any disparaging statement about any candidate.  Any member may decline an office for which they have been nominated.  Nominations will be called for by the Master for the first office in rank. However, a Grange may choose to amend their By-laws or by motion elect officers in any order.  Members may hold office only in the Grange in which they hold membership. Affiliate members may not hold the same office in two Subordinate/ Communtiy Granges at the same time. New signs improve Grange image             Thanks to Sam Keator and Dick Naven, the old tacky signs on the exterior of our building have been replaced by bright, clean new Grange signs. Since our hall is located in the heart of the Tualatin City Commons, it is fitting that we project a good image, and show that our Grange is still a force in the community. Welcome new members!             Three new members have joined Winona Grange. Suzanne Naven, Carrie Roshak and Tony Whitmore. Interior clean up             The interior of our building has been tidied up too, presenting a cleaner and more uncluttered appearance, and making it easier for each rental group to store their “stuff”. Thanks to Monte McCutcheon, Dolores Crossway, Kathleen Milan, Mary Ann Hulquist, Rosa Lee Dickson, Vicci Martinazzi and Dick Naven. It is not always easy to keep our old building organized when so many groups use it. Community Service             Please remember to write down your good deeds when Mary Ann Hulquist passes around the record sheets. It is important! Memorial Service             Michael Kilbourne's stepfather recently passed away and his memorial service was held in our hall. This is a very good use of our building. We are happy the space was available for the family. Garden news             Our community garden has produced hundreds of pounds of wonderful produce that has been given to the Tualatin Food Bank Pantry and the Tualatin Senior Center. Though the corn didn't make it, there were many, many large baskets of tomatoes, radishes, onions, lettuce, kohlrabi, swiss chard, grean and wax beans, carrots, and zucchini, oh yes, lots and lots of beautiful zucchini. Originally the idea of Dick Naven, the garden is located on Rochelle Smith's Century Farm, and many happy hours were spent by Winona members planting, weeding, watering and harvesting the bountiful crop. On Saturday, October 18, we met at the farm to put the Grange garden to bed for the winter. The last of the produce was picked, plants and weeds pulled up and piled, and the area generally cleaned up and readied for winter. Helping were Suzanne Weldon, Sam Keator and his son Ben, Dick Naven, Rochelle Smith, Norm Parker and Loyce Martinazzi. Vicci Martinazzi brought the fixin's for a great lunch. Lots of fun and good fellowship. Garden Seed distribution project update             We have previously sorted and inventoried all the seed packets, thanks to the group that met at the Grange and spent a morning separating all the various kinds into groups and boxes. Our next step is to make up some assortments. We have decided to make two different sizes of assortments available, and have calculated the mix accordingly. We will try to set a date for making assortments at the next Grange meeting. Please bring your calendars. An article has been prepared for the November issue of the Oregon Grange Bulletin, to introduce the distribution of garden seeds for local Grange programs, and as a way to promote “Thinking Outside the Box” in other Granges. We are working to make a database of all Oregon Granges, Masters & Secretaries, to accommodate a mailing before the end of the year. We should have assortments made up by then, as we want to be able to begin shipping in January (notice that the mail-order seed catalogs begin to appear in your mailbox right after New Years).  -Dick Naven, garden seed project coordinator Next Winona Grange meeting is Monday October 27. Potluck lunch at noon, meeting at 1 pm. Question: Why did the chicken cross the road? Answer: To show the opossum it could be done.

Summer 2008 Newsletter

Winona Grange #271 Established in Tualatin in 1895 Summer 2008 Newsletter   Message From the Master             What a busy summer! Winona Grange has really been active recently.             A big “well done!” to all those involved in the Crawfish Festival parade float—especially to Ken and Rosa Lee who provided their pick up and boat. The float looked great, with a Jolly Roger and our big crawfish (carrying out the theme of Crawfish of the Caribbean). All the participants were in pirate costume, and we had a great time. And we were awarded a plaque for “Best Use of Theme”--thanks in part to our big, old crawfish.             The community garden at Rochelle Smith's looks beautiful, thanks to the willing volunteers who have given many hours to make it a success.             Lately I have been in awe of our members' enthusiasm for new ideas and projects. Our meetings have been fruitful as well as a lot of fun. Some of our new projects are the web site, new signs, and a seed project.             In July Norm Parker and Loyce Martinazzi volunteered to help at a Pomona breakfast—a good way of strengthening ties with other Grangers. Along this line I hope to begin once more to attend Pomona meetings this fall—something I was unable to do during Willie's recent health problems.             As Master I would like to say “Welcome” to our new members. It's a pleasure to have you with us.             Here's to a great fall! -Dolores Crossway, Master               Does anyone remember when the Grange members constructed the crawfish? It seems to be made out of paper mache, baling wire, gunnysacks, and red spray paint, with thread spools, painted black for eyes.    Winona Grange Garden Project             Many huge baskets of fresh produce have been picked from the Grange Garden and distributed to the Tualatin Food Bank Pantry.  Peas, lettuce, beets, onions, beans, zucchini, radishes, spinach and Swiss chard have fed hungry families.  Corn, tomatoes and melons are coming on strong and will be ready soon. Pea pickers Dolores, Rosa Lee, Ken, Anne, Rochelle, Logan, Loyce and Nolan fill baskets with produce for the Food Pantry.             In 2008, Winona Grange initiated a local effort to raise fresh vegetables, enlisting members and others to grow an extra row, or a whole garden, or to co-op with others at Rochelle Smith's Century Farm.  All the produce is going to our local Food Pantry.  As a result, we have seen renewed enthusiasm for community service, and increased community awareness of the Grange, more active participation at our monthly meetings, and some new members, too.   New Signs for our Hall               Dick Naven and Sam Keator are working on making new signs for the exterior of the hall.  The signs will include the National Grange Logo.   Winona Grange Scholarship             Master Dolores presented Jake Moriniti, Tualatin High School senior, with a $2,500 scholarship.  Jake plans to study forestry this fall at Oregon State University.   The day before the parade, Sam Keator and Rochelle Smith hang Winona's banner as Ken Dickson supervises. After the "float" was decorated, Rochelle served a delicious lunch. "Arrgh, may you be walking the plank" said Nolan and Logan as they tossed out candy to the bystanders.   Carol Cummings, pictured, Anne Doherty and Sam Keator walked alongside the float in pirate costumes.     Donations               Our grange voted to donate $200 to Pomona to be used for supplies for the breakfast at Scholls Grange.  The Tualatin/Durham Senior Center was given $25 in memory of Camille Prescott. Other donations include Winona Cemetery, the Tualatin Food Bank Pantry, Loaves and Fishes, Clackamas Co. Pomona, State Grange goody baskets, and the local Dental Clinic.   Winona's website               Dick Naven, webmaster for Winona Grange, has built a beautiful website.  Included are  pages on Grange history, Winona's history, the hall schedule, the garden project, and much much more.  If you don't have a computer, please try to look at a friend's, as this website is especially interesting.  Dick has had experience building websites, and has done a lot to put Winona on the map.  Our site has a link on the State Grange, City of Tualatin, and Tualatin Chamber of Commerce websites. www.winonagrange271.org.   Garden Seed Program               To address  the issue of hunger at the grass-roots level here in Oregon our Grange will be making available assortments of seeds to be distributed to all Oregon Granges and other groups who would like to grow produce for local food banks.             The seeds were donated by Lake Valley Seeds, of Boulder, Colorado.             Dick Naven is in charge of the project.  A work party recently sorted the thousands of seed packets.  Seed assortments will be available at no cost, except for the cost of shipping via the US mail.  Priority Mail will be used, as the Post Office supplies the boxes at no cost.   New Members Join the Grange               We welcome new members Eileen Rychlick, Carol Cummings, Suzanne Weldon, and Mary Meyer.             Eileen has lived in the area for many years.  Carol, Suzanne and Mary dance with Sam Keator's Irish Dancers.             We have taken in 8 new members since January 1.  Way to go, Grangers!

Spring 2008 Newsletter

Winona Grange #271 Established in Tualatin in 1895 Spring 2008 Newsletter   Message from the Master:   A lot is happening at Winona Grange—a new roof and gutters, a website, a committee to work on a community garden, and all our on-going projects.    Many thanks to Ken Dickson and Dick Naven for their work spearheading the roof project.  Great job!   Thanks also to Dick for setting up the Grange web site. (www.winonagrange271.org)   And thank you to the people doing the work on the community garden organization—Norm Parker, Loyce Martinazzi, Rochelle Smith, Dick Naven and Vicci Martinazzi.   I'm especially grateful to all these folks—and others—who have carried the ball on so many things.  My husband, Willie, was recently in the hospital again and has a number of health issues.  This has been a really difficult time, and I don't know what I would have done without all those who have so ably carried through on so many things.   Our monthly potlucks are great fun—and delicious.  And there is a real air of enthusiasm at our meetings.  Let's keep it going! --Dolores Milan Crossway   New roof   The new roof and gutters look great.  It was a costly project, but one that badly needed to be done in order to keep our building safe and usable.   Camille Ann Prescott Feb. 13, 1921-April 19, 2008   We are sad to report the passing of sister Camille Spousta Prescott.   Camille and her husband Vern, who died in 2001, joined Winona Grange when the Oswego Grange, where they were members, burned down in 1974.  They were vibrant, faithful and energetic supporters of Winona Grange.    Friends and family are invited to celebrate Camille's life on Sunday May 18 at the Tualatin Senior Center from 3 to 5 pm.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Oregon Chapter of Alzheimer's Association.    Our charter will be draped at the May meeting in honor of Camille.   Vern Prescott planted the pink Queen Elizabeth rose by the Grange front door, and Camille planted the pretty narcissus that blooms every spring.  These will always be reminders of these wonderful folks.  Well done, good and faithful servants.   Another new member!   Craig Lee, great, great grandson of Winona Grange Charter members, William and Rosa Jurgens, recently joined our group.  Craig is a farmer, and sells his pumpkins and Christmas trees at Lee Farms on 65th Avenue in Tualatin.   Craig brought a tractor and rotovator to his aunt Rochelle Smith's Century Farm (the Wm. Jurgens farm) and worked up the ground for our community garden.  Planting starts soon.     Another new member!   Craig Lee, great, great grandson of Winona Grange Charter members, William and Rosa Jurgens, recently joined our group.  Craig is a farmer, and sells his pumpkins and Christmas trees at Lee Farms on 65th Avenue in Tualatin.   Craig brought a tractor and rotovator to his aunt Rochelle Smith's Century Farm (the Wm. Jurgens farm) and worked up the ground for our community garden.  Planting starts soon.    May flowers   The Abundant Life Family Church, who calls our Grange home, has pruned the rhododendrons around the front porch, weeded the area and planted pretty spring flowers.  Thanks, Monte!   News flash! Tie a string around your finger!    May's Grange meeting date has been changed to the 3rd Monday, May 19, in order to avoid meeting on Memorial Day.   Winona Grange memorabilia has been featured at the Tualatin Heritage Center during the month of May.  Loyce Martinazzi spoke about the history of the Grange movement generally and Winona Grange specifically.   Several of us met and continued cleaning out the back room.  Fabric and batting, left over from when GWA made quilts, were loaded into Margie Larsen's van.  Margie took the load over to the Senior Center where the materials will be used by quilters there.   Three loads of “junque” were taken to the local Good Will.  We still need to get rid of a quilting frame, curtain stretchers and about 30 old metal chairs.    Helping were Rochelle Smith, Vicci Martinazzi and Loyce Martinazzi.    Maybe it's because we are getting older, or maybe it's because we fail to consult our calendars, but some of us have been having trouble remembering dates. It seems Rosa Lee and Ken Dickson showed up to clean out the back room at 11 am on the appointed day. Everyone else showed up at 1 pm. Guess who was wrong? It wasn't the Dicksons.   Membership Awards:   Long time members will be honored at our June meeting.   Receiving 25 year Silver Stars:   Margie Larsen and Ronald L. Dickson   Sixty-year Seals will be awarded to:   Pearl C. Christensen, Dolores Crossway,   Donald K. Dickson, Kenneth Dickson,   Marie Flabetich and Lillian Smith.   Winona Grange members serving lunch at the Senior Center in 1997. Left to right: Dean Larsen, Geneva Iff, Margie Larsen, Stella Furgason, Everett Furgason, Camille Prescott, and Vern Prescott.   Margie says they used to sing a song for the diners when they were finished with the dishes.