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Just when we think all is right in our little corner of the world, we are suddenly faced with the fact that Powers greater than ourselves are in control of the very things we take for granted. The recent ice storm reminded us that our daily routines can be quite quickly interrupted. Fortunately, advance planning down through the years has enabled timely responses to help those in need of emergency services.

As in times past, the Ravena Grange Hall was opened for emergency services. Volunteers from the Grange, American Red Cross, and Town of Coeymans Emergency Personnel manned the site around the clock until vital services were restored to the area. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all who put their own lives on hold to attend to the needs of others. A huge "thank you" is due to Price Chopper Supermarkets as well for donating necessary groceries for the center.

We, as members of the Grange, count it a privilege to be able to serve the community in this capacity. While no one wishes for disaster, the fact still remains that they can and will happen and when they do there needs to be a place for things to happen and people to go. While the major object of the grange is not maintaining a facility just for emergency services, it is a very important aspect. The continued availability of the facility, and people to staff it, depends on the willingness of members of the community to become involved in its work. The same goes for fire companies and emergency squads. Unfortunately, many people see little need for any number of community endeavors until they are gone, and then it is too late.

Perhaps it was just fate, we’ll never know for sure, that the previous blog here written a few months ago was on the same subject. Between then and now, what could happen did happen. Please consider joining us, not only for the above purpose, but for assisting in improving the life of our community as well as personal enrichment.

Throughout history local communities have been hit at one time or another with any number of natural disasters, from floods, blizzards, high winds, fires, and the like. In many cases, the availability of the local grange hall has proven to be a tremendous asset to serving the needs of the community in the time of need. The records show that they have been pressed into action for shelter, food, "nerve centers" for emergency operations, distribution points for supplies, as well as temporary quarters for other organizations loosing their facilities. Ravena Grange is no exception. A brief synopsis of some of these uses can be found here.

During "non crisis" times grange halls across America are being used for countless community events on a regular basis, such as benefit events, meeting places, polling places, recreational activities, schools, religious services, government forums, farm markets, etc.

The interesting thing is that while most are grateful that the facility is available in times of need or want, many forget that it is the dedication of a relatively few (compared the entire community) individuals doing the day in day out work to keep it there. The old adage that a good thing is rarely missed until it is gone has come to pass in many communities, not only in relation to the grange, but to hosts of other groups.

The attitudes of society in relation to being "joiners" varies from generation to generation, this present one being one that tends not to do such, and as a result most all community based organizations are feeling the pinch of lack of participation and aging memberships, emergency services being no exception. There are indications that this trend is reversing, however it will be a number of years before substantial membership increases will be seen on community organization level. Hopefully, in the mean time, enough individuals will step up to the plate to keep vital local organizations in place so that they do not become distant memories; thus unavailable in times of emergency or need.

You can be an integral part of the growth and development of you community. Why not give it a try? More information about Ravena Grange (and the grange in general) is available on this site, along with contact information should you have more questions. Consider giving us a try.

Al Fine

....the more they stay the same.

Many times we tend to look at the past as a much slower and easier time, a time when things were so much different than they are today. We can all agree those days were somewhat different, but the "slower" part is debatable. It is very difficult to look back on a previous era and not use present day eyes. Those living in every era, particularly since the industrial revolution, would have wished for a return to "slower" times. I suspect that things are perhaps moving at a faster rate than in previous times, as advances in technology breed more advances in technology, making for an exponential increase.

Throughout all of this though, the basic needs of individuals and society as a whole have remained the same. We all want and need safe and secure communities. Advances in technology can provide a means to that end, but in reality they are just tools at our disposal. It takes organization and effort to put these things in place.

The Internet has enabled us to reach far beyond our local areas in ways never before imagined, and has become indispensable for business, governments, organizations and many individuals. Its allure extends far beyond absolute necessity. While this is not a bad thing, there is a tendency to view it as a substitution for traditional community activities. If we want our communities to be safe and secure, and be the kind of place to be proud of, then the "trench work" needs to be done to make it that way. While things at a local meeting might not move as fast as the high-speed Internet, it will go a lot further to get the job done. By way of illustration, most of us would agree that a lot more can be seen and heard watching a baseball game on TV, however, there is still nothing like being in the park, elbow to elbow with thousands of other fans.

For the past 89 years members of Ravena Grange have been striving "elbow to elbow" to improve the lot of the community and the extended community. Examples of this work, past and present, can be found on this website. All of these things are happening and have happened in the past because of the willingness of countless individuals down through the years to give of their spare time to help make their community (and themselves at the same time) better.

Consider joining us in these efforts. A lot of things are changing, but one thing that "stays the same" is the necessity for each of us to give of our time and talents to make things happen.

It seems like only a short while ago we were all anticipating the turn of the Century with a great deal of anticipation, and at least some trepidation's due to things like y2k which threatened to disrupt life as we knew it. Over 2,500 days have come and gone since that event. For a lot of us, this is met with a sigh, wondering where it has gone, and why it has gone by so fast. While we have no control over the speed of the clock, we are allowed control of how we fill the hours.

Many times at the advent of a new year, we make any number of resolutions pertaining to how we will fill those hours, which by this time have mostly faded into history.

I think most of us would agree that we would like to be known for giving our best efforts to improve the quality of life for our families and our communities. These two items intertwine more than we might think. It is hard to improve the quality of family life in a community that is in shambles. While the state of the community is seen through the eye of the beholder and is subjective at best, it many cases it is not major overhaul that is necessary to improve the quality of life. It’s the "little things" that make such a big difference. Helping to provide for a person in need, making social activities available, having a forum to discuss problems, are important parts of this process, and are difficult if not impossible to accomplish without some form of organization.

Getting back to "filling the hours" I’m sure that most of us would wish for more hours to do the things we are already doing. However, if those hours do not include reaching out into our communities, perhaps some thought should be given in that direction.

If the Grange is not something that is familiar to you, check out this website, follow some of the grange-related links, and I’m sure it will increase your understanding, perhaps to the point of a decision on your part to join us in our attempts to serve the local community and greater interests. Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

 Al Fine

December 4th. marked the 140th. Birthday of The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. It was on this date in 1867 when the several men who had conceived the idea and developed the structure of the proposed organization met in a small office in Washington, DC, and organized themselves into a body politic. They were all visionaries, with each having a faith in God, in their fellow man, and the future. They also possessed the determination to see their plans materialize.

While it is imperfect to compare organizational development with human development, there are some striking similarities. Just as newborns face challenges in their new world that sometimes call for extreme solutions, so it was with the infancy of the Grange. Mistakes in judgment as to why someone would want to join this new association nearly snuffed it out before it could really begin. Financial misjudgments and political alignments (even though these were prohibited from the beginning) early on had disastrous consequences. Yet, there was survival.

Just as youth are often accurately characterized as impetuous, that designation in an off beat way could be said of the Grange. Programs and positions were developed that had a little more foundation than it seemed like a good idea at the time, much like the thoughts of a young person. Even with these "side trips" the initial focus of developing a better manhood and womanhood was never lost. Through all of this, there was survival.

Though 140 years is old by human standards, it’s a bit different in relation to organizations. In sticking with the human analogy theme here, I’d have to say that perhaps the so called mid-life crisis is where the Grange is today. Most of the mechanization and technology we take for granted today was unknown in 1867. The population the Grange was originally formed to assist stood at 97% of the total in 1867, and stands at less than 3% today. Just as some people in the mid-life situation feel that life has passed them by and there are no more opportunities, it is an easy thing to transfer that thinking into organizational experiences, as many times it is the "mid lifers" that make up the majority of active members. As most people survive that crisis so will the Grange.

The old adage The more things change the more they stay the same comes into play here. William Saunders in penning the preamble to the Constitution of the National Grange stated: "Society is fragmentary....." It can be said without fear of contradiction that those words are just as true now as they were when written in 1873, and we need not look very far to see the consequences. While populations have shifted, priorities have changed, professions unknown in 1867 proliferate, people are the same. Saunders went on to say in the Preamble that nothing would get done without organization to do it, and that is just as true today as it was then.

While the appearance of society has changed, the basic needs have not. The Grange has a proven track record in relation to the ability to meet these needs. As there is a divine purpose with the birth of every human being, so was there the same in relation to the Grange on December 4, 1867. The human/grange analogy stops when it comes to mortality. We have no control over ours, but we have complete control over the other. The continued life of the Grange (or any other association for that matter) is in our hands, just as it was in the hands of those who have gone on before us. Are our hands any less capable?

Happy Birthday Grange; 140 years young. We wish you many more to come.

It was refreshing to be a part of the 2007 Session of the New York State Grange in relation to the refinement, debate, and final adoption and/or rejection of resolutions submitted from Community and County Granges across the state enlisting support or opposition of the state body on issues deemed important. Many of the issues addressed are those that have been reported by various media outlets over the past year, and in some cases sparked extreme polarization, unfortunate statements, and massive amounts of negative fallout. Social issues seem to be particularly vulnerable to high emotion as most tend to inject there personally held moral values into the argument, leaving no "moral room" for any other position than theirs.

The delegates at the session came from all walks of life -- production agriculture, education, law enforcement, military, health service providers, service industry, contractors, transportation, government employees, labor (union and non union), retired from of the above categories, and housewives. If there was ever a formula for polarization of positions because of conflicting interests, this would be it. About the only common ground here would be that we were all Grangers and taxpayers. While the debate was sometimes spirited, with "amendments to amendments" being offered to make specific points, at the end of the day when the voting was done all continued to be on friendly terms. Personal attacks were never part of the process. Differing viewpoints were accepted as differing viewpoints, as opposed to calling into question the character of the individual expressing the same.

To this writer one of the tragedies of the day is the inability to debate major cultural and social issues in the public square on the basis of the issue alone. Many times those raising concerns are given uncomplimentary labels, which effectively ends the discussion. This reminds me of the old saying: There are two sides to an argument, mine and the wrong one. Human nature being what it is always calls into question the abilities of the individual holding a differing opinion, however it now seems that labeling instead of reasoning is the trump card.

Taking the position that no one has ever become upset with the direction of a policy issue discussion in the Grange would be inaccurate. It is rare however, and I for one am thankful for the opportunity to participate in an environment that encourages discussion and debate of issues that affect all of us -- one in which personal attacks and labeling are not part of the process.

Elsewhere on this site is a brief listing of the positions taken at the Session, of which the State Grange will take an active role with legislative bodies and/or regulatory agencies to implement. All of these positions originated in local granges. We encourage discussion and action on issues. That is one of the reasons we exist as an organization. More participation in this area results in greater effectiveness. Consider joining us in this effort. Your ideas are important to us.

Al Fine

It is a given that communities need organization to really be much of a community. While one of the definitions of community is "a place where people live" the other five definitions include some form of interaction or bond, which is only possible if people join and work together for the stated cause.

The unfortunate aspect of community organization is that many times it revolves around single issues. An issue arises, a group is formed, money is raised, enthusiasm is high, the issue is addressed, enthusiasm wanes, the group disbands, all of this in a relatively short period of time. Long term commitments to community welfare, lasting friendships, extended working relationships, etc., rarely develop from these ventures. While organizations of this nature are important and have their place, when it comes to the big picture, other venues excel.

As the Grange is neither a single issue nor single sex organization with 140 years of experience nationally (88 years in this town) it is well suited to provide the forum to address issues, and has the advantage of already being organized, with it's own facility. In addition to this, it offers any number of educational, social, and recreational activities for member participation, should there be a desire to do so. A five minute look around this website will offer a lot of insight.

For those of you outside of the Grange, consider what is offered to you personally as well as the opportunity to work for a better community. For those of you who are members, check out this site, as there may be an activity unknown to you that is of interest. Questions are always welcomed.

Al Fine

Upwards to thirty years ago the New York State Grange embarked upon the above named fund raising project at the annual New York State Fair. The booth features sliced and ground/bbq’d sandwiches, cut from large roasts that have been slow-cooked over a wood fire. The roasting is done on-site in a specially designed cooker to duplicate as close as possible the taste and texture of the original roasting process, which involved splitting the carcass and roasting it over a bed of coals.

As this is a volunteer effort, staffing is secured from grangers around the state. Over the years Ravena Grange has been a frequent contributor to staffing, this past year being no exception. Several Ravena Grangers traveled to Syracuse on Labor Day and spent six hours working in the booth. To do an effective job it takes a staff of at least 12 people to run the stand. Only four individuals are used on the counter, with the rest supporting.

For this writer, who has been an avid fairgoer for the last half century, there is a lot to be proud of with this operation. Not only is it the best deal of the fairgrounds, price and quality wise, but it is second to none in turn around time.

While it requires a bit of effort and expense to participate in this activity, we find it a very enjoyable activity. Not only is there the satisfaction of offering a good product to the public and benefiting the cause at the same time, but there is also the opportunity to work and fellowship with others, some of whom are only seen during fair time. At the end of the day, it is the fellowship/work part that endures.

This activity, like other grange activities, offers people opportunities they otherwise would not have had. While it is a lot easier to "veg out" in front of the TV, computer, or other entertainment device, none of that gives us much to look back on in the years to come with any expectations of personal satisfaction. We would encourage you, dear reader, to get involved. Doing things for and with others with a goal in focus has great personal rewards.

Check out our Photo Album for some pictures of the 2007 Ox Roast.

Al Fine

....A phrase that can either generate reactions of jubilation or distress, depending on the individual.

From the students perspective, some eagerly await the opportunity to delve back into school life to participate in all it has to offer, including studies. Others begin counting the days until they are done with it for good. Many parents will trade 24/7 summertime supervision for miles on the family car running their kids back and fourth to school related activities. Businesses that carry school supplies love this time of year.

The other aspect of this is the school itself. One can only hope that all involved, from the administration down to the service staff, are prepared to properly discharge the duties they have chosen to assume. (I’ve known a teacher or two in past years who by the end of the first week of school were saying: "only 39 weeks to go.") One can only hope that our students will not encounter such. We can only hope that the summer recess has recharged the batteries of the teachers, and allowed administrative staff time to properly plan curricula, activities, and general facilities management in order to provide the best environment for learning, and at the same time be fair to the taxpayer.

The Grange has always been an advocate of public education. It’s involvement and impact since before 1900 is a matter of record. In October the NY State Grange will be meeting in annual Session to develop its policy for 2008, from resolutions submitted from the various Grange units across the State. This site will be publishing that policy over the year ahead.

If you are a Grange member reading this, and you have concerns in relation to any aspect of public education, please make them known so that resolutions can be written and action taken. There is strength in numbers. If you are not a member, consider joining us. Your voice will be stronger, and so will ours.

Al Fine

Recently several Ravena Grangers took advantage of a motor coach trip to Cape Cod sponsored by the NYS Grange Pomona Lecturer’s Association, which is a support group of the State Grange consisting of the Lecturers (Program Directors) from the Pomona (County) Grange organizations across the state. Those of us that went from the Capital District were the last ones to board, as the trip commenced in Canandaigua early in the morning. As the trip was sold out, we finished filling the coach. Even though this writer had visited the Cape many times previously, the decision was made last October when the trip was announced that it would be put on the schedule.

While the trip offered many of the same activities of which we had previously partaken, that didn’t matter, as no two whale watches, dining experiences, dune tours, or just watching the tides are alike. The added benefits included the opportunity to fellowship with 40 other people, not having to drive, not having to make reservations, nor haul on luggage, to name a few.

Extended motor coach tours are fairly new to me, as this past one was number three. I must admit that I’m beginning to like them a lot more that I thought I would. On each trip there have been those that I’ve known and worked closely with for years, casual acquaintances, people I’ve never met, grangers and non-grangers. By the time the trip was over, new acquaintances had been made, experiences and good times shared; all while enjoying the natural beauty of the Cape and its attendant activities. I don’t think anyone really wanted the trip to be over. All things being equal, next year’s Pomona Lect.’s Assn. trip will be announced in October, with the details added to this website as soon as they become available. I know I’ll be giving it serious consideration, even if it is a place I’ve previously visited; as my experiences there might help someone that has never been there to enjoy it much more, all while enjoying an opportunity for social fellowship that I otherwise would not have had.

Check out our photo album for a few pictures of the trip.

Al Fine

Relevant or irrelevant? Depending on who you talk to, the answer will be one choice or the other. Usually the answer is based on personal likes or dislikes, as opposed to any kind of historical analysis.

Organizations and societies come and go. Some last a considerable time, others don’t. A lot of variables play into the success and/or failure of a group, such as leadership, support for the cause, availability of potential members, suitable facilities, availability of present members to commit -- just to name a few.

To be dismissive of an individuals comfort zone when it comes to deciding whether or not to join and organization that happens to be a fraternity would be an error. Some have deep seated religious convictions against doing so, for some it may just not be to their liking, and to others it may seem foolish. All of these reasons are legitimate. No one will ever be happy or effective in an organization that has precepts and practices which are contrary to personal convictions.

When one looks at the big picture, a startling fact comes through loud and clear, that being fraternities tend to stand the test of time. The oldest continuous organizations around are fraternities, way out ahead of the non fraternal groups. The organizational "root" of the Grange was December 4, 1867, which was 140 years ago. The Masonic order can add at least a couple of centuries to that number. A survey was done a number of years ago, and it found that the average length of membership for a person in the Grange was 14 years. The interesting thing about this is that the same survey found that the average life length of non fraternal organizations was 7 years, with the individual’s participation at a little over 3 years.

As fraternities base their underlying philosophies and operations in antiquity, it is a bit harder to revise some of the practices to "bring it up to date" so to speak, as antiquity is pretty much the life blood of a ritualistic fraternal society. The idea of a "modern ritual" is close to being an oxymoron.

The Grange has addressed this issue, and is continuing to objectively look at it. The path of membership has been streamlined, The operating ritual has been updated in relation to the removal of aspects that no longer have importance and language changes have been made to substitute words that are no longer in common usage. The decision has also been made NOT to move away from all the fraternal aspects however, given the fact that it is its desire to remain a lasting vehicle of community and social action, offering personal satisfaction opportunities for people that they otherwise would not have had.

One Hundred Forty years of history speaks for itself. Continued service to individual communities and by extension the greater community will insure years added on to the above total.

If you are not a member, consider joining us to lend your voice in making our community stronger, as well as enjoying the personal benefits of fun, fellowship, and enrichment. Look around this website, we’re sure you will find something of interest, and if some important area is lacking, your influence might well put it in place.

Al Fine

I recently came across a story about a man in NYC that was putting feet under his environmental beliefs by doing everything within his power to make the lowest negative impact on the environment as possible. As you can see from the story, he and his family are going a lot further with their one year experiment than most of us would be willing to go. One of the things that had to go in his experiment was the TV, and therein was the part that struck me.

The removal of the TV was done strictly for environmental reasons, and had nothing to do with programing. The unanticipated aspect of this was a new level of family activity, participation, understanding, and togetherness. As he put it, instead of everyone vegging out in front of their own TV’s watching their own programs, they were now doing things together, and having a great time doing it. It was also having a positive effect on friendships, as invited guests and friends interacted with various games and activities and conversations, instead of focusing on an electronic device.

Following WW-II , when unlimited mobility and the elaborate home entertainment systems we take for granted today were still in the distant future, people looked to existing community/social organizations, and formed new ones, to provide their social outlet. All of these activities were participatory, in that the dance, the play, the skit, the talent show, the card party, or whatever it was, didn’t happen unless friends and neighbors were interacting in the planning and execution of the event, making it happen, and being a part of the happening. As a result friendships were formed, people actually knew their neighbors, and cared about them; and lot of improvements were made by people not only seeing a problem, but having the motivation to solve it, much in part due to the friendships and associations gained from their social interactions.

Arm chair quater backing as to what happened to change our attitudes and outlooks is not the point of this blog. The point is that we (collectively speaking) have allowed ourselves to replace interaction with others, and the creativity and activity that goes with it, with and electronic device that makes no demands on any of the aforementioned aspects and conditions us to respond in specific ways. One needs only to be creative enough to operate the remote control.

TV has it’s place. I have one, and I watch it, while admittedly not nearly as much now as in the past. Community activity and involvement also has it’s place, and in the general scheme of things, will reap far greater personal as well as collective rewards and satisfactions than will parking ourselves in front of the tube evening after evening.

The Grange has a track record of successes, both in relation to the betterment of society, and to individuals. This record was accomplished by the creative efforts of its members, coupled with the desire to work with neighbors and friends to reach the desired goal. We stand prepared to continue that work, welcoming new friends, their ideas, and their willingness to make our community as well as our greater community a better place to live; while at the same time making it possible for the individual to enjoy the accompanying personal development and satisfaction of having an opportunity that otherwise would not have existed.

Al Fine

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite. He told the group to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups....

.. And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of the Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us. God brews the coffee, not the cups.....Enjoy your coffee!"

The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. You are the miracle, my friend, your life either shines a light - or casts a shadow.

Al Fine

During this time of year in our Grange life we tend to look at some of the major accomplishments of the organization on a national scale since its inception in 1867. A couple of the better known standouts include the Granger Laws, which laid the groundwork for the Interstate Commerce Commission, and Rural Free Delivery. Both of these events changed the direction of government and commerce at that time, with their influence continuing to this day. While these are significant and important, I would submit that the thousands upon thousands of activities and events that have taken place down through the years on local levels, helping people in need, raising awareness to community problems, contributing to community betterment, and working to create better educational opportunities, just to name a few, constitutes the real "heartbeat" of the organization.

 This is also a good time to reflect on how we got to where we are, and what it will take to continue positive impact into the future. Oliver Hudson Kelley, the undisputed prime mover of the Grange, was nothing short of a radical, and the organization he proposed was designed to address and rectify the significant social and economic problems of a rapidly changing society, healing from the ravages of the Civil War. In order to accomplish this, the organization was designed to be prudent with the times, designed like other flourishing organizations. Thus, it was created as a fraternity. While negative criticism has been leveled at fraternal societies from various sources down through the years, that fact remains that organizations thus styled are around for the long haul, as opposed to "single issue" groups that many times disappear about as fast as they appear.

 In today's world we see many of the same situations that existed in Kelley's day. Technology is advancing at a fact pace, and one only has to read the newspaper or watch TV to realize that social disorder is rapidly rising, even in communities thought to be immune. Economic problems dog many segments of our society, even though the economy as a whole is good. One difference though, seems to be the reluctance on the part of a greater percentage of the population to get involved to make things better. The tremendous satisfaction of a long term group accomplishment has been replaced with the instant gratification of computer games and/or entertainment programs; and, increased employment demands take a toll as well, even among those willing to participate.

In an attempt to stay with changing times and attitudes, the Grange has streamlined its path to membership and modified other aspects of it's structure, while at the same time maintaining the tried and true character and underlying philosophy that defines its uniqueness. When it comes to the outworking of this philosophy, that being the betterment of manhood and womanhood and doing what we can to improve our communities, its just not going to happen without cooperative effort and time spent. The rewards are worth it, not only with the personal satisfaction of a completed task, but also with the knowledge that something has been accomplished that far bigger than ones self.

Al Fine

Almost. According to the calendar it is still about a week away, and we all fully realize that even though the season officially changes, severe winter weather can still arrive in full furry. It just can’t hang around as long.

Spring is a time of renewal. As the snow cover recedes we look for indications that daffodils, crocus and other early flowers are poking their new stems from the earth, buds forming and fattening on trees and bushes, and grass gradually turning greener. The season has its influence inside the house as well, as "spring cleaning" removes the vestiges of winter clutter from our homes, as witnessed by the overflowing trash bins lined up along the street at this time of year. Moving into the personal realm, this season frequently encourages spiritual and emotional renewal as well. The longer daylight hours, the signs of Nature’s renewal everywhere we look, encourages us, if no more than subconsciously, to make a few positive changes.

As the underlying philosophy of the Grange is rooted in agriculture, and thus by extension nature itself, the seasons of the year are given special attention with applications drawn from them to apply to our personal lives. We are called upon to think of spring in terms of faith. Each year we expect that as winter yields to spring the growth season will begin, because it always has been that way. However, there is still at least a small amount of faith involved trusting that it will continue in that mode. On the personal side, even though we all have varying amounts of history behind us, which can assist in determining our future, when it comes to an absolute knowledge of it, we all are walking as if we were blindfolded. The only navigation instrument available to us, is faith.

History gives us many examples of men and women who, guided by pure faith, have accomplished great things. In relation to the Grange, one of our founders, Oliver Hudson Kelley, would be an outstanding example, but there have been and continue to be many others who, guided by the faith that what they were doing was the right thing to do, have made significant impacts on their communities, states, and nation. Let us work together, with a united faith that we can have a positive impact on our local community, our greater community, while at the same time receiving the satisfaction of witnessing our own faith in action.

Al Fine