Hopefully by this time
you have recovered from the additional time with the family over the
holidays, the exurbanite amount of cookies, candy and food in
general, and the late night celebration to bring in the New Year. We
are still cleaning up from the holiday party at our place and I
really don’t think that you ever find all of the pine needles from
that magnificent (note sarcasm) Christmas tree that adorns the house
for the brief period of time between Thanksgiving and New Year.
However, I do have to
say that taking down the Christmas tree is one of the first
reminders that January has arrived (preceded only by Dick Clark’s
Rockin’ New Year’s Eve and a pork and sauerkraut dinner with the
folks). January gets me excited…really excited…for a number of
reasons. Here is a short list of why I love January:
* Snow – it usually
snows in January and I think it is God’s way of telling us that the
new year can be a new start
* Farm Show – besides the milkshakes and potato donuts, it is a
great place to catch up with Grange friends – it also brings with it
the snow
* Wife’s Birthday – one more opportunity to show my love and
affection to this beautiful lady
* Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – a vacation day in the Ebersole
household
* Christmas is over…thank goodness – I am really into the real
reason for the season not the marketing end of the holidays
* State Grange Planning Meeting – the opportunity for the officers
and committees to focus our attention on the activities for the New
Year
* A New Year = a fresh start
There are so many
reasons to like January - the most important is the New Year is the
opportunity for a fresh start, new energy and creative ideas. We are
seeing this in the Grange too — at National with the election of a
new Master/President, at State with our planning for the year and
hopefully you have it at your local Grange.
January does have one
downfall, it brings with it a dues increase from National Grange
that must be absorbed by the State Grange’s general operating budget
per the direction of the delegates at the 2007 State Convention in
Williamsport. This is going to be a true struggle for the State
Grange in the coming months as we “adjust” programs and “amend”
activities to make up for the increased payment to National. I am
confident in the abilities of the State Executive Committee to make
these difficult decisions and keep our pocketbook in check although
I am not sure how long they will be able to keep up before having to
make some pretty significant decisions.
As we start this new
year, each of us must take a step back and truly consider the future
of this organization over the next 10 months leading up to State
Session in Lancaster. I know that I will be thinking about it a lot
and welcome the opportunity to listen to your thoughts on our future
and how we can make it successful together. Rest assured if you
share yours, I am going to share mine.
Please take some time over the next couple weeks or months and ask
yourself — Where will/can our local Grange be? What direction will
State Grange move in? How can I contribute to the future of our
organization? What is the most excellent decision I can make for the
Grange at the local, state or national level?
Thanks for a good 2007
and let’s work together to make sure that 2008 is really great.
Fraternally,
Brian Ebersole
State Overseer
P.S. – General Update -
Jen is great, the cat is fine, still no kids, the house projects are
coming together.
P.S.S. – Thank you to Beaver County Pomona Grange for inviting me
out to their All Granger Banquet to speak – I had a great time and
really appreciated your hospitality.