Banking 101
Pay attention class!

All checks sent as donations to the PA State Grange Deaf and Community Service Department MUST be filled out correctly or the bank will not cash them.

It is sad that security must be maintained at such a high level these days. The regulations that the banks have to follow are expanded and updated at what seems like the speed of light anymore. Even my bank, that knows me and loves me, can no longer accept checks written out incorrectly even when the tellers do (from past experience) know where I want the checks to go.

Donations must be written to: PA State Grange Deaf and Community Service Department which is a bit long OR, PA St. Grange D&CS Dept. because that is the name of the organizational department that you are contributing to. The abbreviated name is easier to fit on the line of the check.

On the Memo line at the bottom left corner you can indicate if it is for: Community Service; Deaf Activities; Shoebox; or the Kelly Farm.

DO NOT make the check out to me - that’s a big no-no. The possibility has been that I should cash the check and then deposit it into the D&CS account. The big headache here is that the bank must then report that as personal income for me and that means I’d have to pay taxes on the money!

I'm gonna ask that the Grange Treasurers be patient and allow the Grange to check and double check that your check(s) won’t have to be returned and re-addressed.

Thanks for you cooperation in getting it write/right the first time.

Spring Cleaning
Any projects planned for your Grange building or community any time soon? All goods works deserve recognition and if your members vote to participate you should include it in your annual Community Service Report.

Did your members have enough “oohhh look what I found . . . but I don’t need it anymore” after Spring Cleaning to have a community yard or porch sale? The profit can go to a worthy project.

Around here, we are seeing signs posted that support ‘going green’ that encourage recycling. Even the antique mall shops are encouraging folks to buy something that was once someone else’s treasure. What can you recycle and give a new home to?

Did you know that recycling an aluminum can uses about 4% of the energy it takes to make a new can from the raw ore? That would be enough energy to keep your TV running for about 3 hours.

What did you come across while doing your big or small or hardly at all cleaning project that should be recycled?

Family Time
Can you make time for you family? Pack everyone up and head out for a long weekend at the PA State Grange Family Festival July 17th to 20th.

Great plans are in the works. The optional workshops offered look interesting and the whole event could be just the ‘shot in the arm’ your family needs as a fun way to regroup.
It’s an especially nice time if you feel you’re always so very busy at State Session. Oh, you’ll still be busy if you want to but, you can also go slower and enjoy a more leisurely time of catching up with Grange friends and enjoying meals with all of us attending together instead of catching a meal here or there when you can.

Remember that this is the event when our Operation Shoebox item donations are forwarded to be shipped overseas. Please be kind to our service personnel and bring an item or two or dozens to show our support for their brave efforts. Even if you can’t support the troops with donated times, prayers are always appreciated so send them some.

A Moment to Pause and Think
Operation Shoebox has always been a big deal with Grangers. I had a personal reflective moment the other day when I read that a translator from my local community was killed while overseas when a car bomb went off. My work as an interpreter has taken me many places but I never considered the thought that my life could be at risk. Who would have thought such a thing? A truly humbling moment for me.

Posters and Essays
Thanks for all the entries. We’ll let you know just as soon as we can who the winners are.

Do you think it will be a student your Grange sponsored this year? Let’s hope so.

If you’ve never gotten entries, what about giving it a try for next year? Talk to your area school about how to get this worthwhile program on their school calendar.

Happy Spring!

That’s it from my desk.