MARY ANN ROCCO
145 Beadle Lake Drive
Battle Creek, MI 49014

​​Tel: 269-209-6640

​​Email: roccomaryann@yahoo.com
​
THE DICTIONARY PROJECT

"The Dictionary Project" started in South Carolina. The purpose of the project is to put dictionaries into the hands of third graders. These dictionaries are theirs to keep. The organizers of this project are well organized, and have structured the project to make it a success with a minimum of effort. The website includes sample letters, suggestions for labeling the dictionaries, press releases... in short they have thought of everything you need to make the project a success. You may even send for samples of the dictionaries that are offered for sale. Since the current school year is at an end you will have plenty of time to collect information on you school, ordering the dictionaries and make presentation to the school.

There are four things to recommend this project:

GOOD PURPOSE — The Grange has always supported the advancement of education

MEDIUM EXPENSE — The dictionaries are available at a reasonable cost. The books are sold in case lots.

MINIMUM EFFORT — The instructions are very complete. All the thinking work has been done for you. And it would take very few people to finish the project. A small committee could handle it easily.

GOOD PUBLIC RELATIONS — This project would make a very newsworthy story for print or radio.

Please consider this project. If you are interested please contact:

http://www.dictionaryproject.org  or

Mary L. French
P.O. Box #1845
Charleston SC 29402
COMMUNITY SERVICE
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 GRANGE NEWS

Summer is coming to an end and Fall is right  around the corner. Colored leaves and pumpkins will 
be here before we know it.
​
This has been a very interesting year for all our Granges. Our Community Services Projects may 
look a little different this year with the restrictions of  Covid-19. 

​Hopefully you have completed your Community Service Report or are working on completing it.

​All nominations for the VIP Award along  with your Community Service Report are due to me by September10th. 

​You may mail both your VIP Nomination and  your Community Service Report in the same package. 

​I have tried to pass along information in pervious Grange Newsletters as a guide and have mailed
out your registration form along with the guidelines  for your report. If you have any questions at all 
please give me a call or email me.

​If you have done any services helping others  in this time of Covid-19 restrictions, please fill out 
your National Grange Community Service Covid-19  form. It will be great to have Michigan Granges represented at the National Grange. 

​Remember your Community Service Report  and VIP Nominations need to be to me in Battle Creek by September 10th, 2020 to be judged. 

​Enjoy the remaining days of summer and  hopefully we can all get back to our regular Grange meetings soon. 
​
I’ll see you at the Michigan State Grange  convention. 
JULY/AUGUST 2020 GRANGE NEWS

Welcome Summer!
As our communities are opening up, we are able to  hold small gatherings and meeting. We still need to 
be aware of the Coronavirus Pandemic. I recently saw a program that outlined some safety guidelines 
for potlucks or other gatherings where food is served.​
  • Use paper plates and plastic silverware
  • Bring pre-portioned individual servings
  • If you have a dish that needs to be served, wearing a mask and gloves, you serve all participants
  • Outside areas are the best for functions if possible
  • Remember to wear a mask, social distance and  wash your hands 
​Something New
Recently we were notified about a new program  from National Grange called “Outreach Graduation.” 
Operation Graduation is a program where   personal letters will be sent to Grange members 
 nominated by their local granges, who have   graduated from Kindergarten, 8th grade, High 
 School or College. National Grange President   and National Grange Junior Director will be 
 signing/sending a letter to the Kindergarten and   8th grade graduates. National Grange President 
 and National Grange Youth Director will be   signing/sending letters for high school and 
 College graduate. Local Granges may also want   to send a letter of reorganization to their 
 graduates. Another way to honor our graduates is   to invite then to a meeting or dinner to honor 
 them.
​
Community Service Report
The due date for the Community Service Report is September 10th, 2020. This means  that your book needs to be delivered to the State Community Service Director on or before that date. (If a special arrangement needs to be made for the delivery of your Community Service Report please contact me.) 

​Mary Ann Rocco
​145 Beadle Lake Drive
Battle Creek, Michigan 49014
(Just a little note, when mailing your materials  please put Drive on the address. There is also a Beadle Lake and a Beadle Lake Road in this area.) 
​
269-209-6640
​roccomaryann@yahoo.com
​
August 31st marks the end of our Community Service  year. We have all missed many of our annual community services projects. In these unusual times we have had to find smaller individual community service projects to help our neighbors. 
​
The Notebook Reports
  • Please place the summary report at the beginning of the Notebook. It is required! 
  • Please do not send more than one Notebook.  Notebooks cannot be larger than a 2 inch binder 
  • Videotapes and computer discs cannot be used in place of a report for judging. ​
​Organize the Notebooks. 
  • Tell the your story as you organize your project
  • Group the projects together
  • Keep items that support your projects, like thank  you letters and newspaper articles, with or without photos. 
  • Simplify your notebook by selecting the best  couple of photos for each project. 
​Ways to Organize 
  • Organize by New Projects and Continuing Projects
  • Or-Organize in chronological order from the beginning to the end of the year
  • Or-Organize by the largest projects to the smallest projects 
  • Keep the page clean and concise
  • List all project at the beginning of the book  (Index) 
  • Donations for a project should be noted
  • If tabs are use make sure they are secured so they don’t fall out 
  • Remember the notebook maximum size is a 2- inch binder. ​
Something to think about
Each State Grange may submit one nominee for  each category, Firefighter, Law Enforcement 
Officer and Teacher of the Year Award.   Nominees need to be turned in with your Community Service Report, as I need to mail them on to National Grange. Nomination Forms will be mailed at a later date.
​
FYI The first place Community Service Report that  moves on to the National Grange will be scanned and 
emailed this year. This is your opportunity to tell the  story of your Grange in a neat and concise manner. 
​
The Physical book will not be taken to the National  Grange this year. 
​
Remember your Community Service reports are  due to Mary Ann by September 10, 2020. 
Thank you and keep up all the good work you are  doing for your community during these times. No 
service is too big or too small to count.
​
Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July. Mary Ann​