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

​​Tel: 269-209-6640

​​Email: roccomaryann@yahoo.com
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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 2025 GRANGE NEWS
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As Summer is coming to an end and Fall is right around the corner, colored leaves, picking apples and pumpkins will be here before we know it. 

Hopefully you have completed your Community Service Report or are working on completing it. If you are having trouble completing your Community Service Report booklet, you can still fill out the Community Service Summary Report Form and submit it as your Community Service Report without a booklet.

All nominations for the VIP Award along with your Community Service Report are due to me by September 10th. Law Enforcement Officer, Firefighter/EMT and Teacher of the Year recipients are to be done at your Grange. You may mail your VIP nominees and your Community Service Report in the same package.

I hope we have some Granges that have summitted a Community Service activity to the National Grange. Please bring it along to the State Convention and to share.

I have tried to pass along information in previous Grange Newsletters as a guide and have mailed out your registration forms along with the guidelines for your report. Your Community Service letter and Nominations forms have also been posted on the Michigan Grange website. If you have any questions at all please give me a call or email me. 

Remember your Community Service Report and  Award Nominations need to be to me in Battle Creek by 
September 10th, 2025 to be judged.
 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 Beadle Lake Road and a Beadle Lake in the same zip code.)
​269 209-6640
​roccomaryann@yahoo.com

With the start of the new Grange calendar year, lets try and find a new Community Service Project to do in your community this year. 

Enjoy the remaining days of summer, and I’ll see you in Owosso at the Michigan State Grange convention.

Mary Ann Rocco
JULY/AUGUST 2025 GRANGE NEWS

Summer Is Here !!!!!

​​Summer is a busy time for all families. We have many Grange activities happening in the next few months. Lets try to support our fellow Granges by attending some of these activities.

​​Fredonia Grange will again be participating in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Calhoun County. It is community based and raises money for cancer research. Relay For Life is held at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds on June 21rd 3:00pm through 3:00pm Saturday the 23th. To raise funds for this project Fredonia Grange will be selling Luminary bags, in honor of or in memory of a loved one, to be placed along the walking route. If you wish to purchase a Luminary Bag please contact Andrea Peck, 517-568-3304.  Fredonia will also have a walking team.

​​August bring the Calhoun Country Fair, August 10th through August 16th. Fredonia will again have its food booth open and filled with many homemade goodies. Come and join us for some delicious eats.

​​As you are working on your community service projects, I hope you were able to expand and add a new project this year. It’s never too late to give a helping hand to your community.

​​August 31st marks the end of our Community Service year. Your Community Service Report is due on September 10th, 2025. That means it needs to be delivered to the State Community Service Director on or before that date. (If special arrangements need 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 Beadle Lake Road and a Beadle Lake in the same zip code.) 269 209-6640 roccomaryann@yahoo.com

​We will be judging our Community Service books the same as we always have; reporting to the National Grange is all that has changed.The changes were discussed in last months Michigan Grange News.This information can also be found on the National Grange website.

​​Here is a review of information and organization of our Community Service Report.

​​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 projects
  • 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.
  • ​Be concise and stick to the point. More is not always better.

​​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.
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Something to think about

​​Special awards were outlined in last months Michigan Grange News. Refer to it if you are thinking about nominating a special person in your Grange.
  • ​Each Grange may recognize and submit one nominee for each category, Firefighter, Law Enforcement Officer and Teacher of the Year. " Nominations for Fireman, Teacher and Policeman will not be judged on the National level but can be recognized on the local and/or State levels.
  • ​A Dedicated Worker and a Very Important Person Award. To be recognized at the State level
  • ​Nominations need to be turned in with your Community Service Report.

​​(Nomination forms will be sent to your Community Service chairman soon).

​​The National Grange website has information on the Do’s and Don’ts of a Community Service Report.

​​COMMUNITY SERVICE REPORTS ARE DUE SEPTEMBER 10th, 2025.

​​Stay safe and enjoy your summer!