B.A.N.N.E.R. ...

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

NOVEMBER 2005 -- 2006 THEME - Be A New Neighbor Everyone Recognizes

I would like to challenge all youth, and not so youth, to visit other Granges (even with higher gas prices) to make your presence known, to help where possible, and to make new acquaintances. This could make a big difference to a Grange.

Thank you to all the Granges and Grangers that supported the youth department in the past year. Your efforts in raising pennies was a success and was enough to cover the additional expenses for the New England Youth Conference.

Let’s make this a B.A.N.N.E.R. Year!

T.R.A.V.E.L. ...

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

OCTOBER 2005 -- Reminder: Youth Reports are (were) due on October 1st - but please send them in anyway.

The Youth Committee will again be hosting the hospitality room at State Session. We would appreciate donations of snack foods - cookies, crackers, chips, any other munchies. Also, Casino Night will be in full swing on Friday night (after the 6th degree), followed by the auction (item donations accepted) where you will get a chance to spend insane amounts of money (without guilt) for ordinary stuff.

Thank you in advance for all your donations and thank you for all your donations and pennies this year.

Youth Department News ...

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

SEPTEMBER 2005 -- The New England Youth Conference is over and despite torrential downpours that delayed many of the Grangers from New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island from arriving on time on Friday evening, all arrived safe and sound. We had many interesting and informative workshops, good food and fellowship, great competitions in Lip Sync, Sign-A-Song, Public Speaking and the Drill Competition on Sunday.

I was disappointed though in the attendance from CT by the over 30 crowd at any of the conference, but especially at the Saturday evening banquet and Casino night. It was disheartening to see all the people from many of the other states that just came in for the banquet, but not more than a handful of those from the host state.

Moving on- State Session will soon be upon us. We will again be hosting the Youth Hospitality Room. As such, we are looking for donations of snack foods from the Pomonas. We will also be holding a Casino/Game Night on Friday evening following the Sixth Degree followed by an Auction like last year. Hope many of you will be there for a fun evening.

Northeast Youth Conference, July 8-10

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

JULY/AUGUST 2005 -- We are looking forward to the Youth of New England and New York attending the Northeast Youth Conference on July 8-10 on the UConn campus. I hope that many of the Grangers from CT will be in attendance for all or part of the conference. The banquet on Saturday night followed by a Casino Night should prove to be an interesting and fun night. Please plan on joining us. For information, contact your Pomona Youth Chairman or myself.

Thank you to all the Granges and Grangers that have supported the Youth program this year with their participation or monetary donations. We look forward to working with you again this coming year.

T.R.A.V.E.L.

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

JUNE 2005 -- Please join us for dinner at Grange Sunday, June 12. We will be serving a lasagna dinner following the morning worship service. The cost is $6 per person.

Thank you to all who participated in the Bowl Across America event. We had a small, but enthusiastic group who raised almost $600 to be divided between the National Grange “Wigs for Kids” program, the State Youth Fund and the State Youth Travel Fund. Ask anyone who was there about the day and plan to join us next year.

July 8-10, CT will host the Northeast Regional Youth Conference at UConn. I hope that many Grangers from Connecticut will come to support the Youth, not only from CT, but also from the NE States and New York. Please plan to attend, even for just a day, but don’t miss the banquet and Casino Night. Reservations must be made in advance for the banquet.

Bowl-A-Thon on April 10th!

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

APRIL 2005 -- On April 10 we will be holding our Bowl Across America Bowl-A-Thon at the T-Bowl Lanes in Wallingford at 2:00 P.M. So, let’s shine up those bowling balls and polish those shoes for an afternoon of fun and a chance to raise some money for a few good causes. Please let me know by March 31st if you will be having a team. Your Pomona Youth Chairmen have all the information.

Just a head’s up- entries for the Public Speaking Contest, Sign-A-Song, and Lip Sync entries are due by June 1. The state judging will be held at State Grange Sunday at Good Will Grange Hall on June 12th. The Youth Committee will also be holding their lasagna dinner following the church service.

It’s time for the 2005 Bowl-A-Thon

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

MARCH 2005 -- BOWLING! BOWLING! BOWLING!

April 10th we will again be holding the Bowl Across America contest at the T-Bowl in Wallingford starting at 2 P.M. Get your teams together, get your sponsors signed up and join us for a fun afternoon. The monies raised will be used for the New England Youth Conference in July and to donate to the National Youth Programs. Deadline for entries is March 31.

I hope that many of the youth are getting their Sign-A-Song, Public Speaking and Lip Sync reading for the State competition at Grange Sunday in June and for the NE Regionals in July. It is in CT this year so it should be easy to get there.

Getting ready for the New England Youth Conference

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

FEBRUARY 2005 -- We hope that everyone had an enjoyable holiday season and have made many resolutions (with hopes of keeping some).

We had an interesting and informative New England Leader’s Conference in Cromwell this weekend. It was good to meet with the other New England Directors and to get their input into what their programs are and what we need to do to get ready for the New England Youth Conference in July.

As such, we will be offering workshops for those attending. The subjects which need to be covered are: Landing Your Dream Job (Resumes/Interviews); Basic Automotive Upkeep, Reaching Your Goals (Budget/Credit); Eating Nutritiously; Travel Safety (including driving safety); How to Run a Successful Meeting; Entertaining on a Budget; Leadership Skills and How to get your point across in 30 seconds or less.

In order to successfully run these workshops we will be looking for qualified presenters. If you know of anyone who may be a potential presenter, please contact me.

We will also be looking for judges for sign-a-song, drill team and public speaking. Again, your help is needed.

Thanks, in advance.

Time to get T.R.A.V.E.L.ing

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

JANUARY 2005 -- How are your T.R.A.V.E.L. plans coming? Information packets were given out at the Pink Sash meeting in November. I hope that the Youth Chairman from each Pomona are now in possession of these. Please look them over and let me know what you think. The State and National information is there for you to use. Let’s not let it go to waste.

I have asked each Pomona to supply a list of their youth so that we may better keep them updated as to what is happening around the state. Please get these to me as soon as possible.

Keep those pennies coming.

T.R.A.V.E.L. in 2005!

By Pat Palmer, State Youth Director

DECEMBER 2004 -- The Theme for 2004-2005 is T.R.A.V.E.L. - Take Risks And Value Each Lesson.

We are asking everyone - young and young at heart - to travel that extra mile with us to help reach our goal by again collecting pennies to help defray the cost of the New England Youth Conference in CT in 2005. We would like to thank all those who helped pave the miles last year and hope that all will continue their efforts.

This year we will continue to support the National Grange programs: Bowl Across America, Sign-A-Song, Impromptu Speeches and other Youth Awards. Information will be going out to the Pomona Youth Chairman. Check it out.

We will also have our own programs and contests: New Youth Member Awards, T.R.A.V.E.L. Poster Contest and Most Creative Youth Night Program. These will be outlined in the Blue Book.

Thank you to all who have supported the Youth program in the past - look forward to meeting new youth around the state and encouraging them to participate in the youth program.

Make your T.R.A.V.E.L. plans now!

2004 Bowling Events At Two Locations!

By Jodi Ann Cameron, State Youth Director

MARCH 2004 -- M.I.L.E.S. - Many Individuals, Let Everyone Succeed.

It’s March already! Where did January and February go? Time to start making plans for the Youth Activities. First off, we are going bowling again. This year we will be having TWO locations. The first one is set for Saturday, March 27 at 2:00 P.M. for Ten-Pin at T-Bowl Lanes in Wallingford. The second one will be on Sunday, May 16 at 2:00 P.M. for Duck Pin bowling at Lucky Strike Lanes in Mansfield. Get your teams together and start getting pledges. The Blue Book states to notify the Youth Director by March 1st if you have a team but I may be able to extend that date to the 15th at the latest for the March 27th bowling. PLEASE do let me know as soon as possible. Your Subordinate Youth Chairman has a pledge sheet and rules, make copies if needed.

This year the donations will be split evenly between the Connecticut State Grange Youth Fund and the National Grange Youth Dept., Caroline Hall TLC Project to benefit Alcohol Education Program through Outside the Classroom & MADD along with N.G. Youth Leadership Fund. The State Youth Activities are listed in the Blue Book. Many dates need to be set but the plans are there along with contest descriptions and rules. Ask your Master or Secretary for a copy of these if you don’t already have them. You may also check out the National Grange Youth Department for many National Youth Contests. Keep watching for further information on these contests and other activities. Don’t forget to keep collecting your pennies to help us host the New England Youth Conference in 2005.

Many Individuals, Let Everyone Succeed

By Jodi Ann Cameron, State Youth Director

JANUARY 2004 -- Our theme for 2004 is M.I.L.E.S., which stands for “Many Individuals, Let Everyone Succeed.” The theme also represents the kicking off of our fundraiser of paving as many miles of pennies as we can to help us host the New England Youth Conference in 2005. We are asking all Granges to help us to collect pennies. This project will go on all year long. There are 5,280 feet in a mile, 16 pennies to a foot, so that equals $844.80 to a mile.

I want to thank everyone for your support at this year’s State Session. The many donations for the hospitality room were greatly appreciated and enjoyed by all. The hypnotist was well received and quite entertaining.

It is not too early to be encouraging our youth to become a male or female ambassador. If any male or female, age 16-21, is interested in entering the Horizon Leadership Recognition Program, (formerly the Ambassador program) I have the applications. We would love to have youth represent Connecticut next year at National Grange in these positions.

We will have some of the same programs as we had in the past, and will be adding new events for 2004. We are planning a trip to Hampton Beach, NH in June for the Sand Sculpting Competition and a family fun day during the spring or summer. These activities, as are all of our activities, are open to all of all ages. As details become available we will get the information out to the Granges and all Youth Chairpersons.

We are planning to have two locations for the Bowl Across America this year. Once the information is received from National on the charities we will be supporting, we will put the final details together and inform everyone at that time.

Congratulations to all youth contest winners this past year. And don’t forget to check in the Blue Book for this year’s contests and watch for further activity dates.