Idaho State Grange

The January 2025 issue of Good Day! magazine is about to head to the printer - are you subscribed?
This issue includes coverage from the 158th Annual National Grange Convention in Bettendorf, Iowa, previews the 2025 Convention, has ideas and programs that Granges can be a part of - including the rollout of Year D of the Heirloom Program, shows how to go from soup to stock in the recipe section, and so much more.

Subscribe - or check your subscription - at http://www.nationalgrange.org/goodday or subscribe online at http://www.issuu.com/grangegoodday

Legislative Alert!

The National Grange Issues Statement Supporting Bipartisan Year-End Health Care Agreement, Including Historic Policy to Help Close the Rural Health Gaps in Cancer

The National Grange today issued the following statement urging swift congressional passage of the bipartisan health care package, including important policies to help address the gaps in cancer care for rural communities.

“Cancer’s impact on rural Americans is immense and complex. Detecting cancer early poses unique challenges for these communities as screenings often require access to specialty health facilities which can be few and far between in rural America. Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests will play an important role in reducing rural cancer disparities because they use simple blood tests to find more cancers earlier, ultimately leading to better outcomes,” said Christine E. Hamp, National Grange president. “For this reason, we have long advocated for the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 2407) / the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act (S. 2085) and could not be more thrilled to see Congressional champions, once again, leading the way in driving access to cancer detection. This bill represents an enormous step forward in closing the health gaps in cancer for rural Americans. We are proud to stand with leaders in Congress to help advance this bill into law, and we are urgently calling on all lawmakers to vote yes on rural health.”

Learn more about the Grange’s work reviewing the cancer health gaps for rural communities online here: https://www.nationalgrange.org/the-disproportionate-impact-of-cancer-on-rural-communities/

Dance into the New Year at the Mica Flats Grange!

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGU0ga8Dqc/szcx9ApwCM4ILdA3DafRgA/view?utm_content=DAGU0ga8Dqc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor

2024 December - February Check out this US Letter designed by Amber.

The National Grange is excited to announce that a total of $5,203 (or 306 wreaths) was donated for Wreaths Across America - Official Page through our Community Service effort at the 158th Annual National Grange Convention!

However, we know that many Granges and individuals are involved in Wreaths Across America beyond donations at the convention, or may have chosen to support the program locally.

If you or your Grange have (or will) participate in Wreaths Across America, please fill out this form to add your participation: https://grange.biz/wreathsacross

DESSERT AUCTION, This Sunday, November 24th, at the Grange. Please contact Stephanie Warner for more information!

The November 22 issue of Grange Today! is available to read.
This issue contains plenty of recaps from the end of our National Grange Convention in Bettendorf, plus the monthly legislative View from the Hill.

Read it and download here: https://issuu.com/grangegoodday/docs/grange_today_-_convention_recap

It has come to our attention that Grange members around the country are receiving emails appearing to be from State Grange Presidents and National Grange Officers, asking for gift cards or other assistance.

As always, we encourage you to stay safe online.
1️⃣ Think Before You Click: Don't click links in unexpected emails or texts.
2️⃣ Verify the Sender: Check the email address for typos or suspicious domains, or if it comes from an email address you don't usually communicate with.
3️⃣ Don’t Share Personal Info: Legit companies won’t ask for sensitive details via email.
4️⃣ Avoid Urgent Requests: Scammers often create a sense of urgency to trick you.
5️⃣ Check the Source: Visit official websites to confirm offers, or text/call the actual person who you think the email is from.

Learn more about staying safe online from the FTC: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/avoiding-and-reporting-gift-card-scams

The 2024-2025 National Grange Officer Team:

Front Row (L-R): Kay Hoffman Stiles (MD), Chaplain; Barbara Foster (WV), Pomona; Susan Noah (OR), Executive Committee; Christine E. Hamp (WA), President; Lynette Schaeffer (L), Executive Committee; Cindy Greer (CO), Ceres; Debbie Campbell (PA), Secretary.
Back Row: Roger Bostwick (KS), High Priest; Martha Stefenoni (CA), Priestess Annalist; Chip Narvel, Priest Archon (DE); Buddy Overstreet (TX), Executive Committee; David Allen (NC), Gatekeeper; John Benedik (NJ), Vice President; Chris Johnston (MI), Steward, Joseph Stefenoni (CA), Executive Committee; Walter Hartley (RI), Assistant Steward; Joe Goodrich (VT), Treasurer; Kathy Gibson (MA), Lady Assistant Steward; Tom Gwin (WA), Lecturer.
Not pictured: Welina Shufeldt (OK), Flora

Today is National Rural Health Day.
On this day - and every day - we celebrate the resilience of rural communities and the dedicated healthcare workers serving them. But we must also recognize the hurdles they face:

🚗 Long distances to care
📉 Higher uninsured rates
🧠 Limited mental health resources

These challenges impact everyone, from the food on your table to the strength of our national economy. Together, we can advocate for solutions to ensure health equity for rural America.

President Hamp in the news:

Prior to the start of our 158th Annual Convention in Bettendorf, President Christine Hamp had the opportunity to sit down with WVIK, Quad Cities NPR. In addition to discussing the Convention, Hamp called all interested in building up communities in rural America to get involved:

“The number-one thing with Grange is that we can make it what we want it to be, what you and I want it to be. It's a different Grange than what our grandfathers had, because it moves, and it morphs with what's going on in society,” Hamp said. “And what we do today and how we do it is so much different than what we did a generation ago. It's what is important to you; it's what's important to your community right here, right now, today.”

Read and listen to the full interview here: https://www.wvik.org/news/2024-11-15/the-national-granges-annual-convention-takes-over-the-isle-casino-hotel-bettendorf-for-nearly-a-week