| DECEMBER 15, 2012 -- Meriden Grange No. 29 held its Christmas Party at an open meeting at their December meeting. We had a gift exchange, Santa Claus popping in to help with giving out those gifts, several games put on by Cindy Charbonneau, but we also surprised one particular guest. Mildred Bell started her Grange career back in 1932 at Meriden Grange as a teenager. She eventually over the years married, moved over to Southington Grange No. 25 (then Union Grange). Later through years of volunteering, higher office in the CT State Grange, she acquired an expertise in Code Reading and is now a Past Voting Delegate to the National Grange.
Members of Southington Grange and Meriden Grange surprised Mildred Bell with an 80th Anniversary Certificate for "her continuous service in Subordinate Grange." Members of Southington Grange also have Mildred the gift of a blanket with the picture of a fox on it. Because this was a planned surprise on Mildred, guests and dignitaries attended from around Connecticut. These dignitaries included Robert Sendewicz - Past Voting Delegate to the National Grange and CT State Grange Executive Committee along with his wife Marge, Robert Buck - CT State Grange Gatekeeper and his wife Maggie Buck who's a member of the CT State Grange Agriculture Committee, Kimberley Mele - CT State Grange Ceres along with her family, and Charles Dimmick – member of the CT State Grange Legislative Committee.
This was a very special evening for Mildred as this was one of many celebrations held this week on this her 95th birthday and her 80 years in the Grange. The Grange has been truly blessed with all her efforts over the years.
Before we ended this event, we asked Charles Dimmick to say a prayer for those who died in that devastating event which happened earlier in Newtown, CT at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. After the prayer we concluded with a moment of silence for all those who lost their lives this morning. Our thoughts are with those families and neighbors in Newtown who lost children, neighbors, and friends; all of them who were the spark of their community. |
