APRIL/MAY 2012 NEWSLETTER
PLYMOUTH/WESTLAND GRANGE 389
5692 N. Globe, Westland, MI 48185-2249
(734) 722-4857

Sharon’s Corner:
Even though not many people have been coming to the meetings, I still care and believe in what we all do. Yes, the Grange is still performing miracles for a lot of people and with different groups! You just have to ask. Here are a few of the most recent projects: blankets to the Vets, blind, homeless and shut-ins; toys to the animal shelter; support and learning opportunities for the teens and juniors; flower baskets to the forgotten, and so much more. I have 6 letters THANKING US for our help even though not that many workers are carrying on with all that can be done, even from home. I will continue to be a part of the Grange, and I hope you all will too.
I am still conducting the 2nd and 3rd Monday morning workshops from 9:30 to 11am where you can learn or work on anything anytime but these days work best for the Grange to get together. There are also other days we can meet. Please call and I will tell you the day and time.....It is hard to fit everyone’s time in, but we will do the best we can. The craft classes offered at Maxwell’s are now affiliated with the Grange (see ‘On-going Activities’) which offer more options.
I hope that we can at least keep in contact once in a while. I do try to call people when I can to see if things are ok (see ‘Thinking of You’). A phone call is not hard to do and a ‘Hello’ may make someone’s day. I see this with four phone calls I make once a month to people who have no one to call or stop to see them, and they can not get out. These are our past Grange members who you do not know as their age has stopped them from being active Grangers and left them at home or in nursing homes alone with no one but a stranger to call on them. Sometimes just a word to let people know that they are not alone makes the day better. I have members phone numbers if you need them. But, please call and let me know your news if we have not talked in a while. If you would like to call and talk with me, then please call before 10am (I am up at 7:30am) or after 6pm (I am up till at least midnight).
Thanks for all the caring and good thoughts that you have shared with me. I miss you all and hope to see you soon. New things are happening and I will share ideas with anyone wishing to talk with me. Join me with a new positive outlook…Grangers are happy people and Grangers do good things!!!

Thinking of You - Sue and Frank E. are really down on their luck now that Frank has lost his sight at the same time that they have lost their house utilities. Is there anything we can do to help these fellow Grangers?? Many other members are having their problems, too. Jeff G. is working hard to keep his family and health together. Betty H. is at home most of the time and is in a lot of pain. Janie L. has been trying to work while helping her mother and visiting her father in the nursing home every day. Michel M. has been sick but is better now. Barb R.’s husband has had surgery. Lucy R.’s daughter, Michele, is back in the hospital. Leora S. seems to be recovering from her last surgery and is hoping to hear from other Grangers; her daughter, Leann, just got out of the hospital; she has been very sick. Gail T. and her husband, Ron, are also working hard to make their health better and keep the family going. So many sincere thoughts are going out to you all.
As bittersweet as this news is, our young member DJ H., will not be going into the service as he had hoped due to a recently diagnosed medical condition, but he is on track to graduate from high school this year; we are all proud of what he is accomplishing. And Tina W., who is on her way to a new life at Higgins Lake, MI to manage a kennel and a resale store has just had knee surgery. She moved April 24th but will come back to visit. Her new email is tallenwing@yahoo.com. We will miss her and wish her lots of luck. Darlene R. will be making her way back here from Florida in mid-April after spending the past 5 ½ months with her 95 year-old mother. And Welcome to new member, Annette (Nettie) Lindsay, who has already been very busy making articles for the Grange; she is also a Tupperware dealer.

Thank You - I mistakenly gave credit to “Nadia” in our last newsletter for making 150 pillows for our troops when in fact it was Nettie, our newest member, who did all that work…and who continues to produce nice things for our community. She made toys for an animal shelter and 25 flower baskets for Livonia Meals on Wheels that made peoples’ days brighter. We have received letters of thanks not only from our Detroit VFW Auxiliary friends, but also from the Livonia Meals on Wheels and the animal shelter. A very generous donation of an embroidery machine was made to us by a student of Sharon S.’s. Thank you all.

Volunteers Needed:
-To support our various events coming up, mostly at Maxwell’s (‘Specific Events’).
-To help plant flowers at the Westland City Hall in May; details to be announced.
-To help Michel with quilts for blind babies; we have the fabric but need workers to help cut and put
together; contact Michel or help at the Monday Workshops.
-To help organize: Collections of art supplies, cards, personal items for other groups; Recycle Program to
promote and educate others on cleaning up and protecting the planet; Helping People in Need with
coordinating donations; and group Social Outings
-To make needed items from donations of fabric and yarn, such as lap robes and adult bibs.
-To make items to sell, such as place mats, *greeting cards, etc. for upcoming events.

Items Needed:
January 2012 Update: We will not longer be collecting pill and spice bottles for Angel Wings; please recycle them in your community plastic recycling program. Also, Sharon S. has requested that people no longer drop off items on her front porch; please take donated items to whatever source collects them.
-Garden City American Legion Post #396 Women’s Auxiliary members are continuing to collect donations of small toiletries, non-perishable food items, socks, small entertainment items (decks of cards, CDs, etc.)
for the “Desert Angel” project. The operative word is ‘small,’ nothing large!
-Donations of the following items (contact a Grange officer for specifics):
-Winter accessories, quilts, school supplies for School for the Deaf and other schools.
-Personal care, baby items, paper products, clothing for First Step.
-Blankets are needed by: VA has requested more 45” x 45” lap quilts, privacy bags, and slippers; local Police and Fire Departments, nursing homes, and Angel Wings needs 16” x 16” baby blankets.
-Animal items for The Humane Society. (Update: blankets, toys, coats, donations needed).
-Soup labels, can tabs, box tops, aluminum pie plates, , lids, clean popsicle sticks.

UPCOMING DATES:
A. Specific Events:
Spring Grange Meetings - We are required to have at least 10 meetings per year. It was decided to separate the meetings from the workshops and make the meetings available for those members who cannot
attend during the day. The meetings will be on the first Tuesday evenings of the month at Maxwell’s (April 2012 Update: Maxwell’s until further notice). Please be on time; if you are late, please be courteous and enter meeting quietly. Everyone is welcome.
May 1 - 6:30pm at Maxwell‘s.
June 5 - 6:30pm at Maxwell’s.

Passover Dinner - April 5 at Maxwell’s at 7pm. Put on by Grange #389 and Soul & Sole, the admission is free with a donation requested. You must RSVP to Sharon S.

Afternoon Movie at Maxwell’s - April 6 at Maxwell’s at 1pm for a screening of "The Passion of the Christ." Admission is free, but all donations are welcomed.

Grange Workshops - The Grange Workshop is now affliated with Maxwell’s which provides a permanent place to store a vast array of craft materials; these activities are open to anyone in the community.
January 2012 Update: Per recent requests, it has now been decided that Grange Workshops will take place on the second, third, and some fourth Mondays with both morning and afternoon sessions each
Monday.
You can work on your own project, or on items for community donations, or on Grange projects/State Convention entries. Bring any UnFinished Item you wish to finish on which to work. Call Sharon S. after 7pm by the night before if you are planning on coming and for any supplies you may need on any of the class days. So, if you or any friends or neighbors are looking for something fun to do in a very friendly atmos-phere, please join us on one of these days. Great things happen here!
April 9, 16 (Maxwell’s 10am-noon-no evening workshop the month of April). What item do you wish to make or work on??? There are many items to choose from now that Maxwell’s has been reorganized. You can make and sell items as a Grange fundraiser or for yourselves.
May 14, 21 (no workshop on the 28th - Memorial Day) (Maxwell’s 10am-noon & 6-8pm).
Remember, you can do or finish other things if you do not wish to work on what we offer. If you have any questions or special items on which to work, please bring them.

Fibromyalgia Meeting - April 12 at Merriman Road Baptist Church at 1 pm. Mark Meyerson, a certified nutritionist, will speak. Call Ruthann at (734) 981-2519.

Junior Grange Meeting - April 14 from 1-3pm at Maxwell’s in Garden City. We are hoping to start a plant-a-seed project. Marina D. wants to revitalize and increase the size of the group. We would like to see a lot of people attend this activity.

Grange Speech at Westland Library - April 17 at the Westland Library at 7pm; Sharon S. will be speaking about better eating habits and the Grange. Everyone is welcome.

Artists’ Show - April 21 at Maxwell’s during the day. Stacy K. is gathering all types of art from local people of all ages to display and be judged. Art of all types (oil, watercolor, ceramics, etc.) is to be entered on April 14. She is interested in doing this every few months; please support this effort with your entries, your attendance, and telling your friends.

Flower Planting at Westland City Hall - Date TBA (May); we will have flowers, planting tools, etc. to plant flowers around the Veterans’ Memorial in front of the City Hall.

Fibromyalgia Meeting - May 10 at Merriman Road Baptist Church at 1 pm. At the annual May Awareness luncheon, a donation is made to the church for use of their free room; speakers and advisory board members are invited so that you can meet them; and supporters are thanked. Call Ruthann at (734) 981-2519.

Junior Grange Meeting - May 12 from 1-3pm at Maxwell’s in Garden City.

Pickers’ Paradise - Date TBA (end of May/beginning of June) at Maxwell’s. This will be a big flea market and art sale. Over 100 spaces will be available to rent; price for the public will be $20 for one space
and $30 for double space. Please help us advertise this Grange project.

B. Ongoing Activities:
Indoor Flea Market & Crafts - Every third Saturday from 10am-5pm with set up on Fridays 3-6pm at Maxwell’s. Vendors wanted; cost will be $15.00 for one space, $25.00 for 2 spaces. (Bring your own tables & chair.) Craft items will be in a separate area from the Flea Market. Contact Maxwell’s at (734) 427-5300 ext. 7 or Diane T. at (734) 765-7999 to reserve a space! Diane T., manager of the Garden City Craftique Mall, previously had the weekend Flea Market at Maplewood Community Center. It has been decided that there will be no more ‘Make-It-and-Take-It’ events, but the Grange will be providing hot dogs and chili from 11am-4pm. Handled by Barb R. and Tori P., the money made will go towards the Junior/Youth Grangers. Eventually, it is thought that this event will be expanded to include an Open Market with fresh produce. This will lead up to Open Mic night at Maxwell’s so that everything will take place on the same day/evening of the month. April 2012 Update: After May, the Flea Market will move outdoors to across the side street from the Garden City Historical Museum on Merriman Rd.

Junior Grange (general info) - Meetings will be held at Maxwell's Art and Treasures on the second Saturday of each month from 1:00p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Local Farmers’ Markets - It is almost that time of the year when our local Farmers’ Markets open back up!!! I will be adding their listings as I hear about them.
-Detroit Eastern Market off Gratiot on Saturdays.
-Royal Oak in the Civic Center at 11 Mile and Troy St. on Saturdays (year round).
-Wayne at 35310 W Michigan Ave. will be open every Wednesday from 3-7pm, May through September, then 3-6pm in October.

Open Mic! Night - Want to have a relaxing, fun Saturday evening at a local place full of interesting people of all ages, art, sale items, and talent? Maxwell’s Arts and Treasures is fast becoming the “in” place
(our own Ann Arbor in Garden City!?!?). Once a month, Maxwell’s opens up their place at 32416 Industrial Rd., one block North of Ford Rd. at Hubbard Rd. in Garden City, to showcase local (and non-local) talent of all sorts. The events are scheduled for the third Saturdays of the month: April 21, May 19, June 16.
Doors open at 6pm; a very good buffet dinner is offered at 7pm for $5, and the entertainment starts at 8pm with an admission price of $5. Do not miss the fun. Due to the crowds, you may reserve a table up to the
Friday before the event for $10 and your pre-purchase of individual tickets.
Soul & Sole, “a new outreach, gospel, refreshment time for the community…musicians and people who want to sing or be refreshed with gospel music, songs, and music with a life message (kinda like a coffee house gospel time).” will meet at Maxwell‘s on Thursday evenings from 7-9pm. It is not an open mic but more a gospel house band. If you have questions give Ralph a call at: (734) 422-4087. This is an outgrowth from their Thursday morning encouragement hour for the spirit and prayer for direction that meets from 11am-1:30pm.

Munsell Farm (general info) - Take I-96 to Exit 133 (after Howell exit), cross back over highway on bridge, bare right and then turn left on Burkhart Rd., turn right on Mason Rd.…look for the big chicken on
the right!?!? This is a working farm with award-winning animals. Go to their website at munsellfarms.com for more information. They offer dry, clean corn for stoves, cracked corn, shelled corn, sunflower seeds, and straw all year long. April 2012 Update: They are now gearing up to sell produce and Easter-themed products.

Craft & Needle Arts’ Classes - January 2012 Update: Sharon S. will no longer be conducting ceramics classes on Thursday mornings or quilting on Thursday evenings at the Friendship Center. If some-
one wishes to take over the Friendship classes, they can.
Sharon’s schedule of classes at Maxwell’s Art and Treasures, 32416 Industrial Rd. (one block north of Ford Rd.) at Hubbard St. in Garden City is:
-Crochet/Knitting on Tuesday evenings (April 2012 Update: this has been changed from Mondays until the end of April) from 6-8pm for $5/hour (Gail T. will offer knitting instruction).
-Handwork (embroidery, etc.) with Threads on Thursday evenings from 6-8pm for $5/hour. April 2012 Update: We now have an embroidery machine and a computer for the hardware that Sharon is still
learning to use.
-April 2012 Update: Sewing and Quilting classes have now been combined on Sunday afternoons from 1-3pm for $5/hour.
Go to Maxwell’s website at maxwellsartandtreasures.com or call Sharon for more details. Please RSVP.
Maxwell’s is open to the public Thursday-Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 11am-4pm. You cancome and browse or stay and make something, like wind chimes or stepping stones, for a very reasonable cost. Every Wednesday evening at 6pm, Maxwell’s is the home to an art club for teens and young adults, 13-20 years old. April 2012 Update: The teens have renamed their group Teen Art. They “learn about careers and opportunities in art, work on community service projects, and share their passion for art with others.” Look up classes (such as stained glass, water color, pottery, ceramics, still-life drawing, relief print-making, jewelry, etc.) and one-day workshop schedules at maxwellsartandtreasures.com.
January 2012 Update: Tom is continuing to offer free classes on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from noon-4pm, to any teen boys and girls who are interested in job opportunities in the auto
industry. The goal is to build a hot rod from the axle up for the 2013 Autorama. No skills are needed, and there is no cost to the student…just be there!!!

Fibromyalgia Group (general info) - The Metro Fibromyalgia & CFS Support Group meets the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 1- 3pm at the Merriman Baptist Church, south of Ford Rd. The group has speakers, a newsletter, and a lending library. There is no fee; donations only (see specific meeting infobelow). President Ruthann Bruce can be reached at (734) 981-2519 or visit their website at
metrofibrogroup.com for more information.
The 4th Thursday of the month meeting is the open table talk meeting. It provides an opportunity for you to
share your story, telling or listening to others explain exactly what is going on in your life with your pain.
You will be surprised at how others do understand you. Members have expressed that they were happy that they did share their story, feeling a much needed connection. So please join us. We do know and understand.
Click on www.med.umich.edu/painresearch/ study/current.htm to access The Chronic Pain & Fatigue Research Center, University of Michigan.

REPORT ON RECENT DOINGS:
Welcome to Service Dogs - Stacy K. brought in six service dogs to Maxwell’s in order to let people know about what these dogs can do. There was a good turnout of about 25 people to see these dogs from PAWS with a CAUSE, a Leader dog group, and dogs that are trained to visit hospital patients.

St. Patrick’s Day Party - There was a great turnout that afternoon with the Grange and Maxwell’s each making $100. Laura G. cooked her usual good food which consisted of corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, and mac & cheese. Tori P., Barb R., Katie S., and Sharon S. helped out, and Stacy K., her sister, Val T., and her mother came in and volunteered their services. There was music all day and prizes were given out. Graye’s Greenhouse donated shamrocks and Irish roses. Later, everything continued for the Open Mic Night.
Leftovers were given to 8-10 needy seniors.

Vision Board Workshop - Sharon S. has successfully presented this information in the past at two community organization meetings as a self-help tool and presented this workshop at Maxwell’s recently. This
was fun and a good Grange project from which to learn. Sharon has been asked to make another presentation at Maxwell’s in the Fall.

Gardenville Update - Stacy K. has gotten the high school football team to help with the heavy work of preparing the community garden this spring. There will be new mulch and a nice new arch to lead into the
garden. Outdoor items and art are being put out, too. The last fundraiser for the garden was a Euchre Party at Maxwell’s.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES (Put it on your calendar so you don’t forget):
Relay for Life - June 2-3 at Garden City Middle School. Maxwell’s Teen Art group is making recyclable fashions and accessories to sell during a Fashion Show at their booth at the annual cancer fundraiser in order
to raise money for their participation as a team in the Relay for Life.

Fibromyalgia Meeting - June 14 at Merriman Road Baptist Church at 1 pm. Mary Lou Jankowski will present “Light Touch Therapy.” Call Ruthann at (734) 981-2519.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Resources - Click on cityofwestland.com for local events and michiganfun.us for up-to-date events around the state. Channel 4 News reported on two websites: foodsafety.gov (food safety) and Hud.gov (legitimate housing assistance, counseling, and mortgage info). dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails for Dept. of Natural
Resources activities.

The following people can be contacted as needed:
Sharon Strebbing, President & Treasurer (734) 722-4857;
sstrebbing@Yahoo.com
Gail Truesdell, Overseer and Secretary 261-9085
Barb Reddy, Pomona and Membership 502-5607
Jeff Goodfellow, Steward and
Dictionary Program Chair 673-4033
Youth/Juniors Call Sharon S. or Gail T.
Michel Marsh, Lecturer and
Programs & Deaf Awareness 728-7280
Leora Smith, (Flora) Agriculture 398-5190
Darlene Reeser, Executive Board Member
and Info & Newsletter 421-3079; rdareese@Yahoo.com
Tina Wing, Executive Board Member
and Chaplain 338-2226
Frank Eves, Executive Board Member
and Asst. Steward 626-0169
Mike Strebbing, Executive Board Member 420-0545
Laura George, Executive Board Member 427-5300x7
State Grange website (January Update): www.michiganstategrange.org
National Grange website www.nationalgrange.org

Have a Blessed Easter
Celebrate a renewable Earth Day
( April 22 )
Have a Well-deserved Mother’s Day (May 13) and
Remember our soldiers and loved ones on Memorial Day


Thank You For Being A Grange Member!