Community Service Projects

Agricultural Education

Meet the alpacas up close and personal is just what the participants in the Holden Grange bus tour did at the Harvard Alpaca Ranch.  The busload of Grange members and non-members from the Holden area enjoyed the hospitality and information shared by three agriculturalists, Matt & Amy Varrell, owners of the Alpacas Ranch, Karen & Glenn Cook, owners of Cider Hill Orchards in Amesbury, and Warren Shaw, owner of Shaw Farm Dairy in Dracut.  An educational and fun-filled day was enjoyed by all!

 

Harvest Supper and Auction

     Annual  Benefit 

Annually, the Grange serves a harvest supper to the public, followed by an auction of home-grown and home-baked items.  Proceeds of the auction benefit the Wachusett Food Pantry.  A check in the amount of $2,112 was presented to the Food Pantry in November.

 

Food Pantry Donations

In addition to our donation in the fall, items are donated to the Wachusett Food Pantry on a monthly basis.   Grange members volunteer during the two-day distribution each month.

 

 

Shortcake Festival at Holden Days

Shortcake Festival

Our Shortcake Festivals at the annual Holden Days offer homemade strawberry and peach shortcakes.  The desserts are made to order with some or all of the following: buttermilk biscuits, fruit, and whipped cream.  Thanks to all who support us.  Look for our booth again next year.

 

Words for Thirds

In conjunction with organizations across the nation, Holden Grange participates in “The Dictionary Project” by purchasing and distributing dictionaries to the third grade students in Holden’s three elementary schools.  For more information on this project, www.dictionaryproject.org.

 

 

The project chairmen from the local chapters within the Pomona area (from left to right): Janet Segur of Worcester Central Pomona, Jane Fife and Beverly Kohlstrom of Sterling, Pamela Gale of North Orange, Deborah Goodrich of Central Community Grange, and Merryl Havens of Holden pose with Catherine Varian

 

Foster Care

Holden Grange participates in a collection organized by Worcester Central Pomona Grange.  Items are collected for several months, culminating with a presentation to Catherine Varian, Family Resource Supervisor at the Worcester East office of the Dept. of Children & Families.  Holden Grange alone collected close to 200 items.

 

 

 

In Remembrance

Annually, the Grange honors its deceased members by placing memorial flags on their graves in five local cemeteries each Memorial Day.

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