Morgan Grange members prepare fruit plates, Christmas cards for shut-ins

Twenty-one members and one guest met for the monthly meeting of Morgan Grange on Friday, Dec. 10. A covered dish dinner was held prior to the meeting.

A thank you note was received for our participation in the Utica Christmas Walk. Emily Hughes' name was drawn as the winner of an Ohio State Grange cookbook from our raffle held that night. New Directions sent a thank you for our recent monetary donation. We received a thank you note and a check from Knox County Pomona grange treasurer for pop stand workers. Knox County Deputy Cindy Campbell sent a card thanking members for a successful grange year and challenged us to remain positive in our grange and community. Morgan received a plaque for the 2021 Grange in Action Award. It was announced that Morgan placed second in the Knox County Grange Challenge.

Copies of the 2022 Morgan Grange calendar and the Knox County Grange roster were made available to members. Yearly membership dues are due in January and can be paid at the meeting or sent directly to the financial secretary, Sue Bateman. Ten fruit plates and Christmas cards were signed and will be delivered to members of the community in need or shut-ins. Ned Campbell announced that Dartball practice has started and games will begin in January. It was decided by members to replace the lights in the grange hall with LED bulbs. Aileen Hiltner reported that she, Ron Hiltner and JoAnn Walton delivered dictionaries to the third-graders of Utica and Newton elementary schools. Thank you notes written by the students were passed around for members to enjoy.

Concerns were expressed for Josh Morey, Kathy Stafford, Sue Bateman, Bob Smith and Mary Jordan. Members with birthdays include Anna Chadwick, Leila Doup, Harriet Robison, Will Smith and Sam Williams. Ned and Cindy Campbell and Mark and Harriet Robison are celebrating wedding anniversaries this month.

After no winner was declared for a short game of bingo, the prize increased to $80 for the next meeting's game, held Friday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

Submitted by Rita Smith.