GILBERTSVILLE - The first meeting of 2025 of the Butternut Valley Grange, Gilbertsville, will convene on Monday, January 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall of the Baptist Church. Greeters prior to the meeting, serving light refreshments will be Laura Palada, Anne Sebeck, Roger Halbert and Calvin Wilcox.

The Grange has been very busy the past month, hosting the Breakfast with Santa with each child receiving a gift, participating in the Christmas Light show at the Otsego County Fairgrounds, and attending the Red Kettle of Salvation Army in Sidney on four days during the holiday season when $1,084 was collected for the cause. The drawing for the handmade quilt took place in December. Thanks to Paula Evans and a committee of several workers in bringing this project to a successful conclusion. Results of the recent pie sales and a new fund raiser of Heidelberg breads showed good efforts and support of the community. Anna Ritchey, local chairperson of Community Service, reported that our first place entry in New York State Grange was honored with the third place award at the National Grange Convention in Iowa in November.

Anne Sebeck was selected as the Junior Leader for the Junior Grange + 1 program, which would allow children in the area to participate in Junior Grange programs absent having a Junior Grange locally.

In other business, the Grange discussed the concern of the “Proposed Emergency Response Rule” which would force unnecessary and burdensome new requirements on our volunteer fire departments and emergency squads. The Grange is opposed to these new regulations, calling on Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and House Member Josh Riley to support exemption of our volunteer emergency services from the new mandates. The resolution will also go to Otsego Pomona Grange for further support.

Barton Snedaker, Program Leader, led a spirted holiday time of laughter and enjoyment to the group.

The community is invited to the Cabin Fever Event on Saturday, February 8 at the Fellowship Hall of the Baptist Church, starting at 10 a.m. with board and card games. Each family is to bring a covered dish and table service for the luncheon scheduled for 12 noon. Beverages will be provided. The afternoon will conclude with Bingo games and prizes to all the winners. Celebrate an afternoon out and chase the winter blahs away with friends and neighbors at this fun event. Questions about the day’s activity can be called into Anna Ritchey, 563-1104.

- Information from Butternut Valley Grange