WILTON – Franklin Grange 50 met at their hall on Oct. 10 for a noon potluck lunch followed by a 1 p.m. meeting.

Master Michael Flagg had Alton and Chrystal Welch presented to the altar to receive their 75-year certificates for continuous membership from the State and National Grange. Grange member and State Rep. Thomas Saviello presented the Welches with legislative sentiments that congratulated them on their membership. It was sponsored by Saviello and co-sponsored by Sen. Chandler Woodcock. There were four generations of Welch family members, for a total of 16, on hand for the presentation.

Cards were circulated and signed for members Helen Bubier, Mary Esty, Earl and Tippy Tracy.

The new programs for 2004-2005 were available and members will have some with them at the State Grange conference in Bangor on Oct. 28 to 30.

Special guests attending were Robert Smith, deputy; Mavis Lane, junior deputy, and Lynda Labree, member of the Education Committee for the Maine State Grange.

Along with the above officers were Wesley Lane and Janice Chick, all part of the team that installed the officers of Franklin Grange 50.

Copies of the upcoming schedule of events and contests for the CWA and lecturer’s programs will be available at the Saturday, Nov. 13, meeting, which will also be Guest Officers Night.

Grange members have been collecting used eyeglasses, pull tabs from cans, Campbell’s soup labels, Betty Crocker coupons and Box Tops for Education for the past year and they will be turned into the groups and organizations at the State Grange conference. A gallon jug of pennies has also been collected and will be donated to the Hinkley Cottage.

Franklin Grange received first place on its domestic/fancywork booth and second place on the agriculture booth at Farmington Fair. At Fryeburg Fair it won first place on the domestic/fancywork booth and fourth on the agricultural booth.

Grange members voted on donating $25 to the Military Family Support Group in Augusta.