Causes and Friends, Maine Life

Local Author Dedicates Book to “Granger Extraordinnaire”

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Betty Van Dyke receives the first copy of “Exploring Traditions” from Author Walter Boomsma

Guilford–Betty Van Dyke of Guilford was recently notified that a soon to be released book is dedicated to her. Walter Boomsma, Program Director of Valley Grange and Maine State Grange Communications Director has authored the book, “Exploring Traditions–Celebrating the Grange Way of Life.” He dedicated the book to Van Dyke, calling her a “Granger Extraordinaire” and explaining the great influence she had during his “formative years” as a Grange member.   “I came to appreciate both her knowledge of the Grange’s teachings and her commitment to what I later came to understand as ‘the Grange Way of Life.'”

At the height of her Grange career, Van Dyke held a number of local and state positions, including serving as the Maine State Community Service Director. At 94, Van Dyke still keeps track of what’s going on at Valley Grange and is a strong supporter.

Boomsma describes his latest book as serving a dual purpose. “The primary goal in writing it was to encourage exploration. The Grange is a 150-year-old organization with a strong agricultural focus and many are questioning its relevance to today’s society. I wanted to encourage people to develop a deeper understanding of what the Grange is all about–including our members.  The Grange is very much about a way of life and, while farming has changed, people have not.” He also believes people who are not familiar with the Grange will appreciate exploring the value of tradition in general since “Tradition and ritual create stability and a sense of community, especially when we understand the basis for them.”

In her foreward to the book, National Grange Master Betsy Huber writes, “These essays by Walter Boomsma unpack the teachings of the Grange and relate them to today’s world and our everyday lives.  He has a gift for taking the lessons from the farm and showing their relevance today, even for those whose only interaction with agriculture happens through their food and clothing choices.  He understands the meaning the Grange Founders intended and interprets the sometimes archaic language to reveal the principles they wanted to teach to farm families who often had no other opportunity for education. “

The book is available through a number of outlets including Amazon and Barnes and Noble, the as well as the Grange’s National Supply Store.

Mental Health, Mental Hygiene, Personal Growth

Is Summer Really Over?

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Tumisu / Pixabay

Yes, it’s the somewhat official end of summer.  Many kids will tell you it actually ended last week when they returned to school. Others may suggest there’s a bite in the air suggesting fall is approaching and as an early riser, I notice the days are shorter.

But the original purpose of Labor Day was to honor the social and economic achievements of the American worker. At least one idea was that workers would have a day off to enjoy the end of summer.

It’s a fitting holiday and it’s unfortunate that the end of summer aspect has overwhelmed the labor aspect. In today’s column, Seth Godin describes what he calls “the new labor day.” As usual, he makes us think.

Today work is different. It gets harder to define and identify. I often say that I’m not always sure when I’m working and when I’m playing. My colleague Jack Falvey claims he is always working, he just isn’t sure when (and what) he’s going to be paid for it. We’re both fortunate that we’re doing things we enjoy. I remember many years ago when I started working for myself, Jack told me, “Your problem will not be knowing when and where to start. Your problem will be knowing when and where to stop.

Nearly forty years later I still find myself working on that problem and proving he was right.

A day off at the end of summer to celebrate and avoid burnout may not be enough. Seth uses the words “emotional labor” to describe a different kind of heavy lifting work requires. It is no less exhausting than “toting that barge” or “lifting those bales.” In fact, it might be more exhausting.  Overdoing it physically can result in the body breaking down. Overdoing it mentally and emotionally can result in the mind and heart breaking down.

While we celebrate the end of summer, let’s also celebrate the choices we have.  When it comes to laboring, knowing when to stop is important. Choosing to stop may be even more important.

Bullying, Classes and Courses, Mental Health, Mental Hygiene, Personal Growth, Suicide Prevention

Re-certification, done!

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I did announce this on Facebook… but can’t resist some additional bragging that I scored 100% on the final exam as part of recertifying my status as a “Mental Health First Aid Specialist.”  The refresher course was actually well-designed and included some thought-provoking scenarios… “What would you do if…?”

It’s a busy time! My is complete but I’m still working on scheduling Suicide Awareness Workshops… plus doing some course development… and I’m almost ready to release another book! Details will be coming soon.

Bullying, Classes and Courses, Maine Life, Mental Health, Mental Hygiene, School Programs, Suicide Prevention, Teaching

Advanced Gatekeeper Training for School Administrators

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NAMI has scheduled a training before school begins to allow administrators to attend.  Join them for this vital training on suicide prevention. The Advanced Gatekeeper for School Personnel was developed to support the deepening development of suicide prevention and intervention skills for people working in Maine’s school system.  The law mandating each school district to have a minimum number of Gatekeeper-trained staff requires the training be renewed after 5 years.  The Advanced Gatekeeper Training provides additional information about addressing self-injury, assessing suicide risk, safety planning, managing social media and other topics of interest to school personnel. This session is reserved for school administrators only.  There is NO COST for this training session scheduled on August 16, 2018.  Click here to register.

WB Note: Class is scheduled to be taught by Greg Marley… he’s a great instructor, I’ve taken several of his classes!

Classes and Courses, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention

Action on Facebook May Make Sense

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This morning I reported a Facebook post. A friend of a friend posted what would clearly be considered suicidal thoughts.  A number of Facebook friends had commented with words of encouragement, advice, and, thankfully, hotline numbers. Let me share some important thoughts about situations like this.

  1. Many people do not realize there is a mechanism for reporting this on Facebook (use the feedback menu). I received a clearly automated reply within an hour and can’t really say how effective the process is. In theory, Facebook investigates the post and may contact the poster. In their reply to me, they did include resources and suggestions I could take. Personally, I would not rely solely on a Facebook report as an intervention but see it as a tool.
  2. It is very important that any suicidal threats or ideation be taken seriously. Frankly, social media encourages a certain amount of drama. I ignore most of it but when suicide or self-harm is mentioned, an action is required. It’s not just on social media. I know a young fellow who mentions suicide every time he gets in trouble. His family is convinced he does it to deflect attention from his behavior, but I tell them to always take the threat seriously.
  3. Early intervention is always a key. While there aren’t many absolutes, typically a downward spiral precedes the immediate threat. If we can “catch” someone before they hit bottom, it’s possible to avert the crisis.
  4. Suicide prevention training will help you understand who is at the greatest risk and help you recognize warning signs. It is important that the workshop is research-based, not merely a “feel good” program. I used a NAMI approved curriculum which meets the legal requirements for those who are employed by public schools but is not overly clinical.

I am now in the process of scheduling workshops for the fall… if you’re interested in attending, let me know!

Note the crisis numbers listed here are for Maine. If you need assistance finding resources in your state, let me know. The National crisis hotline number is 1-800-273-TALK.

Walter Boomsma (“Mr. Boomsma”) writes on a wide array of topics including personal development, teaching and learning. Course information is also available here!