Celebrating Our Grand Assembly
Grand Assembly represents the vibrant gatherings that unite Rainbow Girls. Learn more on upcoming events, highlights from past assemblies, and stories from members who have experienced the magic of these grand occasions.
Meggie Boislard - Grand Worthy Advisor 2024-2025
Meggie is a Junior at the University of Maine at Farmington studying elementary education.
“Rainbow is a family organization that has given me sisters across the globe. It has taught me professional and public speaking skills that have taught me to organize and see our projects succeed.”
- Theme: Finding Your Hero with Maine Rainbow
- Motto: Chase your dreams. Find your true self. Be your own hero.
- Mascots: Black Bears with Capes
- Colors: Persevering Pink, Courageous Lilac
- Symbols: Stars, Capes, Diamond Signet, Bears
- Scripture: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6
- Flowers: Daisy & Tulip
- Charity: Children’s Dyslexia Centers in Maine (Portland and Bangor)
- Service Project: The Dempsy Center, Lewiston
- Song: Heroes (We Could Be) by Alesso
Past Grand Worthy Advisors
** Elizabeth Crawford Harmon | Portland Assembly #1 | 1949-1950 |
Anna Mayberry | Westbrook Assembly #2 | 1950-1951 |
Margaret Libby Standley | South Portland Assembly #3 | 1951-1952 |
Emma Jean Betterly Christy | Hamden Assembly #4 | 1952-1953 |
Elsie Colby Mann | Bucksport Assembly #5 | 1953-1954 |
Jane Ledyard Lazo | Bath Assembly #6 | 1954-1955 |
Eileen Wright Atkins | Sanford Assembly #7 | 1955-1956 |
Amanda Winter Murray | Phillips Assembly #8 | 1956-1957 |
Sandra Jane Crowe Wooding | Ellsworth Assembly #9 | 1957-1958 |
Joanne Witham Newman | Augusta Assembly #10 | 1958-1959 |
Roberta Peasley | Readfield Assembly #11 | 1959-1960 |
Sheila Vinal Montgomery | Rockland Assembly #12 | 1960-1961 |
Linda Scott Wyman | Lincoln Assembly #13 | 1961-1962 |
Joan Petrie | Madison Assembly #22 | 1962-1963 |
Judith Lamson Howe | Portland Assembly #1 | 1963-1964 |
Janice Butcher Adkinsson | Lewiston Assembly #14 | 1964-1965 |
Sandra Scott Lagerquist | Calais Assembly #18 | 1965-1966 |
**Valerie Noble | Guilford Assembly #17 | 1966-1967 |
Karen Taravenian Karaa | Old Orchard Beach Assembly #24 | 1967-1968 |
June Tingley Malone | Houlton Assembly #26 | 1968-1969 |
Barbara Mealey Daigle | Waterville Assembly #21 | 1969-1970 |
Gwendolyn Cummings Mason | York Assembly #23 | 1970-1971 |
**Gweneth Hazelton | Yarmouth Assembly #28 | 1971-1972 |
Susan Martin Lemos | Damariscotta Assembly #36 | 1972-1973 |
Sharon Austin McDonough | Waterville Assembly #21 | 1973-1974 |
**Lorrie Meserve Calloway | Lewiston Assembly #14 | 1974-1975 |
Pamela Langelier Toussaint | Lewiston Assembly #14 | 1975-1976 |
Brenda Woodward Hall | Augusta Assembly #10 | 1976-1977 |
Janice Strong Flowers | Belfast Assembly #40 | 1977-1978 |
Ellen Naughler Doughty | Orrington Assembly #30 | 1978-1979 |
Leigh Beth Braley Shaw | Portland Assembly #1 | 1979-1980 |
Rhonda Bamford Alafat | Portland Assembly #1 | 1980-1981 |
Susan Frost | York Assembly #23 | 1981-1982 |
Denise Buhelt Dyer | Portland Assembly #1 | 1982-1983 |
Debora Buhelt Redmond | Portland Assembly #1 | 1983-1984 |
Dorothy Moody Lagasse | Windham Assembly #27 | 1984-1985 |
Lisa Dyer Randall | Yarmouth Assembly #28 | 1985-1986 |
Kathlyn Billings Belanger | Arrundel Assembly #35 | 1986-1987 |
Danette Drysdale Baltutis | Waterville Assembly #21 | 1987-1988 |
Wendy Thompson Hutchins | Old Orchard Beach Assembly #24 | 1988-1989 |
Donna Ferguson Johnson | Sanford Assembly #7 | 1989-1990 |
Patricia Frank McHugh | Pittsfield Assembly #15 | 1990-1991 |
Amanda Hall Bice Reed | York Assembly #23 | 1991-1992 |
Jennifer Plummer Brewer | Pleasant River Assembly #45 | 1992-1993 |
Amy Heywood Smith | Bath Assembly #6 | 1993-1994 |
Dawn J. Post | Pittsfield Assembly #15 | 1994-1995 |
**Laurie Knox Small | Windham Assembly #27 | 1995-1996 |
Marcia Boles Jude | Ellsworth Assembly #9 | 1996-1997 |
Dr. Cristy Skiles O’Connor | Sanford Assembly #7 | 1997-1998 |
Marielle Jackson | Bridgton Assembly #42 | 1998-1999 |
Patricia J. Keenan | Ellsworth Assembly #9 | 1999-2000 |
April McConathey Kerr | Bath Assembly #6 | 2000-2001 |
Ashley Wells Stevenson | Yarmouth Assembly #28 | 2001-2002 |
Robyn Marshall Jones | Guilford Assembly #17 | 2002-2003 |
Kelly Clough Alden | Windham Assembly #27 | 2003-2004 |
Britney Lingley Taggett | Calais Assembly #18 | 2004-2005 |
Meloney Marquis | Orono Assembly #38 | 2005-2006 |
Abigail Franklin Lorenzo | Yarmouth Assembly #28 | 2006-2007 |
Katie Cormier Doherty | Waterville Assembly #21 | 2007-2008 |
Mara Davis McGowen | Waterville Assembly #21 | 2008-2009 |
Kaitlin Toto | Windham Assembly #27 | 2009-2010 |
Caitlin Walton Bremmer | Lewiston Assembly #14 | 2010-2011 |
Kelsey Redmond Seymour | Yarmouth Assembly #28 | 2011-2012 |
Amanda Redmond Fisk | Yarmouth Assembly #28 | 2012-2013 |
Samantha Getchell | Waterville Assembly #21 | 2013-2014 |
Michelle Walton | Lewiston Assembly #14 | 2014-2015 |
Jacqueline Fraser Robbins | Ellsworth Assembly #9 | 2015-2016 |
Samantha Kane Collins | Yarmouth Assembly #28 | 2016-2017 |
Emily Smith | Ellsworth Assembly #9 | 2017-2018 |
Madeleine Theriault | Waterville Assembly #21 | 2018-2019 |
Sierra Price | Waterville Assembly #21 | 2019-2021 |
Mara Colby | Windham Assembly #27 | 2021-2022 |
Rebecca Holman | Windham Assembly #27 | 2022-2023 |
Catherine Works | Sanford Assembly #7 | 2023-2024 |
Grand Officers 2023-2024
Please Join us for the “Meddling Through to Better Days”
Grand Assembly Sessions
May 17th-19th, 2024
At Kora Shrine Center
11 Sabattus Street, Lewiston, Maine
Grand Worthy Associate Advisor | Catherine W. |
Grand Worthy Associate Advisor | Meggie B. |
Grand Recorder | Rebecca H., PGWA |
Grand Faith | Kiera E. |
Grand Confidential Observer | Abby S. |
Grand Outer Observer | Emily S. |
Grand Representatives 2023-2024
Makenzie C. | Alabama, Illinois & Maryland | Lewiston Assembly #14 |
Elizabeth R. | Alaska, Aruba & South Carolina | Pleasant River Assembly #45 |
Abigail S. | Arizona, The Philippines & Texas | Bath Assembly #6 |
Krystle H. | Arkansas, Georgia & Kentucky | Sanford Assembly #7 |
Alex W. | Austrailia NSW, Florida & North Carolina | Waterville Assembly #21 |
Melissa L. | Bolivia, Massachusetts & Ohio | Lewiston Assembly #14 |
Kiera E. | California, Nevada & Pennsylvania | Pleasant River Assembly #45 |
Hannah F. | Canada, Sao Paulo & West Virginia | Pleasant River Assembly #45 |
Lauren B. | Colorado & Connecticut | Pleasant River Assembly #45 |
Emily S. | Espirito Santo, Michigan & New Jersey | Bath #6 |
Hailee B. | Hawaii, Mississippi | Faith Assembly #38 |
Rebecca H. | Indiana, Louisiana & Rhode Island | Windham Assembly #27 |
Kaili W. | Iowa, Missouri and Vermont | Waterville Assembly #21 |
Dakota S. | Kansas & New Mexico | Sanford Assembly #7 |
Catherine W. | Montana, New Hampshire and Tennessee | Sanford Assembly #7 |
Trinity R. | Nebraska, North Dakota and Oklahoma | Pleasant River Assembly #45 |
Skye C. | New York, Oregon and Washington-Idaho | Windham Assembly #27 |
Meggie B. | Para, Parana & Tocantins Brazil | Pleasant River Assembly #45 |
Grand Choir 2021-2022
Grand Choir 2021-2022 will be added after our first Grand Family in September of 2021! Stay tuned!
Supreme Nature
Welcome to the Grand Assembly of Maine website! I hope you are enjoying “clicking through the pages” as we share our Grand Assembly and Maine Rainbow. I know that many of you looking at these pages are from Maine but many of you are from other jurisdictions throughout the United States and around the world. For those of you who don’t know me, I would like to introduce myself.
My name is Debbie (Buhelt) Redmond and I began my Rainbow career when I joined Portland Assembly #1 as a shy, quiet 12 year old girl. I served my Assembly as Worthy Advisor three times. I served the Grand Assembly of Maine as Grand Fidelity, Grand Charity, Grand Worthy Associate Advisor and was installed Grand Worthy Advisor in May of 1983 by my sister Denise who had just completed her term as Grand Worthy Advisor in Maine. I was honored to receive the Grand Cross of Color with my dad. I served as Mother Advisor of my home Assembly for several years, a Grand Deputy and a member of the Grand Executive Committee. I was installed the Supreme Deputy in Maine at the Supreme Assembly Sessions in Omaha, Nebraska in 2010. I was elected to the House of Gold at our Supreme Sessions in Hampden, Virginia in 2018 and installed as Supreme Fidelity at our virtual Supreme Sessions in 2020, Supreme Drill Leader in Oklahoma City in 2022 and I was installed Supreme Nature in Hampton, VA in July of 2024.
I am a member of Deering Chapter #59 Order of the Eastern Star. I have served as Worthy Matron of my Chapter twice and the Grand Chapter of Maine as Grand Adah and Grand Representative to New Jersey.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve the Grand Assembly of Maine in any capacity and the Supreme Assembly as the Inspector in Maine. I look forward to watching the girls grow into the amazing young women they can be through this time honored and amazing organization.
Please enjoy our website—which has been made possible by Pinepoint Creative–A website and marketing company in Windham, Maine.
Should you have questions about Maine Rainbow or our Grand Assembly, please contact me directly at mainerainbow@gmail.com.
Past Supreme Inspectors & Deputies
Cornelia Mae Crosman was born on July 5, 1883, in Lisbon Falls, Maine. Her younger sisters, Lillian Maud (4) and Eva Belle (2-mos), would pass away due to diphtheria. After the birth of another sister (Ethel Maud), and the birth of a brother (Leon Herbert), the Crosmans moved from Lisbon Falls to Bath, and just as Cornelia was finishing her freshman year at Morse High School, in May of 1898, the family moved again, this time to Sawyer Street in Portland, Maine. One third of a mile from the Woodford’s Corner Masonic/Oddfellows Hall.
On December 1, 1900, while Cornelia was out running an errand for her mother, little Ethel Maud (6) and their mother, Harriet (36), died in a horrific fire in their home. Father, Herbert (38), couldn’t return to the home, so he moved himself and Leon (4) to South Portland. He settled Cornelia with a room at the home of Dr. Knight. She graduated from Deering High School on June 25, 1901, and went to work at Plummer’s Dry Goods Store on Congress street, all before she turned 18, on July 5, 1901!
Her employer, Mr. Plummer was a member of the Odd Fellows, and he introduced Cornelia to the Rebekahs. On June 18, 1907, Cornelia married Guy Calderwood, a Mason. They were both invited to join Deering Chapter #59, and were initiated on Thursday, May 21, 1908. She achieved high ranks and commendations both from the IOOF and from the OES. In 1919, she was awarded the Decoration of Chivalry from the IOOF, and that same year became Worthy Matron for the Eastern Star, Deering Chapter No. 59. In 1931, Cornelia and Guy also assisted in chartering the Madonna Shrine, No. 1, Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, and in 1938 were charter members the Royalty Court, No. 1, Order of the Amaranth. In 1946, Cornelia received a lifetime membership certificate for Deering Chapter No. 59.
Cornelia became Secretary of Deering Chapter No. 59 in 1924, and two years later the organization sponsored Portland Assembly, No. l of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. Mabel J. DeShon was the Matron of Deering Chapter, tasked with selecting an advisory board and a mother advisor (Cornelia) for a new Rainbow assembly in Maine. The first. The Institution Ceremony of Portland Assembly #1 was held in Corinthian Hall at the Masonic Temple in Portland on April 17, 1926.
Cornelia was Portland Assembly No. 1’s first Mother Advisor, serving from 1926-1931. She resigned in January 1931, and a month later was offered the position of Supreme Deputy by W. Mark Sexson; she held that position until 1941. Cornelia was also elected* to the Grand Cross of Color for the Rainbow Girls. In his letter to her regarding this honor, W. Mark Sexson wrote that she was “faithful in the smallest things… ” and “willing to serve many times when there was no reward but only the inner consciousness doing [her] duty.”
- Westbrook Assembly #2 was instituted June 19, 1926, with Mabel J. DeShon, PGM, Special Deputy (IORG) presiding.
- South Portland Assembly #3 was instituted on May 26, 1928
- It wouldn’t be until 1944 when the next Rainbow assembly would be instituted. Imagine, they were rationing gas (WWII) and Supreme Assembly sent money so that the Officers of Portland Assembly #1 could travel to Hamden (by train) to initiate and institute this new assembly (#4).
Cornelia passed away on January 12, 1961. She is buried in Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery, with husband Guy (1877-1953), daughter Eleanor Shirley (1909-1910, only 3 mos old) and son Roger Douglas (1911-1986)
*in the beginning, Grand Cross of Color was an award where Supreme Assembly voted on recipients, and it was considered a separate organization.
Grand Assembly 2023
We hope you are all excited to join us for our “Making Moves Since 1922” Grand Assembly Sessions to be held May 19-21st 2023 at the Kora Shrine Center, 11 Sabattus Street, Lewiston, Maine.
Our Maine Rainbow History
Rainbow in the Grand Jurisdiction of Maine began on December 8, 1925, when Deering Chapter #59 OES agreed to assume sponsorship of an Assembly in Portland. It was on April 17, 1926, that the officers of Boston Assembly No. 1, from Massachusetts, under the direction of Supreme Deputy Mrs. Lula Gobrecht, presented the Institution Ceremony with twenty-seven in the charter class. The first Installation was held on May 16, 1926, with Elizabeth Rolf installed as the first Worthy Advisor and Mrs. Cornelia Calderwood as Mother Advisor. The charter was presented on April 14, 1928, by Miss Mabel J. DeShon, Past Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of Maine, OES with Mrs. Calderwood as Marshall.
Miss DeShon was appointed to serve as a Representative of the Supreme Worthy Advisor in 1928 and served in that position until Mrs. Calderwood, having resigned as Mother Advisor, was appointed Supreme Deputy. Upon Mrs. Calderwood’s resignation in 1941, Miss Dshon was appointed Supreme Deputy and served in that position, and as Supreme Inspector, until she moved to California in 1960. Mrs. Gertrude Powers, PGM was appointed as Supreme Deputy and served until 1970.
Westbrook Assembly #2 was instituted June 19, 1926, and chartered April 21, 1928. South Portland Assembly #3 was instituted May 26, 1926, and chartered February 28, 1931. In 1943, at the 51st annual session of the Grand Chapter of Maine, OES, Portland Assembly #1 was invited to exemplify the Initiatory Degree. In 1944, Hampden Assembly was instituted by twenty-eight girls from Portland Assembly #1. Due to gasoline rationing, it was impossible to get cars to transport girls the approximately 100 miles, so Supreme Assembly graciously sent a check for train fare. This was the beginning of the growth of Rainbow in Maine.
1946 saw the first all-inclusive meeting to celebrate twenty years of Rainbow in Maine. This was the first of three “Merry May Festivals” held at City Hall in Portland. Also, it was in 1946 that Bucksport Assembly #5 was instituted.
The first Grand Assembly of Maine was held in Portland on May 7, 1949, with more than 300 girls and 200 adults in attendance. Elizabeth Crawford of Portland Assembly #1 was the first Grand Worthy Advisor and Mr. Elmer S. Doe was the first Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee.
In 1970, Mrs. Dorothy Merrill, Past Mother Advisor of Portland Assembly #1 and Lewiston Assembly #14 and Past Matron of Mount Olivet Chapter #29, OES, was appointed to serve as Supreme Deputy in Maine.
On Thursday, April 6, 1972, an impressive celebration was held to honor the 50th Anniversary of Rainbow at the Masonic Temple in Bangor. It was the beginning of what we refer to as “Grand Families” where the Grand Officers gather and perform the Initiation. That evening with over 400 in attendance, the Grand Officers exemplified the degrees under the direction of Gweneth Hazelton, Grand Worthy Advisor. The active candidate that evening was Elizabeth Frewin, daughter of Mrs. Cora-Ellen (Doe, Frewin) Moody, Past Worthy Advisor of Portland Assembly #1, her grandmother and great grandmother, both Past Mother Advisors of Portland Assembly #1 were also in attendance.
1972 also saw the beginning of the decline in Assemblies. Between 1972 and 1984, nineteen Assemblies surrendered their charters, but two Assemblies were instituted.
At Grand Assembly in 1991, Mrs. Dorothy Merrill Higgins resigned her position as Supreme Inspector and Mrs. Cora Ellen Moody, Past Worthy Advisor of Portland Assembly #1 and Past Mother Advisor of Windham Assembly #27 was appointed Supreme Deputy. “Mum” Higgins retained her membership in the House of Gold.
At Supreme Assembly in 1992, “Mum” Higgins was appointed Supreme Religion. She was Maine’s first Supreme Officer ever! “Mum” Higgins served as Supreme Religion until she was elected Supreme Hope at the Supreme Assembly Sessions in Seattle, Washington in 1996. She progressed through the line as Supreme Charity and Supreme Worthy Associate Advisor and would have been installed Supreme Worthy Advisor at the Supreme Assembly Sessions in Orlando, Florida in the summer of 2002 had she not passed away in January of that year.
In 1993, Phillips Assembly #8 was re-instituted after 12 years. Sadly the years of 1995 and 1996 saw the surrender of charters from two more Assemblies.
At the 1997 Grand Assembly Session, celebrating 75 years of Rainbow, Marcia Boles, Grand Worthy Advisor presided and the Reverend Gweneth Hazelton, Past Grand Worthy Advisor (who presided at our 50th Anniversary of Rainbow in 1972), led the devotional.
At the Supreme Assembly sessions in St. Louis (1998) Mrs. Moody was elected to the House of Gold and became a Supreme Inspector. At the Supreme sessions in Orlando, Florida, “Mum” Moody was installed as Supreme Chaplain.
In 2004, at the Supreme Assembly sessions in Colorado Springs, Maine was honored to have Britney Lingley (Taggett) appointed Acting Supreme Worthy Advisor by Pauline Stonehocker, Supreme Worthy Advisor. Britney presided with grace and poise and brought great honor to the Grand Jurisdiction of Maine.
Mrs. Moody was elected Supreme Faith at the Supreme Assembly Sessions in Oklahoma City (2006), Supreme Hope at the Sessions in Chicago (2008), Supreme Charity at the Sessions in Omaha (2010), Supreme Worthy Associate Advisor in Grand Rapids (2012) and was installed Supreme Worthy Advisor in Baltimore (2014). The installing suite included several members of the Grand Assembly of Maine including Mrs. Debora (Buhelt) Redmond, Past Grand Worthy Advisor and Supreme Deputy as Installing Officer and Elizabeth Frewin Ashey, Mrs. Moody’s daughter as Installing Marshall.
In 2010, at the Supreme Assembly Sessions in Omaha, Nebraska, Mrs. Moody resigned as the Supreme Inspector in Maine, as she progressed through the Supreme Line and Mrs. Debora Redmond, Past Grand Worthy Advisor and Past Worthy Advisor of Portland Assembly #1 was installed as Supreme Deputy in Maine. Since that time, Mrs. Redmond was elected to the House of Gold and became a Supreme Inspector in Hampden, Virginia at the Supreme Sessions in 2018. In 2020 at the virtual Supreme Sessions, which were to be held in Reno, Nevada, “Mum” Redmond was appointed and installed as Supreme Fidelity. Grand Fidelity was the first Grand Office that “Mum” Redmond held as a Rainbow Girl many years before.
Supreme Assembly 2016 was held in Providence, Rhode Island and hosted by the Grand Jurisdictions of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut with assistance from several other Grand Jurisdictions as Mrs. Cora-Ellen Moody presided as Supreme Worthy Advisor. Maine was so proud of “Mum” Moody for not only serving the Grand Jurisdiction of Maine for more than nineteen years as our Supreme but for serving the International Order for more than twenty-five years in several different capacities.
Maine Rainbow continues to have several traditions that have continued for many years. We still have Grand Families where the Grand Officers preform the initiatory degree. Our Grand Worthy Advisor wears a traveling GWA jewel that is one of a kind and is handed down each year. At the end of the Grand Year, our GWA receives a handmade quilt with squares made by all her Grand Officers.
Our Rainbow Scholarship was established in 1963 and named for Mabel J, DeShon. Miss DeShon served Rainbow in Maine for more than 40 years as a Supreme Representative, Supreme Deputy and Supreme Inspector. At the time of her death, it was decided that a permanent memorial be established. 2020 was the 57th year that scholarship awards were made. 492 first year awards and 115 second year awards totaling over $475,000. In 1984, the Gertrude Powers Award was established within the scholarship fund, and it recognizes an outstanding high school senior continuing her education. Many Maine Rainbow Girls have benefited from the legacy of these devoted Rainbow supporters.