Youth and Young Adults Department

The PA State Grange Youth Department exists to:

* EDUCATE the Grange family regarding Grange history.

* PROMOTE the ritualistic aspects of the Grange.

* ENCOURAGE youth to join the Subordinate Grange and participate fully in State and National Grange activities.

* SUPPORT the Junior Department and develop continuity for 14 and 15 year olds entering the Subordinate Grange.

* DEVELOP and promote leadership skills in the young adults of the Grange.

 

 

 

Mercer County Couple Accepts Second Term as PA State Grange Young Couple
 
State College - Christie and Joel Straub of Mercer County will serve a second term as the PA State Grange's Young Couple for 2008-2009. 
 
Joel and Christie were first awarded the honor of Young Couple in April, 2007 during the Young Adults/Young Marrieds Weekend held in State College.  Last weekend during this year's Young Adult/Young Marrieds Weekend, again held in State College, they accepted a second term from PA State Youth Director Martha Ebersole. 
 
Joel and Christie live in Greeneville, Mercer County.  They met through the Grange and were married on May 8th, 2004.  Joel, 34, is a graduate of Commodore Perry High School and Grove City College.  Christie, 33, graduated from Oley Valley High School and Orlando College.  They are both members of Stony Point Grange #1694 in Mercer County.
 
Joel said, "I joined the Grange at the age of five and have been a lifelong member.  I was a past State Junior Prince and Youth Ambassador.  I am the current Lecturer/Program Director for Stony Point Grange."
 
Christie joined Virginville Grange #1832 in Berks County in 1997.  She was the Public Relations Director for Berks County Pomona Grange #43.  She says, "I am the current Ceres for Stony Point Grange #1694.  I served as the PA State Grange Youth Director from 2003-2005 and I currently hold the title of Flora for the PA State Grange."
 
Joel and Christie live in a 200 year-old farmhouse with their two Jack Russell Terriers, Augie and Taffy.  They like to help out on the straub Family Farm and enjoy gardening and reading.  Joel is also very active as a football referee and umpire for baseball and softball in the Greeneville area.
 
The Straubs are the second Young Couple in a row to accept the title for a second year, following Matt and Charlene Espenshade's two-year reign from 2005-2007. 
 
Couples compete for the title of PA State Grange Young Couple at the annual Young Adults/Young Marrieds Weekend.  Couples must have been Grange members for a minimum of two years.  They are judged on an interview, Ambassodorship Qualities, and a written test of Grange knolwedge. 
 
The PA State Grange Young Couple helps to promote and generate enthusiasm for the Youth Department programs and contests throughout the Commonwealth. 
 
Joel and Christie hope to be able to attend Community Grange meetings and county fairs throughout Pennsylvania promoting the Grange and its Youth in the coming year.
 
The Grange is a family fraternal organization dedicated to the betterment of the American quality of life through community service, education, legislation and fellowship.  The Grange includes members of all ages from their Junior Grangers (ages 5-14), Youth Members (ages 14-23), Young Adults (ages 21-35) and Regular Community (local) members (age 14 and up).  The Grange represents approximately 15,000 Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.  It is the oldest agricultural and rural advocacy organization of its kind in the United States.  The National Grange (Patrons of Husbandry), representing about 150,000 members, began in 1867 and the PA State Grange was chartered in 1873.

CALLING ALL PENN STATE STUDENTS!

If you are attending Penn State Main Campus, we need you! At the time that this Advocate went to print, it appeared that we had the necessary 20 students signed up as Charter Members! We have been working to reorganize the Grange at Penn State, which has been inactive since 1965. We had our first organizational meeting on December 11, 2007 and another on March 19th, 2008. Watch your college email for the next meeting (after summer break). We know there are current Grange members who attend at Main Campus who can join this new Grange as an approved Student Activity Organization on campus. If you are a current student or if you live in the Centre County area and would like to help this new Grange, please contact the State Master at master@pagrange.org or call 800-552-3865. Current Grange members can belong to their home Grange AND the NEW Grange at Penn State #2105!

 

The Grange is a family fraternal organization dedicated to the betterment of rural America through community service, education, legislation and fellowship.  The Grange includes members of all ages from their Junior Grangers (ages 5-14), Youth Members (ages 14-23), Young Adults (ages 21-35), and Regular Community (Local) Grange members (age 14
and up).  The Grange represents approximately 16,000 Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.  It is the oldest agricultural and rural organization of its kind in the United States. 
 
The National Grange (Patrons of Husbandry), representing about 300,000 members, began in 1867 and the PA State Grange was chartered in 1873.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martha Ebersole

Youth Director

640 Dellville Rd.

Duncannon, PA 17020

(717) 834-4435

mebasket@epix.net

 

 

Printable copies of Important 2008 Documents

  • Message from the incoming National Youth Director

  • Announcing the 2008 Regional Youth Conference

  • Eastern States Youth Conference forms

 

Jonathan N. Sattazahn Obituary

 

Youth Brochure for 2008 (click HERE)

 

Grange 101, by Chris Straub" (as seen at Family Festival 2006)

 

2008 Scholarship Brochure AND Application

 

 

 

Gail Switzer and Adam Waite, PA State Grange 2007-2008 Youth Ambassadors

 
Centre Hall, PA - The PA State Grange held its 4th Annual PA State Grange Family Festival this past weekend at the Centre County Grange Fairgrounds in Centre Hall, PA.  For the second year, the PA State Grange Youth Camp joined up with the Family Festival, holding both events together at the fairgrounds.
 
Saturday evening was the culmination of Youth Camp with the announcement of the 2007-2008 PA State Grange Youth Ambassadors.  Martha Ebersole, Youth Director, announced that Gail Switzer of Berks County and Adam Waite of Juniata County had been selected as the new 2007-2008 Youth Ambassadors.
 
Gail is the daughter of Marie and Leonard Switzer of Womelsdorf, Berks County.  She attends Conrad Weiser High School and is a member of Marion Grange #1853 as well as the Berks County Pomona Grange #43.  Gail presently serves on the Grange Display Committee for the Berks County Fairs.  She is a past PA State Junior Grange Princess (2005-2006) and past Berks County Junior Grange Princess (2004-2005).  Gail has served in various offices in her Junior Grange.  Her hobbies are showing cows, reading and talking on the computer.  She enjoys watching "Last Comic Standing" with her sister, road trips and seeing friends and their babies.  Gail hopes to bring the Youth who know about the Grange but have drifted away, back into the Grange as active members.  She plans to attend college for Counseling or Agriculture Cooperative Extension Education.
 
Adam is from McAlisterville in Juniata County.  His parents are Melissa and Timothy Waite.  As a Runner-Up in last year's Youth Ambassador competition, he is a PA State Grange Youth Advocate.  He is a member of Walker Grange #786 in Juniata County.  He lists his hobbies as firefighting and being an E.M.T.  He enjoys going to races, working on his truck and road trips.  He plans to recruit more Youth members into the Grange through his new position as Youth Ambassador.  He hopes to become a professional firefighter/medic.
 
The PA State Grange Youth Ambassadors are selected through a competitive process that includes a Grange knowledge test, personal interview with the judges and answering an impromptu question before the Family Festival attendees.  They must be members of the PA State Grange for at least one year and if not 6th Degree members (State Grange) they must be willing to become 6th Degree members during their reign.  Candidates must be between 16 and 21 years of age, single (never married), and have no children.  They will represent the PA State Grange Youth not only throughout the Commonwealth at events such as PA Farm Show, Ag Progress Days and PA State Grange Session, but also at National Grange Convention.  They will also serve on the PA State Grange Youth Committee for one year.
 
This year's Runners-Up, named as Youth Advocates, were Heather Thielman of Big Knob Grange #2008 in Beaver County and Donald Cottrell of Gibson Grange #798 in Susquehanna County.  Each of them will be asked to assist in promoting the Youth Programs of the PA State Grange as well as being available to step in for the Ambassadors should one of them be unable to fulfill their obligations.
 
The Grange is a family fraternal organization dedicated to the betterment of the American quality of life through community service, education, legislation and fellowship.  The Grange includes members of all ages from their Junior Grange (ages 5-14), Youth Members (ages 14-23), Young Adults (ages 21-35) and Regular Community (local) members (age 14 and up).  The Grange represents approximately 15,000 Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.  It is the oldest agricultural and rural advocacy organization of its kind in the United States.  The National Grange (Patrons of Husbandry), representing about 150,000 members, began in 1867 and the PA State Grange was chartered in 1873.