This
past weekend saw 26 Youth/Young Adult members of the PA State Grange
attend a three-day weekend in Lancaster. The Young Adults/Young
Married Weekend was held at the Ramada Inn Brunswick in downtown
Lancaster Friday evening through Sunday morning.
The
weekend theme was “Around the World” and began with a Friday evening
workshop presented by PA State Grange Public Relations/Membership
Director Carl Meiss. The program was entitled “who says we can’t do
it?” and was a motivational workshop based on five-time Tour de France
winner Lance Armstrong’s battle with cancer. The evening concluded
with a Grange trivia/knowledge test followed by “Get Acquainted”
games.
Saturday morning saw a special presentation by Daniel Gibboney from
Mahoning Valley Grange #1649 from Lawrence County. Dan has taken 5
missionary trips with his church to Russia helping out orphanages in
various parts of the country. He gave a very interesting pictorial
presentation covering his trips. The morning then saw the attendees
taking a tour of Wheatland, President James Buchanan’s homestead. The
members then had the afternoon to themselves before they attended
their annual banquet and coronation of the 2004 Young Married Couple
of the Year, Judy and Clark Kitner of Valley Grange #1360, York
County.
After
a continental breakfast Sunday morning, the Grangers were lead in a
Worship Service by Norman Houser from Logan Grange #109, Centre
County. This was followed by a workshop on “Dreams” presented by
Derek Schroeder from Virginville Grange #1832, Berks County. The
weekend then closed with a Friendship Circle and Goodbyes.
The
Young Adult/Young Married Weekend gives the young members of the PA
State Grange an opportunity to get re-acquainted with old friends from
around the Commonwealth and plan various functions for the youth of
today’s Grange. The highlight is the coronation of the Young Married
Couple of the Year.