More than 75 Grange Youth from five states gathered at Camp Sylvan Hills in Howard, PA this past weekend to attend the annual National Grange Eastern Regional Youth Conference.  North Carolina, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio and Pennsylvania Granges sent Youth members to attend this year’s event.

The Eastern Regional conference is an opportunity for Grange Youth (ages 14-24) from Florida to New Jersey to see old friends, meet new ones, attend educational workshops and network with Grange youth from most of the east coast.  During the conference attendees can also participate in the Public Speaking, Sign-A-Song and Grange Knowledge Bowl competitions held throughout the weekend.

This year’s Eastern Regional “Best of Show” winner from the Public Speaking and Sign-A-Song competitions was Meredith Fulton from North Carolina who competed in the Public Speaking competition.  Meredith will be invited to attend the 2005 National Grange Conference in Columbus, Ohio in November.  The overall winner of the Grange Knowledge Bowl (a team competition testing Grange members' knowledge of Grange policies, procedures and traditions)  was a team from Pennsylvania, which included Jodi Keith (Huntingdon Co.), Matt Espenshade (Lancaster Co.) and Chris and Joel Straub (Mercer Co.).

Workshops for this year included a variety of topics including, “Eating Nutritionally at Home or Out,” “Road Rage,” “Basic Automotive Upkeep,” “Leadership Skills,” and “How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds.”  The Youth from Ohio also gave a Grange Drill Demonstration Sunday morning.

This year’s Eastern Regional Grange Youth Conference was coordinated by PA State Grange Youth Director Christie Straub from Mercer County.  The general schedule of the various regional conferences is set up by Cindy Greer, National Grange Youth Development Director from Colorado, who was also in attendance.  Next year’s conference will be hosted by the North Carolina State Grange Youth and coordinated by their Youth Director Jennie Gentry.

 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 14-24), Young Adults (ages 21-35) and Regular Community (Local) members (age 14 and up).  The Grange represents approximately 16,000 Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.  It is the oldest agricultural organization of its kind in the United States. The National Grange (Patrons of Husbandry) began in 1867 and the PA State Grange was chartered in 1873.

If readers are interested in additional information about the Grange in Pennsylvania they can contact the State Grange office in Harrisburg at 1-800-552-3865 or email staff at membership@pagrange.org.  Their website can be accessed at http://www.pagrange.org.