Monday, June 20, 2005 is the date set for the PA State Grange Royalty to visit Harrisburg.

The 2005-2006 PA State Grange Royalty is made up of the: Junior Prince and Princess, Jonathan Sattazahn from Berks County and Rebecca Hetzell from Allegheny County; Youth Ambassadors, Miranda Hollabaugh from Warren County and Andrew Kieffer from Berks County, and; the Young Couple of the Year, Matt and Charlene Espenshade of Lancaster County.

The Grange Royalty trip has traditionally been a day of education and fun for our representatives of the Grange Juniors, Youth and Young adults.  This year is no exception. 

At 9:30 AM the Royalty will meet with the PA State Grange President Betsy Huber and Legislative Director Brenda Shambaugh at the Grange headquarters building at 1604 North Second Street in Harrisburg.  From the office they will go to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg for a tour from 10 to Noon.  Lunch will be provided at the Grange headquarters from Noon to 1, before they head to the Capitol. 

At the Capitol, the young Grangers will be given an official tour of the center of  government in the Commonwealth.  Ms. Shambaugh then has scheduled them to attend meetings with their individual legislator’s.   The day will be capped off with a visit to HersheyPark for the evening.

The PA State Grange Royalty is chosen by a panel of judges at Young Adult Weekend, Youth Camp and Junior Camp, all held in the spring and early summer of the year.  The individuals competing for the positions are required to take a “Grange Knowledge Test,” answer an “Impromptu” question and be evaluated in various categories by the judges.  The highlight of each of the three events is the “coronation” of the Royalty.  The Grange Royalty represents the PA State Grange throughout the year at various functions such as the PA Farm Show, Ag Progress Days, State Grange Session and other local and county  events.

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), representing about 300,000 members, began in 1867 and the PA State Grange was chartered in 1873.