Return back

        For information contact: Carl Meiss, Public Relations Director  Ph: (717)-737-8855 or (800)-552-3865

Email: publicrelations@pagrange.org

September 11, 2008

September 10th saw the organizational meeting for the newly formed Penn State Grange #2105, held in the Agricultural Sciences Building at Main Campus in State College attended by nine students and their faculty advisor, Scott Barbara.  The Penn State Grange #2105 is the third new Grange to open in the past three years in Pennsylvania.  (The two previous Granges are located in Hamburg, Berks County and Shippensburg in Cumberland County.)

 

The meeting was opened by PA State Grange Public Relations/Membership Director Carl Meiss with assistance from PA State Grange President Betsy Huber.  The first order of business was to vote on a name for the new Grange and the unanimous decision was "Penn State Grange #2105."  The college had a Grange on campus that originally opened on November 10, 1916 but was closed in June, 1965.  (The Grange number is assigned by the State Grange Office). 

 

The next order of business for the meeting was an official "Welcome Ceremony" presented by President Huber.  Immediately following, the members elected the following students to the listed offices in the new Grange.

 

    President:  Jennifer Nauss from Mechanicsburg, PA

    Vice President:  Zachary Kreger from Morris, PA

    Program Director:  Philip Bachman of Ulysses, PA

    Secretary:  Rebecca Wenger of Annville, PA

    Treasurer:  Elizabeth Smith from Lebanon, PA

    WEB Team Coordinator:  Logan Horst of State College, PA

 

The newly formed Grange will meet the second Wednesday of each month at 8:15 p.m. in room 101 of the Ag Sciences Building immediately following the Dairy Science Club meeting.  Any students, faculty or area residents are welcome to join or attend meetings.  Newly elected President Nauss and advisor Scott Barbara are in the process of filing the proper paperwork with the college to become an officially recognized student organization on campus.

 

The Grange has had a major presence on campus for many years, having donated $250,000 in the 1920's for the construction of the "Grange Building," originally a dormitory for women.  PA State Grange President Betsy Huber is a Trustee of the Penn State College of Agriculture.

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.