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

Email: publicrelations@pagrange.org

October 2, 2007

 

The Genetti Hotel in Willliamsport, PA will be the headquarters hotel for the 135th Annual PA State Grange Session this weekend, October 6-8, 2007.

 

 

Community Granges from Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Union, Tioga, Bradford and Sullivan Counties are hosting this year's Annual Session.  Williamsport hosted the second Annual PA State Grange Session in January, 1874 and has hosted 12 Sessions since then, most recently in 1992.

 

More than 300 delegates are expected to attend this year's Session, representing most of the 280 Community Granges around the Commonwealth.  The official Opening of the 135th Annual PA State Grange Session will take place at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, October 6 in the Grand Ballroom at Genetti's.  Included in this year's Opening will be Susan Mathias, representing U.S. Congressman Chris Carney from the 10th District, who will present a Congressional Citation.  Rep. Garth Everett (84th District) will offer a Welcome Proclamation.  Williamsport Mayor Mary Wolf and Lycoming County Commissioner Rebecca Burke will also welcome the attendees.  The day's Session will be closed at 4:15 p.m. by the PA State Grange Youth Officers.

 

Bruce Croucher and his wife Sharon are scheduled to be the representatives from National Grange this year.  Bruce is the President of the New York State Grange and is also a member of the National Grange Executive Committee.

 

A highlight of the weekend will be on Sunday afternoon when the annual PA State Grange Talent Contest will be held in the Grand Ballroom of Genetti's at 3:00 p.m., preceded by the Sign-A-Song and Public Speaking Contests which begin at 1:00 p.m. 

 

Following the awarding of the "Best of Show" talent winner, Grange members and guests will gather in the Grand Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. for the annual "All Granger Banquet."  PA Department of Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff will give some remarks and Rep. Steven Cappelli, 83rd District, will present "Greetings" to the Grangers.  During the banquet, numerous prizes and awards will be presented to various citizens and Grange members, including the PA State "Grange Family of the Year."

 

The Annual Session of the PA State Grange is the setting for legislative policy development for the organization during the upcoming year through "resolutions" submitted by individual Grange members and local Community and County Granges.  Each local Community and County Grange is allowed to send delegates (based on individual Grange membership) to represent their Granges.  The delegates vote on the resolutions and decide the direction that they want the PA State Grange to proceed in their various efforts.

 

This year the delegates will be discussing and voting on 42 resolutions dealing with Family Issues, Legislative Issues, Agriculture and Environmental Issues and issues that deal with

the Good of the Order.  Some of the topics will include property taxes, dairy products, health insurance, welfare reform, the Pledge of Allegiance, leasing of the PA Turnpike and tolls on various interstate highways.

 

The Session will open for its final day on Monday, October 8 at 8:30 a.m. with election of one member to the State Grange Executive Committee scheduled for 11:45.  The Session will close following the installation of that newly elected Executive Committee member and an invitation to attend the 136th Annual PA Grange State Session in Lancaster, PA October 18-21, 2008.

 

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.