Hamburg, Berks County...The "Hamburg Grange #2103" has officially opened.  The second organizational meeting for this new Grange was held on Saturday, October 8, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. at the Hamburg Borough Hall. 

 

At that time, Carl Meiss, PA State Grange Membership Director, who conducted the meeting, acquired 14 signatures of residents named as "Charter Members" of the new Grange.  A new Grange must have at least 13 "Charter Members" (those who actually organize and start a Grange), including at least 4 men AND 4 women, according to National Grange policy.

 

Once the new members were officially "Welcomed" into the Grange by Dir. Meiss, the first order of business for the new Grangers was to officially name the new Grange.  The names of "Hamburg Grange," "Kaerscher Grange" (after the founder of Hamburg) and "Blue Mountain Grange," were all offered as possibilities.  The members voted unanimously to name it "Hamburg Grange."

 

Mike Adams, who was the main force behind opening the new Grange, was elected as Master (President).  His daughter, Jennifer, was elected as the Lecturer (Program Director), Katherine Wiebner was elected Secretary, and Scott Kreider was elected Treasurer.

 

The Hamburg Grange will continue to meet at the Hamburg Borough Hall and has scheduled their next two meetings for Saturday, November 5 and Saturday, November 19, 2005, both at 4:00 p.m.  Anyone interested in learning more about the Grange is welcome to attend.  The members voted to keep their Charter Application open until the November 5th meeting so that others interested could sign as "Charter

 

Members."  After that meeting, the charter will be closed and sent to the PA State Grange office for approval before it is forwarded to the National Grange office in Washington, D.C. for official issuance of their Charter.

 

The Hamburg Grange is the 12th Grange presently in Berks County.  It will be the 2,103rd Grange ever opened in Pennsylvania and the first to be opened since 1995.

 

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 14-24),

 

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 and rural 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.

 

Anyone interested in the Hamburg Grange can contact Carl Meiss at the PA State Grange office at 1-800-552-3865.