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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 24, 2008

(Lemoyne, Pa.) On Monday, October 20, Pennsylvania State Grange delegates voted Betsy Huber of Chester County into the office of Master/President for a fourth two-year term. She has served as President since 2002, when she became the first female to head the Commonwealth’s oldest agricultural and rural advocacy organization.

In her three terms served already, Huber has overseen the opening of three new community Granges: Hamburg Grange #2103; Cumberland Valley Grange #2104; and Penn State Grange #2105.  One of her greatest accomplishments has been the annual PA State Grange Family Festival, a four-day family style campout held at the Centre County Grange Fairgrounds, which began in 2004.

In her Master’s Address delivered Saturday during the Official Opening of the Pennsylvania State Grange’s 136^th Session in Lancaster, Huber challenged Grangers to take risks. “If we want to lead efforts to improve the way things are, in the world and in our Granges,” said Huber, “we must be willing to take risks, try new things, talk to new people, don’t be afraid to fail. I know there are people in your communities who would love our organization, if they only had the chance to experience it.”

She reminded Grangers that the organization is a source of great entertainment while being gentle on the wallet. Driving to the local Grange Hall does not require a lot of gas, enjoying a pot luck meal is less expensive than eating at a restaurant and having laughs in the fellowship of Grange brothers and sisters is cheaper than a night at the movies.

At the Session, Huber also reinforced her organizational focus on the family. Over the last summer, the Grange hosted four family picnics in Huntingdon, Lehigh, Lycoming and Warren counties. Last July, 200 Grangers came together at the 5^th Annual Family Festival.

Other Pennsylvania State Grange Officers elected by the 350-strong delegate body on Monday include:

• Overseer/Vice-President: Chester Tau (Crawford County)

• Lecturer/Program Director:  Sharon Kimmel (Bucks County)

• Steward:  Leonard Heim (Lehigh County)

• Assistant Steward:  Derek Schroeder (Berks County)

• Lady Assistant Steward:  Kelly VanOrd (Warren County)

• Chaplain:  Judy Pressler (Centre County)

• Treasurer:  Henry Seidel (Berks County)

• Secretary:  Sandy Witmer (Lancaster County)

• Gatekeeper:  Richard Mangel (Butler County)

• Ceres:  Tammy Schaeffer (Berks County)

• Pomona:  Jodi Keith (Huntingdon County)

• Flora:  Marty Dinsmore (Greene County)

• Executive Committee:  Brian Ebersole (Perry County)

Seated:  Jodi Keith, Judy Pressler, Marty Dinsmore, Betsy Huber, Nettie Kauffman (Executive Comm.), Barbara Gross (Executive Comm.), Tammy Schaeffer, Kelly VanOrd

 

Standing:  Chester Tau, Sharon Kimmel, Derek Schroeder, Richard Mangel, Leonard Heim, Elizabeth Downey (Executive Comm.), Brian Ebersole, Henry Seidel, Sandy Witmer

 

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.