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State Grange's 150th Anniversary Coming Up!
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The Grange story began in Pennsylvania with the organization of Eagle Grange #1 near Williamsport on March 4, 1871.   More than two years later, the State Grange was officially organized in Reading, PA on September 18, 1873, after 25 local Granges scattered throughout the state had formed.   The celebration of the 150th anniversary of Grange in the Keystone State will begin in 2021 with a kick-off event and continue throughout 2021, 2022 and 2023.   The special observance will culminate with the annual State Session in Reading during October 2023.​​

Click here to access a directory of contact information for the members of the State Grange History/150th Anniversary Committee and the 150th anniversary regional coordinators. 


Be Dressed to Celebrate in an Anniversary T-Shirt 

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Eagle Grange #1 is selling commemorative 150th Anniversary t-shirts, available in six different sizes - one to fit every member of the Grange family.  The cost for shirts sized Small, Medium or Large - $12 per shirt.  The cost for shirts sized Extra Large, 2XLarge or 3XLarge - $14 per shirt.

Shirts can be pre-ordered and picked up at State Grange functions or shipped for $6 per shirt.  Discounted shipping rates are available for multiple shirt orders being shipped to one location.  Contact Jenn Nauss before ordering for more information.

Shirts can be ordered by contacting Jenn Nauss at (717) 512-1261 or jnauss89@gmail.com.  After shirts are ordered, payment should be sent to Jenn Nauss, 10 West Schoolside Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.  Checks can be made payable to Eagle Grange #1.  ​​
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150th Anniversary Kick-Off
    Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021
Please note change of date.   Originally planned for April 17, 2021, the kick-off has been postponed due to COVID pandemic concerns.  Tickets already purchased for the April date will be automatically applied to the new date;  ticket holders have been notified that refunds are available if the new date is not convenient.

Make the day an outing!   Granges, Grangers and guests are encouraged to organize group transportation (bus, van, carpool) to travel to this event, both to participate in the kick-off festivities and visit some local attractions in the Williamsport/Lewisburg areas.

10 a.m.-1 pm. - Open House at Eagle Grange #1, Route 15, Montgomery, PA
1:30-3:30 p.m. - Luncheon and program at Country Cupboard Restaurant/Shops, Route 15, Lewisburg, PA
         Motivational Speaker - Dr. Meecee Baker, owner of Versant Strategies and former State Grange officer
         Candle lighting ceremony passing the Grange light
          Advance reservations required - tickets are $25/per adult;  reduced prices for children depending on age

Tickets for Kick-Off Luncheon – Tickets for the 150th anniversary kick-off luncheon on September 18, 2021, at the Country Cupboard Restaurant & Shoppes, Lewisburg, PA, may be reserved by contacting Anna May Nauss at: (717) 697-5104 or amnauss@aol.com.   The price is $25 for adults with children’s prices ranging from $2-$12 depending on age.  Early reservations are particularly important as we navigate through the COVID pandemic;   tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis to the permitted capacity of the restaurant banquet room.   If it becomes necessary to limit the number of attendees, ticket orders will be filled in the date order received and refunds issued for any reservations that cannot be accommodated.  
 
 
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Light the Cake/Buy a Candle 
​Anniversary Cake Fund Raiser

Help underwrite the costs of the State Grange's 150th anniversary celebration and special events planned for 2021, 2022, and 2023.

​The 150th anniversary celebration will climax at the October, 2023 State Grange session in Reading.  Many special events are planned for the 150th annual session - a historical pageant, a festive anniversary banquet and the exemplification of the Sixth Degree in full form, including the uniquely Pennsylvania Ceres, Pomona and Flora drills.   Delegates to the 2019 state session approved a resolution to hold the 150th anniversary convention in Reading in honor of the State Grange being organized in that city in 1873.   The resolution also provided for the usual hosting responsibilities to be shared by all Granges in the state rather than the usual hosting by geographic region.      

An important part of hosting is raising the necessary convention funding.     The first of several fundraising initiatives is lighting the 150th birthday cake!   Granges and individual members are invited to sponsor one or more of the anniversary candles to light the cake.   This initial project provides the opportunity to purchase one of 150 candles at any of 150 amounts of support - $1 for candle #1 through $150 for candle #150.   Some candles have already been purchased; you can find out what candles remain and how to make your contribution by contacting:    Steve & Karen Mohn, 308 Mill Road, Womelsdorf, PA   19567.   Our goal is to have all candles sponsored and the cake ablaze  by the end of 2020.
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The COVID pandemic caused many Grange events to be cancelled in 2020, so there are still many candles on our anniversary cake available to be purchased.    Some friends and family have coordinated their support to buy one of the larger candles together but we still have a fair number of candles between #100-#150 available.   We have found that many persons are interested in the smaller denomination candles. We are changing our previous decision and will now allow multiple candles in the same amount to appear on the cake.   So contact your Regional Anniversary Coordinator or Steve & Karen Mohn to buy whatever candle(s) you wish.   ​

150 Years...150 Acts of Service

Celebrating with Acts of Service

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This special feature of the State Grange’s 150th anniversary was introduced in the last issue of the Pennsylvania Grange News and several acts of service by our local Granges have been reported.

Every community Grange is challenged to sponsor at least one new service project between now and October 2023 and to use this opportunity to tell others about the Grange story of serving rural Pennsylvania for the past 150 years.  Our theme for this initiative is “PA State Grange 150 Years – 150 Acts of Service”.  Each project is recorded on a spreadsheet, which can be viewed here.  The dial measures our progress toward reaching the goal of 150 new service projects; please do your part to move the dial to 150 completed projects and beyond!  Reports of your Grange’s act(s) of service may be reported at any time to Doug Bonsall (douglas.b@verizon.net) or Jenn Nauss (jnauss89@gmail.com) so they may be added to the list; please follow the format of the first several projects already recorded, being as brief yet descriptive as possible.