State Grange's 150th Anniversary Coming Up!
​
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. 

​​Highlights from the 150th Anniversary Kick-Off - September 18th, 2021

Photo Collages

Click on each image to view the full-sized collage.

Video Highlights

National Grange Hall of Fame Recognition

The Pennsylvania State Grange honored inductees, Leonard Rhone, John W. Scott, and J. Luther Snyder.  For more information about the National Grange Hall of Fame, click here.

Watch the recognition below:

Keynote Address by Dr. MeeCee Baker

Dr. Baker, former legislative director of the Pennsylvania State Grange, delivered a keynote address that challenged Grange members to pivot.  She emphasized the need to make some much needed changes to membership and policy so that the Grange will survive for another 150 years. 

Watch Dr. Baker's address below:

Candle Lighting Ceremony

A candle lighting ceremony was held to signify the spreading of the "Grange light" from the National Grange to Eagle Grange #1.  From Eagle Grange #1, the light continued to spread across the state.  By 2023 when the State Grange was organized, 25 local Granges had been organized.

Watch the candle lighting ceremony below:

Anniversary Song

The anniversary song was unveiled at the kick-off.  The song will be sung at anniversary events during the next two years. 

Do you know State Grange will celebrate a real big date?
Looking at our great long history,
We must hurry now to plan before it is too late
One hundred fifty in twenty-three.
         One hundred fifty in twenty-three,
         One hundred fifty in twenty-three,
This is something special you will surely want to see,
One hundred fifty in twenty-three.

We will host the meet in Reading as you have been told,
This is where the State Grange came to be
All it takes is Pennsylvania Grangers, young and old.
One hundred fifty in twenty-three.
One hundred fifty in twenty-three,
         One hundred fifty in twenty-three,
This is something special you will surely want to see,
One hundred fifty in twenty-three.

Commemorative Anniversary Tumblers For Sale

Limited edition commemorative anniversary tumblers are available for sale at State Grange events while supplies last.  These mugs which were created for the 150th anniversary are insulated and include a vacuum lid.  Tumblers are $15 a piece and will be available starting at the State Grange Session in Valley Forge, October 15-17.  All proceeds support the 2023 Anniversary Session.  Visit the History Committee tables in the session room to purchase your tumbler!

---

Be Dressed to Celebrate in an Anniversary T-Shirt 

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.  ​​

---

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.
​

• "Light the Anniversary Cake" project details

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

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.

---