I was invited to speak at a meeting of the New Jersey Faith and Freedom Coalition meeting held at the Grange hall in Elmer, NJ. The term Grange was such a common word in the lexicon of the residents that I felt it had been around for a while - but it was totally new to me. So I checked it out. Formed in 1867 the Grange, officially known as the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, is a fraternal organization with a rich history and a highly visible community presence in the United States. It was the first nationwide farm organization and the first national organization to give full voice and vote to women, 60 years before the adoption of Universal Suffrage in the United States. Early in its history Grange leaders realized that social interaction was especially important to rural residents. For 140 years Grange halls have existed as community centers where residents gather for educational events, town meetings, dances, potlucks, and entertainment. Junior Grange, 4-H, FFA, Boy Scout, Girl Scout and other youth groups have thrived because of Grange involvement. Each year tens of thousands Grange members give back to their community by participating in numerous service projects. The National Grange owns an office building a couple of blocks from the White House. National programs are headquartered there, and the lobbying staff is active on Capitol Hil youtu.be/f8IJcMfVqJ0
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 09:40:33 +0000
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