GAIL STROCK Mifflin Co. Correspondent their 119lh annual state conven- ALTOONA (Blair Co.) tion, they brought some extra When more than 1,000 Grange things along with them. Teddy members converged at the Jaffa Bears! 619 of them! And stuffed fff' 1 * Grangers at the 199th Pennsylvania State Grange Con vention In Altoona display the results of their talents. Grange Fosters Ted Mosque in Altoona last week tor toys! 5,000 of them! The impressive ‘Teddy Bear Picnic” display represents one of the many facets of the organiza tion called Grange. The Pennsylvania State Grange, a fraternal grass roots organiza tion, meets annually at its conven tion to discuss and approve resolu tions, honor outstanding mem bers, conduct business, hear keynote speakers, enjoy the fcl- jntet. b». g cok crafts and projects, including quilts, for display. More than 619 Teddy Bears attended the “Teddy Bear Picnic” at the Grange Con vention. Grangers make the bears for “at-rlsk” babies • ones with AIDS or who are chemically dependent. Other stuffed toys > 5,000 in all - will go to children of trauma. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 9, 1991-815 Bear Picnic lowship of other Grangers, and to participate in some statewide community service projects, including the gathering of Teddy Bears for “at risk” babies. State Grange lecturer (program director) Hedy Chaffee, hoping to gather up to 500 bears, can now distribute the 619 bears across the state through an organization known as ABC Quilts. Formed in 1988 in New Hampshire, ABC Quilts donates quilts to hospitals to wrap up “at-risk” babies - those with AIDS or who are chemically addicted. Since January 1991, the ABC Quilts western branch has collected and distributed 250 quilts. Grangers also reach out to help other children through a stuffed toy contest. This year’s 5,000 toys, after judging, will be distri buted to Ronald McDonald hous es, Police Departments, Ambu lance services, and other organiza tions who help traumatized children. The community service and social aspects of Grange remain strong, attesting to the fact that Grange began, in 1867, for those very reasons. “Back when Grange was formed after the Civil War, there weren’t televisions and radios. In the rural communides. Grange was a way for people to get together and have entertainment also,” said Steve Robinson, public relations director for the Pennsyl vania state Grange. But the purpose of Grange goes even further. This rural-farm fra tumity, the second largest farm convention. Grangers make organization in America, concerns itself with the well-being of all people by supporting legislative activity to improve the quality of rural life. At this year’s convention, dele gates at Wednesday’s session dis cussed, along with many others, resolutions opposing school strikes, supporting binding arbi tration, and supporting voter approval of school board tax increases that are higher than the current rate of inflation. Resolutions of national interest become part of those discussed and voted upon at the 125th national “Celebrate Grange” Con vention to be held in Burlington, VL this month. With more than 40,000 mem bers in Pennsylvania, Grangers look to the future hoping to increase awareness of their orga nization. Grange was the first organization to include women on an equal basis with men, with equal voting privileges, long before women obtained voting rights. Grange also believes in the power of that voting privilege and works legislatively for a belter future. Faced with a decreasing farm ing population. Grangers emphas ize the need to attract members from all walks of life, including rural and suburban. The benefits of Grange membership are avail able to all. As Robinson said, “A lot of people hear ‘agriculture* and ‘rur al’ and think that Grange isn.’t for them because they are in a subur ban community. But membership is really open to everyone.”
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers