BlMancaater Farming, Saturday, Novambar 27,1993
After conquering spastic dystonia, Lois Bohn appreciates the ability to speak with
ease and the opportunity to head Lebanon County Farm Women and its 349 members.
Farm Women President Can 7
Stop Talking
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.)
Most people take talking for
granted. Lois Bohn was one of
those people. If she wanted to say
something to one person or a
hundred, she said it. It was easy for
her to stand in front of a crowd and
speak. In fact, several years ago,
she was being groomed to become
Lebanon Farm Woman president
of 21 societies and 349 members.
Then the unthinkable happened.
Increasingly as she was con
versing with people, she felt a
tightening in her throat She could
no longer speak even one complete
sentence with smooth clarity.
When her time came to become
installed as president of the Leba
non County Farm Woman, Lois
had to withdraw her nomination.
How could she perform her duties,
if she was unable to speak.
At first, doctors treated Lois’s
condition for allergies. When that
did not help, doctors suspected she
had a polyp on her vocal chords,
but a throat specialist pronounced
her vocal chords to be perfect
Her malady was eventually
diagnosed as spastic dystonia.
This involuntary tightening of
the throat muscles, she learned,
usually happens to people who rely
on the use of their voice for a job
and is often brought on by stress.
Lois was a busy receptionist who
was constantly on the phone. The
hectic busyness of her job and the
death of her mother was thought to
have culminated in too much
stress.
Lois began prescribed voice
therapy. Within four months, to the
surprise of her therapist, Lois’s
condition had greatly improved.
“Now, you can’t shut me up,”
Lois said.
Indeed, there are no symptoms
whatsoever of Lois’s previous ina
bility to speak.
But within, Lois said, she feels a
gratefulness for the bcfore-taken
for-granted gift of a voice.
“Now I appreciate being able to
rattle off,” Lois said.
She again regularly reads the
scriptures before the Altalaha
Lutheran Church in Rehrersburg.
She recently spoke with confi
dence before hundreds of Farm
Women when she was installed as
president. Although her induction
as president is two years later than
previously planned. Lois is now
confident that she can do justice to
her job of leading the organization
for which she said, “Farm Women
are wonderful. They put their heart
and soul in whatever they are
doing. That’s what makes it
worthwhile.”
Lois became a member of Leba
non Farm Women Group 4 when
she and her husband moved into
the area more than 32 years ago.
The Bohns’ faim is only one mile
from the Lebanon County line.
Since that time, Lois has held
every office available at least once
and some several times.
Lois and her husband, Freder
ick, have two married children and
one grandchild.
Until two months ago, Lois
helped her husband milk cows dai
ly at 5:30 in the morning. Now,
they dispersed of the herd but con
tinue to crop farm and raise steers.
Lois said the transition from
milking cows daily to not having
cows is still new to her, but she
enjoys decorating their large farm
house and is putting in more time
at her job at Farmer Boy Ag.
Her love for the family farm
pops up again and again in conver
sation as she speaks of involve
ment in Pennsylvania Young Far
mers of which her husband was
president and she in charge of the
women’s activities. She spoke of
raising “two wonderful children
who married wonderful spouses.”
She credits that to the children’s
dedication to always helping on
the farm and not having time to get
in trouble.
“Our son wanted to stay on the
farm, but it’s difficult financially
to support two families. Industry
offered more money so it was with
heavy hearts we said goodbye,”
Lois said.
“I hope the agricultural picture
improves and farmers in general
can prosper,” she said. “I think
agriculture is the backbone of the
the country and I hate to see family
farms pushed out and children not
being able to afford to cany on.”
Lois is grateful that she can
work for an agriculture company.
She has worked full time atFarmer
Boy Ag for 10 years and is now in
charge of purchasing and receiv
ing. She enthusiastically speaks of
her work with a company that, she
estimates has tripled in size since
her time there. The company erects
agricultural buildings and pro
vides all the equipment needed for
poultry, swine and other related
operations.
While Farm Women member
ship is decreasing state-wise due to
deaths of older members, Lois
remains optimistic. She said, “We
must be doing something right that
the organization has continued for
so many years.”
The organization was founded
in 1914. Individual societies are
scattered throughout the state with
Lebanon County having 21 societ
ies and 349 members.
Lois is working on increasing
membership. One of the ways the
society did so was last week when
they held an annual bake sale at the
mall. The group had brochures
available about Farm Women and
did sign up at least one new
member.
“Farm Women aren’t on the
front pages of the newspaper and
we don’t want to be,” Lois said,
“but the organization does a lot for
all kinds of projects in the county.”
At the annual bake sale held last
week. Farm Women raised $l,OOO
for flood victims in the Midwest
Some other projects include
providing an entertainment fund
and activities for Cedar Haven
County Home and two other retire
ment homes in Myerstown, and
adopting patients with no families.
Scholarship money is also given
and help to needy families.
In addition to her job, church.
Farm Women, and Young Far
mers, Lois has served on the coun
ty election board for 30 years as
majority inspector, an elected
position.
See your nearest
Dealer for Dependable
Equipment and
Dependable Service!
NN
YLVANIA
AnnvUte. PA
BHM Farm
Equipment, Inc.
RDI, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Cifltoto. PA
R4W Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
DavMiburo. PA
George N. Gross, Inc.
R.D. 2, Dover, PA
717-292-1673
>wn. pa
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc.
Rt. 283 - Rheem'S Exit
717-367-1319
Halifax. PA
Sweigard Bros.
R.D. 3, Box 13
717-896-3414
Honw Brook. PA
Dependable Motor Co.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
Honev .Grove. PA
Norman D. Clark
& Son, Inc.
717-734-3682
LoysvMe, PA
717-789-3117
MARYLAND
FWdirtck. MD
CeresviKe
Ford New Holland, Inc.
Rt. 26 East
301-662-4197
Outside MD,
800-331-9122
NEW JERSEY
Bridgeton. NJ
Leslie G. Fogg, Inc.
Canton & Stow Creek
Landing Rd.
609-451-2727
609-935-5145
Woodstown. NJ
Owen Supply Co.
Broad Street &
East Avenue
609-769-0308
Hughesvttle. PA
Farnsworth Farm
Supplies, Inc.
103 Cemetery Street
717-584-2106
New Holland.
A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
110 South Railroad
717-354-4191
Olev. PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 2
215-987-6257
Pitman. PA
Schreffler Equipment
Pitman, PA
717-648-1120
Quakertown. PA-
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 1
215-536-1935
Tememie. PA
Charles S. Snyder, Inc.
R.D. 3
717-386-5945
Weat Grave. PA
5.6. Lewis & Son, Inc.
R.D. 2, Box 66
215-869-2214
WaaWngion. NJ
Smith Tractor &
Equip., Inc.
15 Hillcrest Ave.
201-689-7900