812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 18, 2003 Farm Women Meet For Business, Friendship, Fun, Entertainment For three years, Catherine Schott, right, led the Society of Farm Women with more than 2,000 members. With her from left are Ann Oilier, treasurer; Barbara Mock, secre tary; and Becky Swallow, first vice president. Newly installed officers, from left, state directors Betsy Sattsazahn, Mary Jane Diehl, and Betty Wert; Becky Swallow, president; Sharon Engle, Ist vice president; and Lorraine Royer, 2nd vice president. Catherine Schott and her husband Leonard express gratefulness for the care Farm Women have extend ed as Catherine undergoes cancer treatment. “I’m alive because Amer ica cared,” said Hildegard Sollenberger, who gave a moving account of growing up in worn-torn Poland dur ing World War 11, her years as a refugee, and her sub sequent move to America. President of the Society of Farm Women of Pennsyl vania Catherine Schott is most often known at Leba non County Expo Center as the “Queen Bee of the Kitchen.” Make no mistake she is also a ruler and she brought this gravel to prove it. Secretary of Agriculture Sam Hayes said that agri culture would not be the same without farm women, who are equal working partners and who bring harmony, peace, and love into homes. President Catherine Schott respond ed by saying that agricul ture would not be the same withdut Hayes. LOU ANN GOOD Food And Family Features Editor HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Sure, only women are members of the Society of Farm Women of Pennsylvania. But that didn’t stop Elvis Presley and Secretary of Agriculture Sam Hayes from appearing at the So ciety’s 84th annual convention on Monday at the Penn Harris Hotel, Harrisburg. The convention mixed fun, en tertainment, and business during the day-long session attended by about 200 of the state society’s 2,181 members. President Catherine Schott from Lebanon County stressed the theme “friends” by inter spersing many quotes about the value of friendships forged through Farm Women member ship. County presidents recapped the past year by reporting activi ties. Much time and energy is spent raising thousands of dollars to help individuals and commu nities. Some of the ways they raised money was by holding bake sales, suppers, Bingo games, operating food stands at fairs and other events, and selling crafts and other items. Members volun teer at local hospitals, food banks, soup kitchens, and other service facilities. They pick up garbage along roadsides and pro vide teddy bears, blankets, and more to abused children. The state society’s most out standing fundraiser is a cookbook with sales of 25,000 books, now in its 13th printing. The profits provide monies for scholarships. This year, scholarship recipients are Karen Lyn Grubb, Berks; Emily Grove, Emme Mellott, and Barbara Reichard from Franklin County; Derick Bollinger, Jessica Latham, and Kevin Pfautz from Lancaster County; Holly Binkley, Timothy Crouse, Sarah Krall, and Tara Zimmerman from Leb anon County; Thomas Ferguson Jr., Somerset; and Michelle Mill er and Amanda Schott from York County. Despite an aging membership, Farm Women continue to perpet uate their motto: “For Happi ness.” In addition to donations to their individual communities, members worked together for the state project Feed the Children and donated $2,044 to food banks. They believe they are County presidents seated from left are Norma Greider, Cumberland; Lorraine Royer, Lebanon; Betty Hearn, Somerset; and Naomi Mest, Oley. Standing from left are Gladys Esbenshade, Lancaster; Leona Stapleton, Huntingdon; Hannah Bender, Cambria; Evelyn Heil, Dauphin; Frances Reichard, Franklin; and Treva Stiles, York. never too old to learn and con ducted sessions on rug weaving, flower arranging, and other crafts. “Most of all, we had fun” was the message reiterated by many county presidents presenting re ports. Concerned about safety in the home and on the farm, the state society lauds county societies that conduct at safety sessions. Recog nized were the following coun ties: Cambria, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Somerset, York, Adams, Berks, and Dau phin. Catherine Schott finished her three-year term as president and installed her successor Becky Swallow from Somerset County. Becky has been a Farm Women member for 23 years and even founded one of the nine societies in her county with 174 members. Becky has been married to Ray mond Swallow for 35 years and he continues to crop farm. They A memorial service in honor of members who died dur ing the past year was conducted by Gladys Esbenshade, Charlotte Stoner, and Phyllis Newcomer. Elvis Presley and the Country Bear doggers provide entertainment. have two children and six grand children. Becky said that her theme for the next three years will be “se cure our future through our youth.” Other officers installed in cluded state directors Betsy Sat tsazahn, Mary Jane Diehl, Betty Wert, Becky Swallow, Sharon Engle, and Lorraine Royer. The afternoon session included a moving account of growing up in worn-torn Poland during World War II by Hildegard Sol lenberger. Now a Cumberland countian, Hildegard told of flee ing from Russian terror, her years as a refugee, and her subse quent move to America. Entertainment was provided by Country Bear doggers of East Berlin. One of the members imi tated “Elvis Presley” in dress and song. The state society will conduct a spring rally May 21 in Franklin County.
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