North Carolina, Massachusetts Ambassadors Selected as National Grange Mentors

In a close competition, Caroline Tart of North Carolina and Christopher Szkutak of Massachusetts were selected as the 2009 National Grange Mentors. 

The announcement was made during the Evening of Excellence during the National Grange’s 143^rd annual meeting at the Amway Grand Plaza, here.

 

Caroline Tart is a freshman at North Caroline Sate University majoring in agriculture education and communication. Her activities include both state Grange and FFA where she has served in multiple leadership positions for both. In her spare time, she enjoys attending concerts, playing volleyball, attending North Carolina State football games and hanging out with friends. Her parents are Sandra and Denny Tart of Goldsboro. She is a member of Grantham Grange #968. In the state Grange youth program, she is a member of the youth executive committee, leadership team, and planning committee for the winter youth conference and youth grange camp.

Christopher Szkutak has been noted as saying he was “born in a Grange Hall and never left.” Because of his family’s activities in the Grange, he has been Grange member since 2002. He is the grandson of Massachusetts State Master Floyd Murphy and Shirley Murphy. His parents are Robert and Diane Szkutak of Northbridge, Mass. Szkutak is a senior at Holly Cross with a double major of political science and mathematics. After graduation he hopes to get his doctorate in political science focusing on campaigns and elections. In his spare time, he tutors elementary school children. As ambassador, he has attended state youth department events.

As mentors, Tart and Szkutak will represent the National Grange Youth Department for the next year. Their duties will include assist in planning youth activities for the 2010 National Session, participate in the 50^th Anniversary Celebration for the National Grange Building, and promote the programs of the National Grange Youth Department.

 
The selection process included earning a minimum of an 80 percent on the National Grange Trivia Challenge and completing an interview process.

The announcement of the 2009 mentor appointment was made by the outgoing National Mentors Gail Switzer of Pennsylvania and Cody Stevens of North Carolina.

The National Grange Youth program is sponsored by the National Grange, Order of the Patrons of Husbandry. The program is for youth and young adults between the ages of 14 and 35. The National Grange is the nation's oldest general farm and rural public interest organization. Originally founded in 1867, today the Grange represents nearly 200,000 grassroots Grange members affiliated with 2,700 local, county and state Grange chapters located in 40 states. Grange members provide service to agriculture and rural communities on a wide variety of issues, including economic development, education, family endeavors, and legislation designed to assure a strong and viable rural America.

For more information on Grange youth programs, visit www.nationalgrangeyouth.org.

The Right Health Care Reform Needed - Pfizer Executive Says Grassroots Organizations Like the Grange Must Play a Role

(Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 19, 2009) – Janet McUlsky, Senior Director of Alliance Development for Pfizer, Inc., told attendees of the 143 rd National Grange Convention being held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel that “love him or hate him, you have to agree with President Obama that this country needs health care reform. Thirty-million uninsured in the United States is unacceptable.” Ms. McUlsky conditioned her endorsement of health care reform on the basis that it needs to be the right kind of health care reform.

“The U.S. has a ‘sick care’ health care system, which focuses on disease, not on wellness,” she opined. McUlsky pointed out that 75% of health care expenditures in the United States go toward curing core diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease and that, as a nation, we are not very wellness conscious. Obesity is a major problem in the United States and we are not a very exercise orientated population.

To insure that health care reform includes focus on wellness, grassroots organizations such as the Grange and Rotary need to remain active even after passage of a bill by Congress. McUlsky pointed out that, in spite of its nearly 2,000 pages, the health care reform bill now in the Senate leaves many, many decisions up to regulatory bodies and that is where the going gets tough. Advocacy organizations like the Grange know very well who their Congressmen are, but many do not have any idea who to talk to at the regulatory agencies. McUlsky urged Grange members to continue to talk to their Congressional representatives at the local level while the Washington staff targeted regulatory leaders.

While taking questions after her remarks, McUlsky related some of her own health care experiences and the importance of taking responsibility for her own health. “People have to do what they need to do to stay healthy,” she stressed.

National Grange Honors "Heroes of the Grange"

(Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 18, 2009) – Eight National Grange members were honored as “Heroes of the Grange” at the 143rd National Grange convention held in Grand Rapids Michigan this week. These individuals were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Grange.

The first recipients of this prestigious award are Wib and June Justi for their work as coordinators of the Grange Germany/USA Friendship Program. In 1950 the National Grange initiated the Grange Germany/USA Friendship Program (GG/USA). Under this program, more than 500 farm youth from Germany and other ravaged European nations were brought to the United States and placed with Grange farm families for one year to directly experience the benefits of freedom, prosperity and democracy.

Mr. Justi coordinated the GG/USA program from 1950 through 1966 as part of his assignments as a staff member of the National Grange. His wife June served as a volunteer assistant with the program. Since his retirement from the National Grange in 1966 Mr. and Mrs. Justi have served as volunteer coordinators for the GG/USA alumni program continuing to achieve the program goals of building international goodwill, friendship and understanding. In a world that continues to experience continual conflict, the history of the GG/USA program demonstrates that two people working with quiet perseverance can still positively touch the lives of thousands of people around the world. After receiving the award, Mr. Justis stated, “One word…courage. Please think of the word courage when you think of the German exchanges in the GG/USA program and their American host families when they accepted one another at a time immediately after WWII. This tribute is for these people.”

Next honored were Ted and Zula Bryan who traveled to Alaska to organize a State Grange pausing only to work at an information booth at the Kenai Peninsula State Fair . In addition to organizing the Alaska State Grange they are currently one of the two couples who serve as the Directors of the Washington State Membership Department and are getting new members and revitalizing Granges all across the State of Washington. Ted Bryan stated, We try to carry the Grange message and give people who have never heard of the Grange the opportunity to be a Grange member and belong to this great organization.”

Marge Bernhardt, Connecticut State Grange’s Lecturer (educational coordinator), is unquestionably a valuable resource for Lecturers in her state as well as throughout the New England region. She is extremely talented and dedicated to equipping fellow Lecturers with the things they need to be a valuable asset to their own Grange. In addition to her other accomplishments, she leads a training workshop every year at the New England Lecturers’ Conference.

Jessica Horton was the next honored “Grange Hero” as a Membership Director for the North Carolina State Grange for 2 years where she has been a key asset in growing the organization. She has organized 3 new Granges including the formation of a Youth Grange. She has also helped organize a Pomona Grange which encompasses 3 counties and 4 Granges. Jessica is a constant support for local Granges by leading membership rallies, giving presentations on Grange membership growth and helping lead a weekend-long state officer’s meeting focused on goals set forth by the National President. She has initiated innovative public relations and recruiting efforts by networking at a local farmer’s market, county extension office, and agricultural teacher’s conference.

Next honored Jack Cottrell Brother Jack Cottrell, who for 10 years has been the manager of a Grange Store that operates during the annual Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts. The exposition is the largest fair in the New England region. The Grange store specializes in selling over 60 different specialty foods products and homemade crafts. More than 75 Grange volunteers annually donate time during the 17-day fair to work at the Grange Store, to manage the sale of raffle tickets and to be promotional Grange Ambassadors.

The last “Hero of the Grange” award went to Carl Meiss, Communications/Public Relations Director for the Pennsylvania State Grange. Carl is proactive when it comes to Facebook, Twitter, and his own State Grange blog. As the National Grange Communications Department takes steps to move the National Organization into the 21 st Century with the newest communications technologies, Pennsylvania with Carl at the helm, will lead the charge.

National Grange President concluded the award luncheon by stating, “I am tremendously honored to be at the podium to present these individual as “Heroes of the Grange.” They each deserve the award bestowed upon them and we applaud their ongoing efforts to live by example and promote this wonderful organization.”

National Grange President Calls on Congress to Halt Deficit Increases

Offers Grange as Neutral Ground in Political Debate

  

(Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 17, 2009) – National Grange President Ed Luttrell of Sandy, Oregon, in his keynote address to the 143 rd National Grange Convention, called on the U.S. Congress to “halt the increases of the federal deficit and to begin the process to shrink the deficit over the coming years.” Addressing an audience of approximately 500 delegates and visitors in the Amway Grand Plaza’s Ambassador Ballroom, Luttrell pointed out that the deficit for the year just completed is three times more than the level of the previous annual record and that 28 of every 100 dollars spent in the United States last year was spent by the federal government. “The size of our current and projected national debt as a proportion of our national income defies historical comparisons, even compared to those debts we incurred when our nation fought for four long years to defeat world fascism…” Luttrell stated.

Luttrell claimed that Cap and Trade legislation will add dramatically to U.S. energy costs and that the proposed health care reform bill is estimated to add two trillion dollars to the deficit. “The question each American needs to ask is ‘how much can we afford?’ ” he continued. Targeting health care reform, Luttrell said that U.S. citizenship does not ensure a wide variety of entitlements and that giving someone something free means taking it from someone else who earned it. He challenged the concept of taxing the wealthy and future generations to pay for new public programs. “When a person becomes more successful, should we require them to pay a higher percentage of their income to support government? Should we punish those who achieve too much success? Should we punish those not yet born or not yet participating in the workforce and who cannot vote for themselves, with a future of higher taxes to pay down the debt we incur for our personal benefit today? How will we define too much government benefit?” he asked.

 
In his speech, Luttrell characterized today’s political environment as one in which “winning for our side,” is all that counts and not one in which sober contemplation and debate create consensus. “It appears that many people are becoming less civil and less tolerant of differences, especially political differences,” he stated. He talked about communications and media that are not necessarily balanced or accurate. He spoke of the media demonizing America’s large companies, often for political purposes, and pointed out how those companies employ thousands and create income for such things as college education and retirement. He accused the same media of often ignoring the ethical breaches of our elected officials and not holding them to a higher standard.

Amidst this polarized political world, Luttrell offered up the Grange as a non-partisan, neutral place where people can discuss issues in a non-adversarial mode. He portrayed the Grange as one of the “few places in American communities that can bring together as diverse a variety of views while striving to keep friendships and personal relationships after the discussion.” He pointed out that the Grange does not affiliate with any political party and does not endorse individual candidates for political office. He went on to say that the Grange is not afraid of getting into the big issues and often, due to its non-partisanship, bucks the prevailing trend. He even referenced former Grange member Robert Frost’s “The Road Less Traveled.” “We often walk a lonely path with our non-partisan principal, a path we have walked for 142 years, but we bring people with different perspectives and beliefs together to build our communities, our states and our nation” Luttrell concluded.

"Sustain the Legacy. Keep Agriculture and Rural America Vital

MSU Associate Dean Tells Grange, "We Need You."

  

(Grand Rapids, MI., November 16, 2009) – Frank Fear, Michigan State University Associate Dean in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, told an audience gathered for the National Grange’s 143 rd Convention Host Banquet in the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, that agriculture and rural America need the Grange in order to remain vital and relevant during these days of budget cuts and rearranged government priorities.

Dr. Fear revealed that a 44% budget cut is forcing the dismantling of extension service at Michigan State University. “When the University President called, I at first thought he said four-percent or even 14%, but, no, it was 44%,” Fear stated. He explained that the extension service simply could not be sustained under that drastic of a budget cut. He did not blame anyone for the cuts, pointing out that the state of Michigan has the nation’s highest unemployment rate and that one of eight Michigan residents has needed food bank assistance at one time or another. But given the rearrangement of government priorities, “Will rural America be left behind?” he questioned.

As the advocacy organization for Agriculture and rural America, the Grange has an important role to play in keeping agriculture and rural America vital parts of our society. The Grange’s commitment to developing responsible leaders, its grassroots presence and policy development, and its non-partisanship are all “intelligent, timely, and relevant” attributes. “We need the Grange,” he declared. The Grange can make sure that rural America is not left out when priorities are being set.

Dr. Fear harkened back to his days growing up on a farm in western New York. He spoke of how, because of land-grant colleges, he was able to get the education that his parents were not able to obtain. He also spoke of the important role the Grange played in protecting and nurturing rural America. The land-grant college system established in 1855 and the Grange established in 1867 are “tied together and dedicated to rural America and its people,” he stated. “We inherited the legacy. Now it is our responsibility to sustain it,” he concluded.

Luttrell Reelected National Grange President - Many Reelections in Full Slate of Officers

(Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 20, 2009) – Ed Luttrell, Oregon businessman has been elected to a second term as National Grange President.  Originally elected President in November 2007, during his first term, Luttrell has concentrated on new Grange formation and strengthening ties between Sate and National levels of the organization in order to aid Community Granges in achieving their goals. Several new Granges have been formed during his tenure.  The Grange is meeting this week in Grand Rapids, Michigan for its 143rd annual convention.

Mr. Luttrell has extensive Grange experience including Oregon State Master from 1996-2000, when he also served as a lobbyist for the Grange.  His Grange accomplishments started in 1978 when he was named Oregon’s Outstanding Young Granger.  He served on the Oregon State Grange Membership Committee from 1986 to 1988 and was Oregon State Gatekeeper from 1988 to 1992.  He and his wife Celia were Oregon State Grange Outstanding Young Couple in 1989.  Ed served as State Youth Director from 1990 to 1992 and as Editor of the Oregon Grange Bulletin from 1992 to 1996. In the past, he has served on the boards of the Oregon Lands Coalition, Grange Mutual Insurance Company, and Timberland States Insurance Company.
   
Ed grew up on a small farm outside of Portland and has worked in agriculture, automotive services, and publishing.  He and Celia, his wife of 29 years, have three grown children: Ben, Jacob, and Charlotte, as well has one grandson.  They are members of the Boring-Damascus Grange #260 and Clackamas Pomona Grange.

Reelected to the post of Grange Vice-President is Jimmy Gentry of Statesville, North Carolina.  Gentry is current President of the North Carolina State Grange and a member of the National Grange Executive Board.  He and his wife, Anita, are members of North Carolina’s Troutman Grange.  The Gentrys, who have two grown daughters, are also active in the Troutman Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Reflecting satisfaction with the current Grange direction, delegates from the 40 Grange states reelected many current officers.  The full slate of Grange officers is as follows.

Lecturer – Pete Pompper, President, New Jersey State Grange
Steward – William “Chip” Narvel, President, Delaware State Grange
Assistant Steward – reelected, Roger Boswick, President Kansas State Grange
Lady Assistant Steward – reelected, Beth Merrill, President, New Hampshire State Grange
Chaplain – reelected, Phyllis Wilson, President, Oregon State Grange
Treasurer – Dwight Baldwin, President, Iowa State Grange
Secretary – Judy Sherrod, President, Tennessee State Grange
Gatekeeper – Scott Sherman, President, Rhode Island State Grange
Ceres – Linda Chase, First Lady, Massachusetts State Grange
Pomona – reelected, Linda Lewis, Past First Lady, California State Grange
Flora – Patti Lee, First Lady, Illinois State Grange
Executive Committee – reelected, Phil Prelli, Past President, Connecticut State Grange
Executive Committee – Joe Fryman, President, Nebraska State Grange
High Priest of Demeter – Thomas Severance of Massachusetts
Priest Archon – reelected, Daniel Bascom of New Hampshire
Priest Annalist – reelected, Bruce Croucher of New York

Introducing Homer’s new Grange

Almost a year ago, a small group in Homer began to explore the possibilities of developing a Grange to create and preserve sustainable ways of life within our community. At that time, 12 Granges had already been established in Alaska.

Since then, we have had continued support from the National Grange in Washington, D.C. and the State Grange of Alaska. On both levels, leaders have patiently and diligently worked with us as we have journeyed forward toward getting an official charter here in Homer.

During our first meeting, we were honored to meet Ted and Zula Bryan, Ambassadors with the Washington State Grange, along with Gaye Hunt, the President of the Alaska State Grange. These leaders addressed the history of the Grange and how it has evolved over the years to support grassroots projects all across the nation.

Last week, we were finally presented with our official charter by Gaye Hunt, along with Ed Luttrell, President of the National Grange. We were also able to meet Rusty Hunt, the leadership membership director of the Grange. He is a dedicated individual who helps bring individuals together to create teams of people who wish to better their communities.

Homer is now the 13th Grange located in Alaska. One of our priorities is to further educate others in the community as to how they can become involved and share their own concerns and ideas. We will be doing our best to discuss upcoming events about our new Grange through newspapers and radio stations.

As of now, you can find more information about the Alaska State Grange at www.alaskagrange.org, or the National Grange at www.nationalgrange.org. We are in the process of developing a local Web site to create a public forum of our own.

Eartha Lee

Alaska Trip

I had three great meetings in Alaska last week. Gaye Hunt, State Master, did a great job of setting things up and contributed to each meeting.

The first meeting on Monday evening was in Palmer with Northland Pioneer and Greater Anchorage Granges. We had a good turn out and the discussion focused on what could be done to revitalize their Granges as well as where new Granges could be started.

A lot of good questions were asked and the group decided that they wanted a Grange Growth Summit to be held next March. They suggested three locations for possible new Granges and talked about what needed to be done to get ready for next March.

On Tuesday I got some work done and that afternoon Rusty and I headed down to Kenai. On Wednesday morning, we had the opportunity to go out salmon fishing on the Kenai river with guide David Wilson (208.659.3483 or letsfish05@yahoo.com). This four-hour fishing trip was arranged by a member of Slikok Creek Grange. First time fishing in Alaska and caught my first Silver.

The next meeting was in Kenai on Wednesday evening with Slikok Creek Grange. Don and Alice McKee from Fairbanks came down for the two meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. This meeting was spent discussing how to get things moving in the Grange. The group, once again, asked a lot of questions. The results were positive with the members deciding to have a pancake breakfast in November as their next project.

Thursday evening's meeting was in Homer. In addition to the McKees, Steve (Master) and Linda Albers from Slikok Creek were present. We started the meeting with the presentation of the Charter. Then a presentation on several Grange issues were made by Rusty and myself. Two possible large projects were presented and the members discussed both. Both projects were adopted by the new Grange and the meeting ended with a group photo.

This trip was one of the best I've had to Alaska in positive attitude, action being started, and so many members that I hadn't met before. Picture is of the Homer members, their new charter, Rusty and I.

A Grange Future at Universities?

Currently the only Collegiate Grange in the country, Penn State Grange is showing that Granges can thrive in an environment outside of the traditional Grange Hall. Chartered last year as a fully functioning Grange, they meet like any other student organization on campus and have their own faculty advisor, Scott Barbara. Pennsylvania State Grange is quite proud. "Jennifer Nauss, Master of the Penn State Grange #2105, has done a fantastic job of organizing this Grange and guiding it to where they are today as well as planning for the future," said Carl Meiss, Pennsylvania State Grange Public Relations Director.

Read more about Penn State Grange's success here.

Is there a college community near you that could benefit from a Grange presence? Contact Membership Director Rusty Hunt at membership@nationalgrange.org.