NY Grange Convention In Otsego County
For First Time Since 1935; 200 To Attend
ONEONTA – The Otsego County Pomona Grange will host the state Grange’s four-day annual convention Friday-Tuesday Oct. 24-28 at the Holiday Inn Southside.
This is the first time that the state Grange annual meeting has been held in Otsego County since 1935.
It is expected to attract 200 Grangers from around the state, according to Roger Halbert, president, Gilbertsville Grange and state Grange secretary.
The kick-off banquet will be Friday, Oct. 24. Reservations must be made with Shirley Tabor, County Master, at 547-5955, or by mail at 353 Rezen Road, Roseboom 13450 no later than Sept. 15. Checks in the amount of $25 are to be made payable to New York State Grange, along with one’s choice of entrée (roast beef, chicken cordon bleu, or oven baked haddock).
Halbert will emcee; “Big Chuck” D’Imperio, WDOS radio celebrity, will be speaker. Along with the State Lecturer’s program by Sharon Croucher, the locally known Remnant Singers will perform Friday evening.
Another highlight is the conferral of the Degree of Flora, the Sixth Degree, which officially makes a one a member of the State Grange. The Sixth Degree conferral will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25.
Candidates for this degree must have completed the Fifth Degree, the obligation of which will be given twice in this area, on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Pierstown Grange Hall, outside of Cooperstown, or at the Holiday Inn, Oneonta, on Saturday, Oct. 25, both dates at 7 p.m. Tickets for the Sixth Degree, a one-time $10 fee, can be obtained from Tabor at 547-5955 or Halbert at 783-2691. Grange members are encouraged to purchase the ticket prior to October 25.
Most of the action on legislative work will take place on Sunday afternoon and Monday of the convention.
The Small Town Big Band, featuring music of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s will play for listening and dancing enjoyment at 7 p.m., Sunday the 26th. The convention concludes on Tuesday, October 28.