What Is The Tigard Grange?
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The Grange (officially known as "The Order of Patrons of Husbandry") is a fraternal organization with a rich history and a highly visible community presence in the United States. (For historical information, choose the "Grange History" section on the navigation bar at the top.)
The organization is a perfect example of a grass-roots, bottom-up group. The backbone of the Grange is the more than 3,000 local "subordinate" Granges which are located in more than 30 states. The Tigard Grange is one of these "subordinate" Granges. Many of these Granges offer a wide range of locally-oriented programs and activities for children, youth and adults. Each of these "subordinate" Granges holds regular meetings where issues of community concern are often discussed. Social events, contests and community service projects are sponsored by many of these "subordinate" Granges.
In all honesty, the Tigard Grange has offered such programs to its members or to the surrounding community only infrequently in recent years. We're waiting only for you and your friends to join, bringing your fresh ideas, willing hands and feet. Most of the social activities being conducted at/in the Tigard Grange facility are those conducted by our various renters.
On the county or regional level these local "subordinate" Granges band together into units known as Pomona Granges, primarily for discussion of concerns which affect a larger territory. On the statewide level Granges cooperate by supporting a State Grange organization which oversees the activities of all "subordinate" Granges and conducts lobbying and other activities on behalf of all members in the state.
The National Grange is situated in its own office building just a couple of blocks from the White House. National programs are headquartered there and lobbying staff is active on Capitol Hill.
The Grange at each level (including the Tigard Grange) is guided by 16 elected officers. The officer slate at each level is led by a master. This title, which refers to the position functioning as the organization's president or chairperson, is one of several officer names dating back to the feudal English estates. The vice president is called the overseer and there are people assuming the duties of secretary, treasurer, chaplain and an executive committee. A lecturer is responsible for the short programs at each meeting and, often, the Grange's community service program.
The Grange, like the Masons, Odd Fellows, Elks and Moose, is a fraternal organization. One distinctive feature of fraternal orders is their emphasis upon traditional procedures for conducting their meetings. These procedures, often called rituals, employ members who have specific parts to play in opening and closing ceremonies. The Grange, like other fraternities, has levels or "degrees" of membership and a member advances from one level to the next by participating in or observing the rituals for that level. Today, many "subordinate" Granges, including the Tigard Grange, have largely discarded the traditional procedures in favor of informal styles for the conduct of meetings. At the Tigard Grange, we use the traditional formal style only on special occasions.
Joining a local Grange is a positive step which can bring many personal rewards. Prospective members are recommended by existing members but, in actuality, anyone interested in joining merely needs to approach a member and ask for an application.
The Grange has the historical distinction as being one of the first major national organizations besides the church which sought the membership and involvement of everyone in the family. Grange members have an equal voice and an equal vote at meetings regardless of their age, sex or position within the Grange. Children ages five through 16 are eligible to belong to a Junior Grange, whether or not they come from a Grange family. Tigard Grange does not currently have its own Junior Grange. The only Junior Grange in the area of Tigard Grange is the Junior Grange associated with the nearby Kinton Grange. Our interested juniors affiliate with Kinton's Junior Grange.
The Grange provides numerous benefits for its members. Grange Advantage, a program of the National Grange, offers credit card, college selection services and other money- saving programs.
But perhaps more than anything else, the Grange's interest and involvement in legislative action sets it apart from all other fraternities, service and family organizations. Since its earliest years, the Grange has included legislative involvement — from a strictly non-partisan position — as one of its distinctive characteristics. All policies which the Grange fights for on the local, state and national levels are decided upon by the grass-roots membership.
The Grange (officially known as "The Order of Patrons of Husbandry") is a fraternal organization with a rich history and a highly visible community presence in the United States. (For historical information, choose the "Grange History" section on the navigation bar at the top.)
The organization is a perfect example of a grass-roots, bottom-up group. The backbone of the Grange is the more than 3,000 local "subordinate" Granges which are located in more than 30 states. The Tigard Grange is one of these "subordinate" Granges. Many of these Granges offer a wide range of locally-oriented programs and activities for children, youth and adults. Each of these "subordinate" Granges holds regular meetings where issues of community concern are often discussed. Social events, contests and community service projects are sponsored by many of these "subordinate" Granges.
In all honesty, the Tigard Grange has offered such programs to its members or to the surrounding community only infrequently in recent years. We're waiting only for you and your friends to join, bringing your fresh ideas, willing hands and feet. Most of the social activities being conducted at/in the Tigard Grange facility are those conducted by our various renters.
On the county or regional level these local "subordinate" Granges band together into units known as Pomona Granges, primarily for discussion of concerns which affect a larger territory. On the statewide level Granges cooperate by supporting a State Grange organization which oversees the activities of all "subordinate" Granges and conducts lobbying and other activities on behalf of all members in the state.
The National Grange is situated in its own office building just a couple of blocks from the White House. National programs are headquartered there and lobbying staff is active on Capitol Hill.
The Grange at each level (including the Tigard Grange) is guided by 16 elected officers. The officer slate at each level is led by a master. This title, which refers to the position functioning as the organization's president or chairperson, is one of several officer names dating back to the feudal English estates. The vice president is called the overseer and there are people assuming the duties of secretary, treasurer, chaplain and an executive committee. A lecturer is responsible for the short programs at each meeting and, often, the Grange's community service program.
The Grange, like the Masons, Odd Fellows, Elks and Moose, is a fraternal organization. One distinctive feature of fraternal orders is their emphasis upon traditional procedures for conducting their meetings. These procedures, often called rituals, employ members who have specific parts to play in opening and closing ceremonies. The Grange, like other fraternities, has levels or "degrees" of membership and a member advances from one level to the next by participating in or observing the rituals for that level. Today, many "subordinate" Granges, including the Tigard Grange, have largely discarded the traditional procedures in favor of informal styles for the conduct of meetings. At the Tigard Grange, we use the traditional formal style only on special occasions.
Joining a local Grange is a positive step which can bring many personal rewards. Prospective members are recommended by existing members but, in actuality, anyone interested in joining merely needs to approach a member and ask for an application.
The Grange has the historical distinction as being one of the first major national organizations besides the church which sought the membership and involvement of everyone in the family. Grange members have an equal voice and an equal vote at meetings regardless of their age, sex or position within the Grange. Children ages five through 16 are eligible to belong to a Junior Grange, whether or not they come from a Grange family. Tigard Grange does not currently have its own Junior Grange. The only Junior Grange in the area of Tigard Grange is the Junior Grange associated with the nearby Kinton Grange. Our interested juniors affiliate with Kinton's Junior Grange.
The Grange provides numerous benefits for its members. Grange Advantage, a program of the National Grange, offers credit card, college selection services and other money- saving programs.
But perhaps more than anything else, the Grange's interest and involvement in legislative action sets it apart from all other fraternities, service and family organizations. Since its earliest years, the Grange has included legislative involvement — from a strictly non-partisan position — as one of its distinctive characteristics. All policies which the Grange fights for on the local, state and national levels are decided upon by the grass-roots membership.
2013 Officers
Master: Mark Schnetzky
Overseer: Orrin Schnetzky
Steward: Andrew Cousineau
Gatekeeper: Gregory Bartels
Secretary: Julie Schnetzky
Treasurer: Phil Yount
Asst. Steward: Steve Cousineau
Lady Asst. Steward: Jessica Cousineau
Chaplain: Ruth Graham
Lecturer: Nancy Newcomb
Ceres: Kiri Daufel
Flora: Lorisa Schnetzky
Pamona: Christina Hiestand
Executive Committee: Steve Cousineau, Lorisa Schnetzky, Phil Yount
Overseer: Orrin Schnetzky
Steward: Andrew Cousineau
Gatekeeper: Gregory Bartels
Secretary: Julie Schnetzky
Treasurer: Phil Yount
Asst. Steward: Steve Cousineau
Lady Asst. Steward: Jessica Cousineau
Chaplain: Ruth Graham
Lecturer: Nancy Newcomb
Ceres: Kiri Daufel
Flora: Lorisa Schnetzky
Pamona: Christina Hiestand
Executive Committee: Steve Cousineau, Lorisa Schnetzky, Phil Yount