Seipstown Grange 1657 recently celebrated its 100th anniversary with an award presentation and guest speaker.

The anniversary began with an opening prayer, presentation of the American flag, singing of the national anthem and draping of the charter for the late Hilda Miller by Chaplain Kathy Haas and Ceres Doris Lowell.

Past Master Brian Wetzel served as the master of ceremonies for the evening.

Wetzel, assisted by Past State Grange Master Carl Meiss, presented membership awards to 59 Seipstown Grange members for their years of service.

Some of the members who received awards included Myrtle Horning for 70 years, and Earl Horning, Harry Lictenwalne, and the late Hilda Miller, for 65 years.

Awards were also presented to members for five to 60 years of service to the grange.

In addition, state Rep. Gary Day, R-187th, presented the grange with a citation from the state House of Representatives in honor of its 100th anniversary.

Weisenberg Township Supervisor Linda Gorgas also presented the grange a plaque in recognition of 100 years of dedicated service and being such an important part of the community's history.

The Witty Ditty Girls, local comedians Barb Blose and Judy Readnock, provided entertainment for the evening.

Seipstown Grange Steward Joe Zeller, prior to introducing the evening's speaker, congratulated representatives from Schnecksville, Central and Trexlertown granges for coming forward and speaking briefly at the celebration.

Meiss spoke about the history of granges, how they were chartered and the Seipstown Grange.

He said the National Grange started in 1867, shortly after the Civil War and granges were numbered consecutively as they were charted by the state and National Grange.

"The first grange that was attempted to be chartered in the country was here in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania," Meiss said. "Unfortunately, Brother Oliver Hudson Kelley, who is known as the father of the Grange, collected dues from people to be members of the grange in Harrisburg, but he didn't get the required 13 members and couldn't open a grange there."

He said Kelley, who originally started his journey northward from Washington, D.C., ended in Fredonia, N.Y. where Fredonia Grange No. 1, which was the first grange, opened anywhere.

"Here in Pennsylvania, it took a few more years," Meiss said. "The State Grange wasn't charted until 1873, but our first grange is Eagle Grange No. 1 in Lycoming County. That grange is still open and active today."

He said Seipstown Grange was the 1,657 grange opened.

"Today, we have over 2,000 granges that have been opened within the state, but we only have approximately 230 active granges remaining here in Pennsylvania," Meiss said. "We are still the No. 2 state for the number of granges and with the highest number of members only second to the state of Washington.

"We have evolved from an organization that just represents farmers to being an agricultural and rural advocacy organization as well as a very, very energetic community service organization," he stated. "I think today in all our communities we see that more and more.

"That is one of the reasons especially here in Pennsylvania we see new granges.

Meiss said it is nice to visit a grange at anytime but particularly when members are celebrating an anniversary.

Meiss ended by stating, he has confidence in the Seipstown Grange, that it will see its 110 anniversary and he looks forward to attending that celebration.

During closing, Ann Wertman shared her finds from the Grange's 26th year of participating in the Keep Pa. Beautiful and Adopt-a-Highway cleanup of Route 100.

Seipstown Grange's anniversary celebration closed with a fellowship hour and refreshments in the basement of the grange.