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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER
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Seipstown Grange 1657 continues sharing with community

Published December 28. 2023 11:43AM

By ANN WERTMAN

Special to The Press

The 108-year-old Seipstown Grange 1657, like many other nonprofit organizations across this state and nation finds its group dwindling in membership numbers, however, its presence is as big as ever in community service.

Looking back at 2023, Seipstown Grange shared more than $9,000 with the community and neighbors in need.

In addition, without a financial value to attach, the Grange, joined by concerned community volunteers, continues twice each year to benefit both the environment and beauty of the Northwestern Lehigh area with litter removal from the eight mile stretch of Route 100 between Fogelsville and Route 309, initiated in 1990.

Financial donations to nonprofits this year included the Northwestern Lehigh Veterans Memorial, Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley; and the volunteer fire companies of New Tripoli, Fogelsville, Lynnport, Germansville and Weisenberg Township.

In addition donations were presented to the Lowhill Food Pantry, as well as its Weekend Children’s Food Program; Weisenberg-Lowhill and Lynn-Heidelberg historical societies; The Sanctuary at Haafsville and NOVA and Cetronia ambulance corps.

Carrying on a long time tradition, the Grange also awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Northwestern Lehigh graduating senior Erin Schock as she pursues a degree in environmental sciences.

The Grange also assisted local residents in need and supported many state and national Grange programs benefiting agriculture and rural America.

The partnership between the Grange and PennDOT for the Adopt-A-Highway program earned Lehigh County’s 2023 Unsung Heroes Award for crew members 60 years of age and older for outstanding community volunteerism as awarded by the Office of Aging and Adult Services.

Rounding out the 2023 team were Glenn Reeder, Pat Pavelco, Grant and Jill Mertz, Shannon and Ryan Smedstad, Allison Leander-Kucsan, Richard and Cheryl Hausman, Phil Rossetto, Greg Snider, Program Coordinator Ann Wertman and first year volunteers Lori Nelson, Darlene Williams, Rachel Schulley, Darlene Smith and Robin German.

PennDOT applauded the Seipstown Grange group as holding Lehigh County’s title for the longest adopted route and length of service.

Anyone wanting to assist with this program should contact Ann Wertman at annawertman@verizon.net or by calling 610-298-3254.

PRESS PHOTO COURTESY ANN WERTMAN Braving the heat and elements, community volunteers Darlene Williams, Rachel Schulley and Lori Nelson are all very excited to assist Seipstown Grange's more than 30-year litter cleanup program for the first time in 2023, just north of Windy Road along Route 100.
Community volunteer Darlene Smith was eager to join the Seipstown Grange's litter crew in 2023. PRESS PHOTO COURTESY ROBIN GERMAN
Community volunteer Robin German donned a safety vest to join the Seipstown Grange litter crew this year. PRESS PHOTO COURTESY DARLENE SMITH
PRESS PHOTO COURTESY GLORIA ZIMMERMAN Seipstown Grange presents a $500 check for both the Lowhill Church Food Pantry and their Weekend Children's Food Program. Pantry Food Procurement Chair Bev Kistler, Director Marci Reinert and Seipstown Grange Lecturer Ann Wertman attended the presentation.
PRESS PHOTO COURTESY SANCTUARY AT HAAFSVILLE Seipstown Grange officers Deb Hardiman and (right) Myrtle Horning present a $500 check to (center) Sanctuary at Haafsville staff member Karla Parker.