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Grange Elects New Officers at 136th
Annual Convention in Portland Portland, Ore. – The
National Grange elected one new member to its Board of Directors and two new ceremonial
officers at the 136th National Grange Annual Convention where the oldest grassroots
advocacy organization in the nation is meeting to evaluate dramatic new initiatives. Since
1999, the National Grange has been re-evaluating old programs and developing dynamic
new programs designed to re-structure the Grange into a more vital and significant
community organization while retaining its historic traditions. Kevin Klenklen
of Ozawkie, Kan. was elected to the Board of Directors for a two-year term. Although
his first national office, Klenklen was most recently president of the Kansas
State Grange. Klenklen assured the delegates at the convention that he supported
changes that would open the Grange up to more community service opportunities
and attract new members. “Growth is critical if the Grange is going to continue
to make itself relevant to the individual and family needs in such a constantly
changing world,” he said. “The Grange has become more flexible
in its traditional century-old procedures, but additional changes need to be made,”
Klenklen said. “The Grange Renewal programs now in place need to be fully
supported and Grange members at the community level allowed to explore new programs
to serve its communities.” Also elected to offices that are a part
of the ceremonial history of the Grange, were Mary Hunt, Coulee City, Wash., to
the office of Ceres, and Judy McCann, Tonkawa, Okla., elected to the Pomona position.
Hunt was recently reelected to another four-year term on the Douglas, Wash. County
Commission. The National Grange is this nation’s oldest general farm
and rural public interest organization. Founded in 1867, today the Grange represents
nearly 3,000 local, county and state Grange chapters across the country. ### | 
