| As
a result of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposed 2004 - 2005 budget, the Oliver H. Kelley
Farm is proposed to close on June 30, 2003. Now the Minnesota State Legislature
is debating on the Governor's budget proposal and has not reached a final decision
yet. The Kelley farm needs your support now more than it has at any time since
we purchased the farm. Therefore, the National Grange, as a leading organization
to oppose the budget cuts for the Kelley Farm, is gearing up for the petition
drive to urge the MN state Legislature and Minnesota Historical Society to restore
funding for the Kelley Farm! Please
print out the following petition and fill in the complete name and number of your
Grange at the top of the page. Then, please ask the members of your Grange to
sign this petition in the spaces provided. If you need more space for signatures,
please use the back of the petition. If you need additional copies of this petition,
please feel free to print it as many times as you need. When you have collected
the signatures from your Grange, mail it directly to the Minnesota State Historical
Society at the following address: Minnesota
Historical Society
Attn: Save the Kelley Farm!
345 W. Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102-1906 The
Grange has a long history of preserving the Kelley Farm, starting in 1934 when
the National Grange acquired the farm. In 1962, the National Grange donated the
Kelley Farm property to the Minnesota Historical society for the purpose of operating
an authentic 19th Century living history farm that would honor both Grange Founder
Oliver H. Kelley and the millions of pioneer settlers who lived on the frontier.
Today, the Grange helps maintain the Kelley Farm by financially assisting with
the purchase animals and equipment. The Kelley Farm regularly sees six to seven
thousand schoolchildren each year. We must not allow this important teaching farm
to be closed. Click
Here for the Petition Text! 
(If you can't read pdf files please click
here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader)
For your reference:
National
President's letter to MN Sen. Sams
Action
Alert 9 - Oliver H. Kelley Farm in Minnesota Should Stay Open! If
you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst
Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091
or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank you for your grassroots participation
in the National Grange Legislative program. Want
to Subscribe To  ? For
all subscription and circulation inquiries, Contact: Jonathan
Hill. | 
