2012 -- S 2818

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LC02243

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING AND CONGRATULATING MEMBERS OF THE RHODE ISLAND STATE

GRANGE ON THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, P Fogarty, Tassoni, Ottiano, and Doyle

     Date Introduced: March 21, 2012

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

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     WHEREAS, The oldest national agriculture organization in the United States, the

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National Grange, was established in 1867. Currently, there are 2,700 units, located in forty states,

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with 200,000 active members, providing a vast array of services to agricultural and rural areas;

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and

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     WHEREAS, One hundred twenty-five years ago, on March 18th of 1887, the first Rhode

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Island Grange, consisting of thirty-one men and sixteen women, was formed in South

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Kingstown.  Within a year, fifteen additional Granges, with a membership of 514, had formed

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across the state; and

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     WHEREAS, On November 10th of 1887, the Rhode Island State Grange was duly

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organized, holding its first annual meeting at Blackstone Hall in Providence. Present were

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twenty-four delegates, representing the first 15 organized Subordinate Granges; and

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     WHEREAS, Currently, Rhode Island has twenty Subordinate and four Pomona Granges

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across the state. Since its inception, Grange members participated in a panoply of worthwhile

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community service projects, including the purchase of Watson Farm and later, with land grant

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funds, an Agricultural School that became part of the institution we today know as the University

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of Rhode Island; and

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     WHEREAS, Members of the Rhode Island Grange have a passionate commitment to the

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Grange and to their communities. Their myriad altruistic endeavors have distinguished the

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Grange as an organization worthy of our utmost admiration and gratitude; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby celebrates and congratulates members of the Rhode Island State Grange on the 125th

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Anniversary of this fine organization’s founding.  We furthermore commend Grange members for

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their many contributions to the betterment of our state; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Stephen Logan, Master/President of the

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Rhode Island State Grange.

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LC02243

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