President Mark Gibbons called the meeting to order at 12:00 Noon EDT.

Chaplain Stephanie Wilkins led the meeting in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

ROLL CALL

Vice-President Leroy Watson, Treasurer Jessie Patrick, Lecturer Amanda Brozana, Chaplain and Flora Stephanie Wilkins, Secretary Richard Weiss, Steward Burton Eller, Pomona and Executive Committee member Cheri Watson, Executive Committee member Joan Smith, Lady Assistant Steward Lorretta Washington, and new member Brandy Bowlby.

 MINUTES

After the reading of the above minutes, Joan Smith moved that they be amended to read “Ag in the Classroom expenses will be covered by the Grange Foundation beginning in 2024. Her motion was seconded and passed. President Gibbons called for a motion to approve the minutes as amended.

Jessie Patrick so moved, and the motion passed.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEES

Legislative 

• Continuing to work with government agencies on rural health issues where there are serious disparities between rural and urban America.
• Lobbying House and Senate to get a bill passed that would have Medicare cover the cost of new blood drop test to discover cancer. It would be very useful in rural areas lacking expensive detection equipment.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Current Operating Fund balance at Truist Bank                    $2,973.03

Current Kile Fund balance at PNC Bank                               $84,309.11

This includes the June distribution to the account of $2,609.00.

An outstanding bill of $962.00 for Joan Smith’s travel to Ag in the Classroom convention will be paid from the fund shortly.

OLD BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

Joan Smith reported that the Ag in the Classroom Awards Breakfast had 554 attendees viewing our presentation. The group included five attendees from Washington, DC.

President Gibbons asked the cost of printing 100,000 Ag in the Classroom Field Guides to get an idea of how much of a contribution it would take to get our logo on the cover.  Joan was not able to get the cost, but the consensus was that given the high quality of the piece, around $30,000,

 and our contribution would probably have be in the $10,000 range. The Field Guide contains five lessons on different aspects of Agriculture.  As students complete each lesson, an award sticker is pasted on a special page. They must complete and pass at least three lessons.

Amanda Brozana questioned the potential ROI of such an investment, and, also, questioned our investing in a non-Grange related organization. This led to discussion of the overall value of our involvement in Ag in the Classroom.

President Gibbons proposed a committee to determine the viability of continuing to pursue Ag in the Classroom and if so, how more effectively. Joan Smith so moved. Amanda Brozana seconded, and the motion passed.

GOOD OF THE ORDER

• Amanda Brozana shared one of the Junior Grange passports that focused on learning more about the American Flag. She also presented the July Year B Heirloom Lesson. She will also send Brandy Bowlby and the other new Members the Welcoming Ceremony text and other relevant information as time did not allow for its presentation at this meeting.
• Resolutions: It was confirmed that Potomac will present the resolution limiting the Assembly of Demeter’s authority to only matters such as the Seventh Degree and gives the Grange Law Committee and Delegates oversite of Assembly motions.

Amanda Brozana moved to adjourn the meeting.  The motion was seconded and passed, and the meeting adjourned at 1:06 p.m. 

NEXT MEETING

Next meeting August 9 at noon.