HR0689 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0689 LRB103 40213 ECR 72087 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Turkey Hill Grange on the 150-year anniversary of its founding; and

WHEREAS, The Turkey Hill Grange is a family fraternal community service organization with special interest in agriculture; and

WHEREAS, Oliver H. Kelley and six co-founders started the Grange movement in the U.S. in 1867; the Turkey Hill Grange was chartered in 1874 with 19 members, including 15 men and four women, making this Grange the first to require both men and women as members; and

WHEREAS, The first meetings of the Turkey Hill Grange were held at the homes of the charter members, and the first Turkey Hill Grange hall was built in 1885; and

WHEREAS, After the first Turkey Hill Grange hall burned down on January 28, 1904, a committee quickly drew up plans for a second building; the first meeting in the new two-story frame structure was held on November 24, 1904; and

WHEREAS, A fund to build a new third hall was started on May 23, 1924, and the first meeting in the third and current building was held on July 19, 1937; and

WHEREAS, An elevator, four accessible restrooms, and a paved parking lot were added to the building in 2004, and the dining room and kitchen were renovated in 2023; and

WHEREAS, There are over 130 members of the Turkey Hill Grange, ranging in age from 14 to nearly 100, with a variety of backgrounds; and

WHEREAS, To assist with finances, the Turkey Hill Grange hosts a Wurstmarkt and an annual chicken dinner and ham and peach dinner, all of which are major sources of income; and

WHEREAS, The Turkey Hill Grange is an active participant in local Farmers' Markets and makes its facilities available to the local community for meetings, funeral meals, and other events; and

WHEREAS, Each year, the Turkey Hill Grange recognizes an outstanding teacher, law enforcement officer, firefighter, and community servant who are all non-members; its quilters also typically create 10 Quilts of Valor a year to award to veterans; and

WHEREAS, The Turkey Hill Grange sponsors a 4H Club and an American Heritage Troop and supports many Belleville community activities and youth sports teams; it makes food donations to the Violence Prevention Center in Belleville and donates dictionaries to local schools; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Turkey Hill Grange on their 150-year anniversary, and we commend them on their continuous support to the Belleville community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Turkey Hill Grange as a symbol of our esteem and respect.