Chanda Dowell (left), Black Hawk College vice president for East Campus, and Liz Breedlove (right), executive director of the Black Hawk College East Foundation, accept a check for $2,500 from Neil “Sonny” Johnson, treasurer of the Burns Grange #1839.
It would be hard to have Thanksgiving dinner without the ag industry – no farms means no food.
This Thanksgiving, the Black Hawk College East Foundation gives thanks to the Burns Grange #1839 for giving to the future of agriculture.
After more than 70 years in existence, Burns Grange #1839 was dissolved this fall and donated $2,500 to establish a new scholarship especially for full-time students who are pursuing an ag-related course of study.
“Black Hawk College’s agriculture department is very good. We wanted to help kids going into agriculture,” said Grange treasurer Neil “Sonny” Johnson of Galva.
The Grange’s donation will provide one $500 scholarship per year for five years. The first scholarship recipient is Austin Weber, an agribusiness management major from Avilla, Ind.
Burns Grange #1839 was part of The National Grange, the nation’s oldest national agricultural organization. The organization was formed in the years following the Civil War to unite private citizens in improving the economic and social position of the nation’s farm population. The National Grange has local, county and state locations throughout the United States.
Burns Grange #1839 was active for many years with Abilities Plus in Kewanee, both with monetary donations and volunteer work. The organization also provided free swimming lessons for local children, sponsored after-graduation parties, and hosted chicken dinners to raise funds for various causes.
The members of Burns Grange #1839 are:
- Shirley Allard
- Rolland Anderson
- Alice Courie
- Neil & Beth Johnson
- Lucille Krause
- Helen & Gene Newman
- Doris Palansky
- Elaine Price
- Marge & Harold Radford
- Erma Sauder
- Althea Schultz
- Francis & Russell Smith
- Donna Stahl
- Dorothy Witte
