157th Annual National Grange Convention

The National Grange is excited for you to join us at the 157th National Grange Convention  November 14-18, 2023 Conference & Event Center Niagara Falls Sheraton at the Falls 300 Third Street Niagara Falls, NY 14303 (716) 285-3361

HOTEL

Make your room reservations under the Group Code ‘National Grange’

Sheraton at the Falls 300 Third Street Niagara Falls, NY 14303 (716) 285-3361 SOLD OUT	Wyndham at Niagara Falls 443 Main Street Niagara Falls, NY 14301 (716) 284-8801 YOU MUST CALL TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS

• If you have booked your room at the Sheraton and have questions about your reservation, please call (716) 285-3361 x2295 to reach Reservation Coordinator Cierra Duck (Sheraton at the Falls).  She is typically in the office Monday through Friday 8am – 4pm Eastern).
• Rooms have completely sold out at the Sheraton.  You must call (716) 284-8801 to reach the Wyndham at Niagara Falls for additional hotel rooms with the National Grange group.
•  The $119 rate also applies to our run-of-house room types (1-King or 2-Queen), depending on availability during shoulder dates (on either end of the Convention). We encourage all attendees to make their reservations sooner, rather than later!

TRAVEL

LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE

TOURS

This is your early warning to ensure your passport is up to date. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to pop over to Canada when you’re just a few steps away:

United States Passport: https://www.usps.com/international/passports.htm

GENERAL TOUR (up to 80 people-split into 2 tours of same sites/different times)
Date: Friday, 11/17/23    Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Description of Tours
Cost: $30

YOUTH TOUR (up to 50 people)
Date: Friday, 11/17/23    Time: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Description of Tours
Cost: $25

JUNIOR TOUR (up to 35 people)
Date: Saturday, 11/18/23     Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Description of Tours
Cost: $25

**Niagara Falls State Park includes Visitors Center as time allows.

MEALS

Nov. 13 – Host Banquet – Invitation Only

Nov. 14 – Advocacy Luncheon – BBQ Chicken – $30 

Nov. 14 – Friendship Dinner – Chicken Roulade – $38

Nov. 15 – Salute to Agriculture Luncheon – Sliced London Broil – $30

Nov. 16 – Past Delegates Luncheon – Pasta Primavera with Chicken – $30

Nov. 16 – GROW Club Banquet – $38

Nov. 18 – Celebration Banquet – Beef Short Rib – $50 or Atlantic Salmon or Vegetarian Option – $45

SCHEDULE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE 2023 ANNUAL CONVENTION SCHEDULE

CONVENTION SPEAKERS

Rachel Mosbacher

Robert Restaino

Brian Manktelow

The Lamb Family

Richard Ball

Elizabeth Dougherty

Jeff Winton

Travis Carlson

Becky Wiseman

Dr. Daniel Pinti

Rachel Mosbacher

Monday, November 13 (Pre-Convention) Rachel Mosbacher, Sr. Program Officer, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute During the All-Delegates meeting on Monday, November 13, Rachel Mosbacher from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Initiative (PCORI) will join virtually via Zoom to discuss the National Grange’s new grant for “Reaching Rural Surgical Seniors.” Information about the R2S2 initiative has been appearing in the Patrons Chain since early September. This grant will allow us to connect with local and State Granges to share pre-surgical guides, instructional videos, and “Planning My Future” information that is beneficial to any senior in rural – and even urban – areas.

Robert Restaino

Tuesday, November 14 Robert Restaino, Mayor of Niagara Falls Bob Restaino was born and raised in Niagara Falls. After graduating from Niagara Catholic and studying history and political science at NCCC and Niagara University for undergraduate studies, Bob completed law school at UB.   From the beginning, Bob always intended to stay and practice law in his hometown. After admission, he developed his legal practice based on a philosophy of honesty and hard work. Together with his wife Diana, Bob embarked on a successful legal and judicial career in Niagara and Erie counties while raising his growing family.   In the spirit of community, Bob has volunteered and participated in many civic activities and community organizations over the years. He continues that civic engagement today, while also enjoying the occasional game of golf, cooking, and spending time with family and friends

Brian Manktelow

Tuesday, November 14 Brian Manktelow, NY State Assemblyman Brian Manktelow was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2018. The district includes all of Wayne County and the Town of Webster in Monroe County. During his time as an Assemblyman, Brian has fought hard for policies that encourage economic growth, push to reduce unfunded state mandates and high taxes, advocate for resources to battle the growing opioid epidemic, as well as address the need to protect the natural resources in his district. Brian served in the U.S Army, attaining the rank of sergeant. He has owned and operated Manktelow Farms in Lyons for more than 30 years, and has been an active member of the Wayne County Farm Bureau. Brian’s background gives him a unique perspective on the challenges faced by everyday New Yorkers. Brian currently resides in Lyons with his wife, Crystal, with whom he shares five children. He is dedicated to family life and community. As supervisor of the Town of Lyons, he worked to protect the interests of his fellow residents during the dissolution of the village of Lyons in 2015, ensuring a positive impact on the municipality’s future.

The Lamb Family

Wednesday, November 15 The Lamb Family of Lamb Family Farms  Lamb Farms is a family dairy operation owned and operated by the Lamb and Veazey families. The farm has grown over time – in size, in cows, in people and in responsibilities! Lamb Farms was founded in Oakfield in 1966 when (Grandpa) Leslie and (Dad) Gordon sold their Darien Center farm to Darien Lake State Park. They purchased what is now our home farm from Roy Woller and started out milking 110 cows. Ten years later, Leslie and Gordon added Jim Veazey as a partner in the farm.   Today, they have two generations and 13 family members involved in our blended family business. This arrangement allows everyone to have an area of expertise. The Lambs tend to be cow people – they enjoy managing the herd and making sure all the ladies are in tip-top shape, while the Veazeys are crop people – they make sure our crops are in order, that we have ample feed for our animals, and they also handle the farm office. Farming is a complex operation, and we feel blessed to have so many talented people in our family to help steer our ship so that one day the next generation will have the opportunity to live this fulfilling lifestyle

Richard Ball

Wednesday, November 15 Richard Ball, New York Commissioner of Agriculture A native New Yorker, Mr. Ball has made a living in agriculture his entire life. His inspiration to become a farmer came from his grandparents, who were lifelong dairy farmers. At 18 years old, Mr. Ball began his own career in agriculture as a farm worker on a vegetable farm. He later became operations manager of that same farm. After 20 years there, in 1993 the opportunity arose to be a farm owner and for the past 30 years, he has been the owner and operator of Schoharie Valley Farms in Schoharie, NY, which consists of 200 acres and produces a wide range of vegetable crops, small fruits and greenhouse crops. The farm serves both retail and wholesale consumers through an onsite farm market and ships to brokers and restaurants in the local area as well as New York City.   Mr. Ball has held a number of positions within agriculture and community organizations at the local, state and national level, including the New York State Vegetable Growers Association, the New York Farm Bureau, the American Farm Bureau and the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce.   He was honored to serve as the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) 2021-2022 President, where he helped guide the implementation of NASDA’s priorities and additional policies adopted at NASDA’s 2021 annual meeting. He is also the former President of Food Export Northeast.   Mr. Ball along with his wife, Shirley, reside on the farm in Schoharie and appreciate having three generations engaged in the farm operation.

Elizabeth Dougherty

Thursday, November 16 Elizabeth Dougherty, Eastern Region Outreach Director, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office As the Eastern Regional Outreach Director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Elizabeth Dougherty carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, and is responsible for leading the USPTO’s East Coast stakeholder engagement. Focusing on the region and actively engaging with the community, Ms. Dougherty ensures the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders

Jeff Winton

Thursday, November 16 Jeff Winton, CEO/Founder, Rural Minds  Jeff Winton is founder and chairman of Rural Minds, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and to provide mental health information and resources.   When his nephew, Brooks Winton, died by suicide in 2012, Jeff’s late mother, Elaine, who helped raise Brooks, courageously ignored the guidance of some local community members and urged Jeff to speak at the funeral about Brooks’ struggle. An outpouring of support and hearing from other farm families about their own struggles around mental health convinced him to devote a significant portion of his energies to connecting rural Americans to much-needed mental health services.   In addition to being the founder and chairman of Rural Minds, Jeff is the founder and owner of Wall Street Dairy LLC, a working family dairy farm in Chautauqua County, New York, and a member of a multigenerational farm family. He has worked four decades as a communications and corporate affairs leader with Fortune 100 corporations and respected public relations and advertising agencies. This global experience spans highly diverse and dynamic industries, including the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, animal health, agricultural and consumer arenas.   Winton is also chief executive officer of Jeff Winton Associates, a full-service communications and corporate affairs agency he co-founded in 2020. He has deep experience – on both a professional and extremely personal level – with efforts to educate about depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder and other forms of mental illness that has led him to create Rural Minds.   Jeff graduated with distinction from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, with a bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and completed graduate level courses at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He also served on the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council and was named Outstanding Alumni 2020. Winton belongs to a number of agricultural organizations including the American Farm Bureau, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Holstein Association USA, and many others.

Travis Carlson

Thursday, November 16 Travis Calson, Filmmaker, Mother's Day Travis is a writer and independent filmmaker from Gerry, NY, a rural town south of Buffalo. Having been raised on a small horse farm near Amish country, he began making films with his friends before graduating from Buffalo State University. Afterward, he spent over a year volunteering on farms in Switzerland and Portugal. For five years he created films, commercials, and documentaries for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, and numerous national brands. His work won over a dozen NYS Emmy’s. Under his company, Pan-American Film Division, he adapted three feature plays to the screen and created over fifteen short films, three of which won international competitions earning entrance to the Cannes Film Festival SFC. In 2021, Travis wrote and directed the “one-shot” feature film Mother’s Day based on his lived experience with his mother’s struggle with mental illness.

Becky Wiseman

Thursday, November 16 Becky Wiseman, Family Consultant Supervisor, NY FarmNet Becky Wiseman, LCSW-R, is the Family Consultant Case Supervisor for Cornell University’s NY FarmNet Program. She has worked in the agricultural industry for nearly 30 years, as the Associate Director for Long Island Farm Bureau, the Agricultural Stewardship Coordinator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, Suffolk County, and for the past six years as a NY FarmNet Family Consultant. She is a graduate of Boston University with a Master of Social Work, and has experience working with adults, families, and adolescents in county mental health, in-patient psychiatry, and private practice. Becky lives in Westhampton, New York, with her husband and two cats.

Dr. Daniel Pinti

Saturday, November 18 Dr. Daniel Pinti, Associate Professor, Niagara University Dr. Pinti has been a Professor of English at Niagara University since 2001, when he and his family moved from New Mexico. In addition to his work at NU, he is also a priest at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Eggertsville, New York. Dr. Pinti holds an MA and Ph.D. in English from The Ohio State University and an M.Div. from Christ the King Seminary, and previously taught at New Mexico State University. His favorite topics include the literature of the American West, Old English, Dante, the Bible as Literature, and Comics/Graphic Novels. Dr. Pinti’s current research is in two areas: nonfiction writing about New Mexico and the desert Southwest, and the Grateful Dead as a musical and cultural phenomenon.

2023 ANNUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

The Host Committee has chosen Community Missions of Niagara as the recipient of this year’s community service collection. Granges and attendees are encouraged to send or bring socks, hats, or mittens for men or women to this year’s Convention. If you would rather make a financial contribution, please contact Paula Turner.

Alex Goodman, owner of Franklin Morrow, delivers 100 socks from the National Grange and  donated another 200 pairs of socks towards the 2023 National Convention Community Service project.