The annual Open House at Peggy Bancroft Hall opened on July 6 with a flag ceremony. The Honorable Jeff Olsommer, State representative serving parts of Wayne and Pike Counties, presented a Pennsylvania state flag to members of Cub Scout Pack 129, and the Patriotic Order Sons of America President Randy Yarnell then presented a U.S. flag to the troop. The young scouts proudly raised the two flags.
Stacks of homemade pies were sold to eager buyers, lemon meringue being among the first to go; neighbors and new acquaintances chatted under a breezy tent; visitors browsed through the barn displays and purchased GDHS publications. Patriotic Order Sons of America representatives Fred Smith and Don Borkie hosted a booth explaining their mission and offered background to the site that once housed their organization: Peggy Bancroft Hall. POS of A is one of America’s oldest patriotic and fraternal societies still in existence, and Peggy Bancroft Hall was once the home of the local chapter. Founded in 1847, the organization once had chapters in over 20 states, with more than 800 “Washington Camps” in Pennsylvania alone. Today, the society maintains a presence only in Pennsylvania, where it has 14 Camps.
