Move to Farm and Home Center

In 1965, after 50 years of meetings in the Brunswick Hotel, the Club moved to Odd Fellows Hall and then to the Holiday Inn on the Lititz Pike.

In June of 1970, the Club moved from the Holiday Inn to the Farm and Home Center.

The Farm and Home Center had opened its doors in 1968. It is owned and operated by the Farm and Home Foundation of Lancaster County, a non-profit, charitable organization under the direction of a 17- member Board of Directors.

In 2003, the Club gave $450 to Farm and Home Center to fund the installation of an emergency defibrillator.

In 2001, after many years of service, Andy's Catering was one of four caterers invited to make proposals for improving the Club's food service. Because it represented an $80,000 decision, the Board dealt directly with the subject and ultimately chose Hess's Catering, which began its work at the May 2 meeting. The luncheon price was also increased to $10, an action that would have been required regardless of the choice.

An unforgettable part of the year was the necessity to temporarily move the Club's meeting place when the hammers and saws involved in the Farm and Home Center's expansion program began interrupting Club business and programs. Starting in March, the Club moved to Liberty Place, better known as the former Armstrong General Office. The auditorium that had housed four decades of wholesaler conventions and employee meetings was spacious. Hess's Catering provided their usual varied food assortment. Having the head table on a proscenium stage and speakers at a raised pulpit made the usual Rotary camaraderie difficult to maintain.

Everyone welcomed the return of the weekly meetings to the Farm and Home Center on August 2nd. Hess's catering provided a special deluxe meal.

In 2015, the Club's Centennial Meeting was a simple casual social luncheon meeting. A cake, punch, hors d'oeuvres and such were put together by our friendly caterer, Hess's Barbecue Catering. It was a time to enjoy one another's company and to share conversation uninterrupted by normal Rotary business.

Office space in the Farm and Home Center is leased to the following:

• Penn State Agricultural Extension
• USDA Farm Service Agency
• Lancaster County Conservation District
• USDA APHIS, Spotted Lantern Fly Research
• Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
• John H. Lichty, Tax Accounting.
• DBC Ag Products, Inc.
• Adagio Dance Academy
• USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service

The Farm and Home Center has rental roomsavailable for daytime and evening seminars, meetings, banquets, and shows. Special non-profit rental rates are available for qualified groups such as Rotary.

Next: F&M North Museum Project