The creation of a Tusculum Ruritan Club was discussed during an informational meeting held Tuesday evening at Tusculum City Hall.
Two Tusculum community members attended the meeting as well as several members of other Ruritan Clubs in Greene County such as Mt. Pleasant, Camp Creek, and Bowmantown. Tusculum Mayor Alan Corley and Tusculum Police Chief Danny Greene also attended the meeting.
Ruritan is one of America’s leading community services and civic organizations. The clubs help youth, families in need, and take part in civic improvement projects.
The Tusculum community used to have a Ruritan Club in the form of the Doak Ruritan Club, which formed in 1950 and disbanded in 2009. Bonnie Hartman with the Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club and Ruritan National Director said that the Doak Club used to be one of the most active clubs in the county.
Bonnie Hartman
A new club must have a another Ruritan Club sponsor it to take shape, and Camp Creek Ruritan Club is lined up to serve as the new Tusculum Ruritan Club sponsor if it were to be created.
A total of 10 signatures must be collected to hold what is known as a “charter night” where the new club could be considered for a charter. However, a total of 16 people must be sign on as charter members in order for a new club to be formed.
Some signatures for the club to hold a charter night were collected during Monday night’s meeting.
Those at the meeting said they hoped the word about the club and support for its formation would grow over the coming weeks. They also stated that they would like to get students at Tusculum University involved in the club as well.
Once the process begins, organizers have 90 days to collect the required signatures and willing members.
A follow up meeting is planned to be held on September 14 at Tusculum City Hall.
Those interested in the forming and joining a Tusculum Ruritan Club should contact Bonnie Hartman at 423-620-3964 or by email at [email protected] . Those interested can also contact Lynn Fillers at 423-608-9597 or by email at [email protected] . They should also attend the Sept. 14 meeting.
There are currently 819 Ruritan Clubs across America, and 76 of those clubs are in Tennessee. A total of 26 of those clubs are in the Davy Crockett Ruritan District, which includes Greene, Washington, and Unicoi counties.
