Knox Ruritan Club awards scholarships at June meeting | News, Sports, Jobs

The Knox Ruritan Club awarded scholarships to area students at the June meeting. From left: Club President Dexter Sams, Secretary Mel Albrecht, Scholar Katelyn Bondoni, Treasurer Dennis Cameron, Scholar Nate Legros and Ruritan National Mascot Rudy Bear (Terry Blickensderfer). (Submitted photo)

The Knox Ruritan Club met on June 20 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in North Georgetown.

The club celebrated its 50th anniversary in the presence of two founding members, Terry Blickensderfer and Lee Johnson. Ohio District Governor Dave Wingett presented the club with a certificate from Ruritan National.

Members’ spouses were invited to the June meeting along with the scholarship recipients and their parents. Club Secretary Mel Albrecht introduced the members and their guests, along with scholarship recipients Nate Legros, who will attend technical school to become an electrical engineer, and Katelyn Bondoni, who is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Mount Union.

After the meal, which was provided by Kathy Reichenbach and some women of the church, Blickensderfer gave a presentation in which he gave information about the founding of the club and its activities.

“When we checked the number of founding members in June 1974, we have lost 28 of 34 members to date,” he said. “The group consisted of a businessman, a milk transporter and the other farmers.”

He highlighted some of the club’s accomplishments over the past 50 years. The community-oriented club needed a baseball field and member and local butcher Jeff Rose offered one. In 1996, a new site had to be found and Clayton Conrad (now deceased), a member of Bethel Church, asked if the club could lease some of the church-owned land to convert into athletic fields. “It is said that about 400 to 450 children play every year,” said Blickensderfer. Several scrapbooks were on display showing various club projects including assisting in placing flags on graves on Memorial Day, Adopt-A-Highway along with five other Ruritan clubs in Zone 6, donating reading books to all West Branch third graders, financially supporting Bethel Church for food distribution, Boys State and financially supporting the Homeworth and North Georgetown fire departments.

“We have received many awards for our commitment to the community,” said Blickensderfer. “Over the past five years, we have received the Ruritan Blue Ribbon Award as well as awards as President and Secretary.”

Fundraisers include pedal tractor pulls, dipping pools, and sales of Albrecht family spaghetti sauce. The club sells a community calendar featuring family and friends names, birthdays, anniversaries, and memories. The calendar also advertises local businesses. To purchase a calendar, ad, or listings, contact a club member.