At its monthly meeting on May 13, the Richlands Ruritan club was entertained by Bob Johnson and Teddy Camp of the Patriots Motorcycle Club of West Virginia. This service organization was formed in October of 2016 to help the victims of the flooding of that year. The first seven members recognized the needs of the local people affected by the flood and set out to help them in their recovery. The club has since grown to 72 members and sponsors a variety of activities to help their neighbors. For the past ten years they have been delivering Toys for Tots across Greenbrier County at Christmas time. They collect the toys and deliver them to 32 children who would otherwise not have any Christmas gifts.
The club provides supplemental food boxes and clothing for those in need. Their scholarship program provides 4 scholarships to young adults from East Greenbrier, West Greenbrier and James Monroe High Schools. They sent a tractor trailer full of bottled water to hurricane victims in Elizabethton, Tennessee.
Over the past ten years this motorcycle club has raised $130,000 for Greenbrier residents.
In the business session of the meeting the Richlands Ruritans reported on the success of their trash pick-up efforts. They authorized a $1000 scholarship for Emily McClure, a recent graduate of East Greenbrier High School. They voted to make a $100 donation to the Calvary Methodist Church Vacation Bible School picnic. The club also made a donation to the Patriots Motorcycle Club.
The Richlands Ruritans club meets on the second Wednesday of each month for a dinner meeting at the Calvary Methodist Church on Midland Trail East in Richlands. The Ruritan Civic organization is a national network of clubs working together for a stronger America. The Ruritans’ focus is to support community services in small towns and rural communities across America. The Ruritans, founded in 1928 in Holland, Virginia, are celebrating their 98th year of service to local communities. The Richlands Ruritans Club provides scholarships to local college students and 4-H campers.
For further information or questions please contact James Tate, 540-798-6044 or jptateifa@aol.com
