Chuckatuck Ruritan Club
The Chuckatuck Ruritan Club was chartered in 1930 as Charter Number 4 just two years after the initial meeting in Holland, Virginia when “Men of Holland, Nansemond County, and the vicinity, numbering some of the outstanding men of the community, met last night thirty-three strong, around a banquet table at the Holland Hotel, to discuss the organization of a civic club composed of farmers and men interested in rural occupations, which they hope will be the first of a great chain of similar clubs in small country communities.” As reported by the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot on April 17, 1928.
The Ruritan Organization takes its name from two Latin words,” ruri” meaning open country, and “tan” meaning small-town life. This name originates from a remarkable woman, Miss Daisy Nurney, a public servant, reporter, and poet. Ruritan is “America’s Leading Community Service Organization”. The following two quotes will describe just what Ruritan is and stands for: “The Giver of all good gifts has allowed you to share in helping your community, State, and this great Nation, realizing that all you send into the lives of others comes back into your own” Frank Kellam, Past National President 1955. The second is “Each man should realize that he has something to give to his fellowman; and in learning how to be unselfish towards others, comes to possess one of the real attributes of true greatness,” Mills E. Godwin, Past National President 1952 and two-time Virginia Governor. These quotes are taken from the 70th Anniversary celebration publication by George Winslow, dated February 7, 2000.
In 1928 and 1929, three prominent members of the Chuckatuck community visited the Holland Club, Charter Number 1, to discuss the establishment of a club in the Chuckatuck area. P.J. Powell visited the Holland Club in November of 1928. W.N. Rippey, the Vo-Ag teacher, visited in July of 1929, and Mr. Godwin in December of that same year. On January 16, 1930, members of the Chuckatuck area held an organizational meeting at the Chuckatuck High School, and on January 27, 1930, Chuckatuck became an official member of Ruritan.
{(we have a digital copy of the original form for this charter which could be placed here instead of repeating the names as I have done}}
The original charter members of the Chuckatuck Club were:
President James Edwards Driver, Virginia Salesman
Vice President J.R. Kirk Route 4, Suffolk, Virginia Lumberman
Sec/Tres W.N. Rippey Chuckatuck, Virginia Teacher
Director 1 yr Dr. L.L. Eley Chuckatuck, Virginia Doctor
Director 2 yr. Bruce Eberwine Route 2 Suffolk, Virginia Farmer
Director 3 yr Sidney Ellis Route 4 Suffolk, Virginia Farmer
Additional Charter Members:
J.E. Ames, Jr., Driver, Virginia Salesman
J.W. Bryant Chuckatuck, Virginia Farmer
F.A. Christopher Chuckatuck, Virginia Teacher
H.B. Carney Route 1 Portsmouth, Virginia Farmer
A.G. Darden Driver, Virginia Farmer
N.T. Gray Route 4, Suffolk, Virginia Farmer/Magistrate
A.C. Hall Chuckatuck, Virginia Farmer
A.S. Hargroves Driver, Virginia Farmer
H.P. Harrell Driver, Virginia Farmer
A.L. Hazelwood Eclipse, Virginia Water Transportation
R.E. Hodsden Chuckatuck, Virginia Farmer
Walter Hurff Driver, Virginia Farmer
F.W. Johnson, Suffolk, Virginia Minister
W.C. Moore Chuckatuck, Virginia Merchant/Farmer
R.L. Odom Driver, Virginia Farmer
C.H. Pitt Chuckatuck, Virginia Merchant
R.M. Williams Driver, Virginia Co. Supt. of Schools
P.J. Powell Suffolk, Virginia
W.T. Wright Route 4 Suffolk, Virginia Farmer
M.E. Godwin Chuckatuck, Virginia Farmer
The Chuckatuck Ruritan Club continues to operate today, with over 40 members serving not only Chuckatuck but also extending its reach to the entire Greater Chuckatuck Historical area, providing over $25,000.00 every year to various organizations and less fortunate individuals. Meetings are held on the 1st Monday of each month in one of the local churches, with meals provided by different organizations within the meeting place. In the 1940s and 50’s, the Ruritan Club presented Minstrel shows twice a year in the auditorium of Chuckatuck High School. A program of this type will be self-explanatory in terms of community participation and the number of people involved.
The club has two major fundraising events each year. The more acclaimed of these two is the Annual Oyster Roast held on the second Wednesday of April. This has been an annual event since 1980 and has grown in size every year to its current capacity of 1000 participants. For the first twenty years, this event was held on the Saunders Farm, known as “Meadowbrook”, in Chuckatuck. In 2000, the event was moved to its new location in Everets on the farm once owned by Mr. J.R. Kirk. The club would like to thank Bruce Kirk and Charles Rose, whose land we are infringing upon to make this event happen. Over the past five years, the limit of 1000 has been met with great success. Chuckatuck Ruritans have supported the Boy Scouts of America Troop 25 continuously since 1937. There is no other club in the area or Ruritan Club in the nation that has supported such an important group for that many years without fail. Some other organizations receiving support are Meals on Wheels, Girl Scouts of all age groups, hunters for the Hungry, lifeline, Boys’ State, Girls’ State, educational scholarships, needy persons within the community, free clinics, Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department, Chuckatuck Branch library, Nansemond-Suffolk Volunteer Rescue Squad, Ruritan Rudy bears, and Village beautification. Members have been involved in house renovations, building handicap ramps, highway cleanup, specific landscaping projects, and displaying American flags on Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Veterans Day along the roadway, as well as placing flags on each veteran’s grave at local churches. The Chuckatuck Ruritan Club celebrated its 80th Anniversary in conjunction with Ladies Night on December 6, 2010, at the Cedar Point Country Club in North Suffolk. The Ruritan National President, Mr. Jerome Rodes, was in attendance to present them with a plaque commemorating 80 years of civic service to the community. Five of those members were honored for over 50 years of service to the club. One in particular was Mr. Al Saunders, who has been involved for 62 years and was an honorary member due to medical conditions. He had perfect attendance for 60 years. Al passed away in 2011, leaving a big void in the club.
“In years past (1945), the Chuckatuck Ruritan Club in a meeting in Crittenden, Virginia, voted to sponsor the sale of $70,000.00 in war bonds”.(Suffolk News-Herald May 9, 2002, Times Past 1945.) In another Times Past by the Suffolk News-Herald on November 24, 1944, “the Chuckatuck Ruritan Club will present a minstrel show at eight o’clock in the Chuckatuck High School auditorium with members of the club taking part in the cast. The program will open with a chorus singing “Dixie” and “Ole Gray Mare” with John Henry Powell as master of ceremonies. Harry “Grumpy” Carney and W.G. “Short Stuff” Saunders will follow with jokes. Other jokesters will be Jim Edwards as Uncle Jim, Josh Pretlow as Nubucanezzer, John Bradshaw as Big John, Maynard Carson as Jasper, M.T. Whitney as Empty Head, J.R. Chapman as Moses, Tom Saunders as Razor, R. Dale as Lassies, Frank Sheffield as Rastus, and Norman Dixon as Lindy.
Possible pictures to be used Newspaper clipping of Leroy Pope with flags, digital photo of charter members, Oyster Roast picture in 1981, Ruritan Roast to Service newspaper article, Perfect Attendance merits recognition newspaper article, Ruritan Roasts Oysters newspaper article, Picture of six (all deceased) Ruritan members at Cavalier Country Club for a Ruritan convention)
Possum Hollow Ruritan Club
The Possum Hollow Ruritan Club was chartered on May 21, 1987, with the same mission as that of other Ruritan clubs. Its first president was John D. “Jack” Eure. The Ruritan Club is a community service organization that gives back to the community in numerous ways through donations of time and money for various projects. They support many of the same organizations that the Chuckatuck Ruritan Club supports. Their original fund-raising event was the Chuckatuck Music Festival, typically held at the Planters Club, while in later years it has been the Boston Butts Cookout in the fall of each year. What is unique about Possum Hollow is that it has both men and women in its organization, while many Ruritan clubs are still predominantly male-oriented. Shelley Barlow was elected as their first woman president in 2000. They are a small club, but they host significant club events.