Hamilton Ruritans
Fellowship, Goodwill and Community Service 
 

 

 

 

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 Fundraising Activities

Fruit Sale

In 1990, the Club started a Florida citrus fruit fundraiser.  Bill Grupe’ started the fundraiser and currently oversees the project, from visiting the growers in Florida each year and negotiating price to assisting in unloading the large order at the Hamilton Safety Center. This fundraiser is coordinated with other Ruritan Clubs that the Hamilton Club organized.  The clubs have a spring and a fall fruit fundraiser.  Proceeds from the fundraisers go to the general club fund and are used to make donations to local charitable organizations and the Hamilton Club Memorial Scholarship Fund.   

Oatlands Point-to-Point Races

The Oatlands Point-to-Point horse races have been a mainstay of the fundraisers over the years.  The Club history section details some of the background behind this event.  Currently, the Club collects money at the gate and helps direct cars in the lots.  Currently, the Club staffs five entry points to the races and directs vehicles to the proper parking areas.  Typically the races are held on Easter Sunday.  Sam Welsh is the main Club contact for this activity.

American Kennel Club Dog Show

In the spring of 1995, the American Kennel Club moved its dog show to Morven Park.  This show is the second largest dog show east of the Mississippi River.  Several Ruritan Clubs help with this event and a set fee per hour per worker is paid to the Club.  There are shows both in the spring and the fall, although the spring show is much larger.  Bill Harrison is the main Club contact for this activity. 

County 4-H Fair

Last year, the Loudoun County Fair celebrated its 100th anniversary of the 4-H organization. Typically, this week-long agricultural showcase and carnival is held in late July. Spectators enjoy a variety of daily special attractions including NASCAR Interactive exhibits and automobile exhibits, camel rides, senior and children’s activities and the carnival midway.  Special events include the Tractor Driving Competition, the Horseless Horse Show, barrel racing and rodeo bull riding. In addition, 4-H also holds its Livestock auction in the large show barn.

The Club has been a major supporter of the 4-H for many years.  The Club assists with taking admission money and directing vehicles during the fair.  Club Member Bill Harrison has been the Club contact person for this community service and outreach. 

Waterford Fair

The Waterford Fair has been a long-time fundraising project.  Henry Kitselman, a Waterford resident, was mainly responsible for the Club’s involvement in this event.  The Club uses its food trailer to serve food and drinks for this three-day event.  Ron Johnston is the main Club contact for this activity.

Saturday Morning Trash Collection

The Hamilton Ruritan Club has joined forces with the Hillsboro Ruritan Club to jointly hold Saturday morning trash collection service at Loudoun Valley High School.  Each Saturday morning from 8:30 to 11:00 am, volunteers will be standing by to load trash into trucks for the trip to the landfill.  For a donation of $1.00 per bag neighbors can avoid the trip, and support many worthy community projects. The clubs will alternate hosting the event on a monthly basis.  This is a great volunteer opportunity for members of both clubs. Jim Christian is the main Hamilton club contact for this activity.
 

 
Donations

Below is a list of Community Organizations that have benefited from Past Fundraising efforts.

Hospice of NOVA

Children’s Friendship Project;

Loudoun Hospital Center – Lifeline

Interfaith Relief

LARC

We Care

Salvation Army

Loudoun Therapeutic Riding

Hamilton Fire Department

Hamilton Rescue Squad

NOVA 4-H

Edith Chinn Scholarship

Hunters for the Hungry

ECHO

Boy Scouts – Troop 969

Fresh Air Full Care

Heritage Farm Museum

USO Care Packages

Equine Rescue League

Donations are typically dispersed at the end of the year.  Recommendations for donations to organizations are first brought through the Service committees, then to the Board of Directors and finally to the whole Club for vote

Early Fundraising Projects

Early fundraising projects included a turkey shoot, which was held behind “Doc” Fox’s service station.  The frozen turkeys were purchased from the W.T. Grant turkey farm.  Another fundraising project was cutting, shocking, and threshing orchard grass.  This was done on the Jenkins farm near Woodburn as well as on a farm located on Hamilton Station Road just north of the Route 7 bypass.

In the early 1960’s the Club started serving food at the horse trials, which were held on Joe Rogers’ farm located south of Hamilton.  Dr. Rogers was a member of the Club at that time.  This meet later developed into the Oatlands Point-to-Point Races that the Club still uses as a major fundraiser.  Dr. Joe was instrumental in the Hamilton Club’s involvement with the Loudoun Hunt.

In the early years of the Oatlands Races, the Club took up money at the gates and also operated two food stands.  One stand was a trailer provided by Pepsi and the other was a funeral tent provided by Hall’s Funeral Home in Purcellville.  The food stands were later dropped and the Club’s entire effort was shifted to the gates.

The Pepsi trailer was small so the Club decided to build a food trailer in the 1970’s.  A trailer was designed by the Club and it was built from the ground up over many evenings at Floyd Gooden’s welding shop in Leesburg.  In 1987, the trailer underwent a major interior rebuilding under the eyes of Dwight Green and Bud Matthews in Hamilton.  1n 1996, the trailer underwent another major interior and exterior renovation, mainly by Charlie Wiseman.