Taking pride in its past achievements and with faith in the future, the Montgomery Ruritan Club is dedicated to the community’s betterment. Chartered in 1960, the Montgomery Ruritan Club has set a standard for community leadership and progress that is second to none. As the club was organized in 1960, it actually began club activities in 1961. Its purpose has been to promote community service not only in the Montgomery area, but in all of Daviess County and Southwestern Indiana. In addition, the promotion of fellowship and goodwill among the many different social, economic, cultural and various groups that make up the Montgomery-Daviess County area has been a continual concern and goal of the club.
From conservative beginnings in fundraising projects with an ice cream social in Dages Grove (1961) to operating Montgomery recreation Park and Camp Grounds (1967), building the Montgomery Community Building (1976) and sponsoring of the Turkey Trot Festival (1972), the Montgomery Ruritan Club continues to look for ways to improve the quality of life for residents of Montgomery and surrounding communities.
In addition to operating the Montgomery Ruritan Park and Campgrounds, the biggest single event each year is the sponsoring of the Turkey Trot Festival. Originally a joint undertaking with the Daviess County Chamber of Commerce, the festival since the early 1980’s has become the undertaking of the Montgomery Ruritan Club as the main organizer and promoter. Some of the biggest names in country music and the entertainment field in general have performed at the Turkey Trot Festival.
Montgomery Ruritan Lake, Park and Campgrounds was constructed in 1965 and 1966. It first opened to the public in the Summer of 1967 featuring Indian Rock Lake Beach, once a very popular summer swimming-beach area. However, the increasing cost of maintaining the beach plus the growing number of alternative public and private water recreational offering made its continued use not feasible. The campgrounds with its modern facilities and many trees continues to attract hundreds of campers from Southwestern Indiana and from more distant places each year. With the recent completion of several shore line campsites in the former beach and picnic areas, the Montgomery” Ruritan Park and Campgrounds has more than 130 campsites available during the camping season of mid-April to midOctober each year.
“Service to the community” has been the major theme of the Montgomery Ruritan Club and that community service has taken many forms. Although no record exists, the Ruritans have donated thousands of dollars to further civic improvements, help charitable organizations, Barr-Reeve Scholarship Foundation, school projects and programs, and individuals with special hardships. For thirteen years 1997 to 2009, the Ruritan Club and Montgomery Park hosted the Annual Daviess County Cancer Society “Relay For Life” which raised many thousands of dollars each year.
Now after the many years of community service, the club has been at the same time a strong unify force and a “great community leveler” as its membership and leadership has come from nearly every social, economic, cultural and religious group in the community.
To date there has never been a repeat Ruritan Club President in the years since the club began in 1961. The Club has seen different presidents representing a wide range of professions and personal backgrounds. This divergence of leadership has still maintained continuity of club purpose.
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