Abingdon Ruritan Club, Bena VA

08/13/2026

Abingdon Ruritan Club Award Winner! Each year, Ruritan National conducts a competition of Websites in clubs, zones, areas, and districts. Certificates are awarded to the top three websites. Abingdon's Website (abingdonruritanclub.com) received the Number 1 award two years in a row. The content includes information for the public on the twice a year Seafood Festival, Banquet Rentals, and Scholarships. It also has a "members only" section that has a membership directory, governance policies and procedures, and forms. The 2025 Award was presented to the Club at the August Membership Meeting by 2017 National President Danny Privott, on behalf of David Thompson, current National President. Shown in the photo from right to left are President Antonio Donald, web page consultant Sid Dugas, web page consultant Yvonne Scales, web master & Board member Betsy Tuttle, Danny Privott and Vice President David Bowles. Photo by Mary Lou Privott

07/20/2026

Abingdon Ruritan Club supports the Union Baptist Church Food Pantry. Each year the Club gives a monetary donation. Twice each year, the Club members donate food to the Pantry. Lynn Onesty, Social Development Chair, set a goal in July to collect at least 100 pounds of food. The goal was exceeded! Over 160 pounds were collected and delivered to the Pantry on July 14th. Shown in the photo are the items donated and from left Pantry Director Donna Green, Pantry Associate Becky Jenkins, and Club past president Rupert Thomas. Photo by Danny Provott.

07/14/2026

Abingdon Ruritan Club welcomed New Member Wayne Sturgeon at the July Membership Meeting. Shown in the photo from left are Club Vice President David Bowles, Club President Antonio Donald, Wayne, and his Club Sponsor Dave Kyle. Wayne will be a valuable asset to the club through his excellent work ethic and enthusiasm.

06/16/2026

The Abingdon Ruritan Club is renowned for making beautiful blue bird houses. The Club uses a number of opportunities to make these bird houses available for a $20 donation. They were shown at the Gloucester Daffodil Festival and most recently at the Shredding Event. The Club has a few left until the Environment Committee establishes a time frame to make more. Shown in the picture are Club members who have participated in making and showing the birdhouses. First row are Mary Lou Privott, Walter Priest, Yvonne Scales, and Mark Bradford; second row Joe Whitcomb, John Slezak (operator), Danny Privott (Chair of Environment Committee), Lynn Onesty, Dave Onesty, Doug Johnson, and Mike Crandall; third row John Snyder, Dick Beasley, and Dave Kyle.

06/16/2026

The Environment Committee, Abingdon Ruritan Club, hosted their first ever two-hour Shredder event in the Club Parking Lot on Saturday, June 13th. The Club offered free shredding of paper documents and participants were given the opportunity to make donations to the Club to support the community: A win-win event! Doma Shred set up a truck with a large capacity shredding device. Individuals from the community as well as Club members brought their papers - a total of 3450 pounds of paper! Shown in the photo at the left side of the cab, front row are Club member Lynn Onesty and John Slezak (operator); and back row club members Mike Crandall, Dave Kyle, and Doug Johnson. Shown on the right side of the cab front row are members Danny Privott (Chairman of Environment Committee), Mary Lou Privott, Yvonne Scales, Barbara Priest, and Dave Onesty; back row members Joe Whitcomb, Walter Priest, and Mark Bradford. Not shown are members Ann Dugas, Sid Dugas (photographer), Frank Gillerlain, Janet Kyle, John Snyder, Jimmy Leiffer, Eva Tillage, and VP David Bowles.

06/11/2026

06/04/2026

Meet our 2026 Abingdon Ruritan Club Board of Directors and Club Officers!

We are proud to recognize the dedicated members helping lead the Abingdon Ruritan Club in service, fellowship, and community impact throughout 2026.

Pictured front row, left to right: Dianne Woolley, Club Secretary; Antonio Donald, Chairman of the Board and Club President; David Bowles, Club Vice President; Ann Dugas, Club Treasurer; and Tony Dziadul, Past President, 1 Term.
Second row, left to right: Mike Crandall, Director; Gene Midkiff, Director; Doug Johnson, Director; John Snyder, Director; and Betsy Tuttle, Director.

Thank you to each of these members for their leadership, commitment, and continued service to our club and community.

06/04/2026

The Abingdon Ruritan Club was proud to have members volunteer at Page Middle School to help with the Reality Store, an event presented by the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

The Reality Store gives students a hands-on opportunity to learn about budgeting, career choices, financial responsibility, and real-life decision-making. We are always grateful for opportunities to support local students and be part of programs that help prepare them for the future.

Community service in action, one lesson at a time!

Pictured left to right: Liz Turner, Abby Bowles, Raven Cash, Rick Taylor, Lynn Onesty, John Snyder, Walter Priest, Scott Olmsted, Gary Bergtholdt, and National Ruritan member Jay Mathieu.
Photo credit: Glenn Sturm AFC. Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences with Virginia Cooperative Extension

05/29/2026

Our bird houses will be available at the free shred event June 13th, but if you can't wait till then please call 804-642-9021 or visit www.abingdonruritanclub.com and click Contact Us to get your hands on one sooner!!

05/28/2026

🏌️‍♂️ Abingdon Ruritan Club showed up and showed out!

Congratulations to our very own Fearsome Foursome for representing the Club so well at the Chesapeake District Golf Tournament!

Pictured from left: Chris Lamb, Allen Scales, Rick Taylor, and A.J. Brown — who placed 1st in the Second Flight! 🎉

And because apparently winning wasn’t enough, A.J. Brown won Longest Drive and Allen Scales won Longest Putt. Talk about bringing the heat to the green! ⛳🔥

Way to go, gentlemen — Abingdon Ruritan is proud of you!