BLACKSBURG – More than 450 people attended the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club’s June Community Fish Fry, continuing a tradition that has brought neighbors together for fellowship and community support for decades.
While there, club members visited the site of a time capsule. A plaque marks the site where club members gathered Oct. 5, 2023, to bury a time capsule preserving nearly six decades of community service, fellowship, and local history. The capsule is scheduled to be opened in 47 years, providing future generations with a glimpse into the club’s contributions and the community it has served.
The time capsule contains 28 items donated by club members and documents the history, traditions, and charitable activities of the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club, reflecting its longstanding commitment to serving the Blacksburg area. Among the capsule’s contents are a history of the club, records of its fundraising efforts, photographs spanning several decades, recognition awards from Ruritan National, memorabilia honoring past members, documentation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and examples of the club’s partnerships with other community organizations. According to club member Ben (Swish) Crawford, who compiled the inventory, the collection reflects a simple but enduring theme: neighbors helping neighbors and making communities better places to live.
The time capsule also captures a snapshot of life in 2023. Notes included with the collection describe a society in which most people use computers, the internet, and cell phones daily, while transportation in Southwest Virginia remains largely dependent on personally owned vehicles, with electric vehicles becoming increasingly common.
It is hoped the contents will serve as a lasting record of the people, projects, and values that have guided the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club for generations and will provide future residents with a unique glimpse into community life in the early twenty-first century.
Founded in 1965, the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club is composed of volunteer members who donate their time, talents, and resources without compensation. Through fundraisers such as Fish Fries and Apple Butter Making events, the club returns thousands of dollars annually to the community through scholarships, support for local organizations, assistance to needy families, youth programs, and numerous community service projects. The club meets monthly and is a member of Ruritan National, America’s leading community service organization. New members and new clubs are always needed and welcomed. If interested, see the Ruritan website for more information.
Robert Crawford
Mount Tabor Ruritan Club
