Business and Professions Committee

Suggested Projects

1. Promote the development of a market for local raw materials and natural resources.

2. Conduct an income tax workshop.

3. Provide a workshop on Social Security.

4. Establish a clinic and secure a doctor for the community.

5. Sponsor an agricultural and industrial exposition.

6. Conduct a labor survey.

7. Arrange tours of farms, businesses, industries, radio stations and newspaper plants.

8. Encourage establishment of trade, technical and vocational schools in your area.

9. Develop a recognition program for outstanding farm and business leaders.

10. Work toward establishment of an industrial park.

11. Bring an industry to your community.

12. Sponsor workshops on business careers and/or home-based businesses.

13. Help youth find temporary or permanent employment in the community.

Look at Your Community

1. What is the labor market in your area? Number of men? Women? Young people? Are they available for local employment? Full-time? Part-time?

2. Does your area have an effective planning or zoning commission?

3. Are the local industries interested in improving your community?

4. Does your community need professional services such as those of a doctor, dentist, druggist, veterinarian, lawyer, health clinic, or first aid station?

5. What businesses are needed? Restaurant? Laundry? Service station? General store? Building supplies? Furniture? Newspaper? Bank? Radio station? TV station? Other?

6. Do your schools offer vocational agriculture? Vocational training? Technical training?

7. Are there businesses and services to meet the needs of the farmer?

8. Are fair markets available for agricultural products?

9. Is sufficient credit available locally?

10. Is there good communication between individuals involved in industry, business and agriculture?

11. Is the latest information on farm management, improvement, and technology available to residents?

 

Citizenship & Patriotism Committee

Suggested Projects

1. Promote good citizenship through workshops, programs and distribution of appropriate literature.

2. Promote appropriate observances of July 4th and other patriotic holidays.

3. Sponsor several boys and girls to functions such as Boys State and Girls State, Freedom Foundation, etc.

4. Sponsor a patriotic poster, photo, or essay contest.

5. Extend proper recognition to members and veterans of the armed forces.

6. Honor D Day Veterans and give a donation to Ruritan's partner, the National D Day Memorial. Hold a D Day Veteran appreciation dinner in your community or sponsor a D Day essay Contest in your schools.

7. Encourage voter registration and participation in elections.

8. Support a night time (lighted) display of the American Flag in your community.

9. Promote and educate community on proper use of U.S. Flag.

10. Recognize "Family of the Year" or "Citizen of the Year."

11. Appoint a "Welcoming Committee" to welcome newcomers to your community.

12. Sponsor parades or participate in local parades.

13. Erect a monument to recognize heroes or historical events in your community.

Look at Your Community

1. Do your citizens exhibit community pride and spirit?

2. Do you welcome new residents into your community?

3. Does your community have patriotic programs on July 4th and other occasions?

4. Are community celebrations and parades held?

5. Are historical markers and monuments in your community properly maintained?

6. How many organizations are there in your community through which its members and volunteers can work to improve the community?

7. Does your town have a radio station, TV station, or newspaper? Are they helping to create good citizenship and pride in your community?

8. Are American Flags displayed on appropriate days? Are they displayed at meetings, sports events, etc.? Are they displayed on Flag Day?

9. What percentage of eligible voters are registered? Do they go to the polls on election day? Do they vote only in certain elections such as those for the presidency or state or local contests?

10. Are citizenship and patriotism emphasized in your schools?

11. Are members of the armed forces given proper recognition and respect?

12. Are the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem used at public events?

 

Suggested Projects

1. Establish a game management area or plan a tour in the community to observe conservation practices.

2. Plan an Arbor Day observance.

3. Obtain and distribute literature concerning soil erosion, pollution, reforestation and other aspects of ecology as they relate to your area.

4. Seek the aid of conservation agencies and organizations in preventing and correcting ecological problems in your area.

5. Conduct a program on timberland management.

6. Sponsor a drive to have water supplies tested.

7. Identify and cooperate in attempting to correct air pollution sources.

8. Establish facilities for collection and recycling of glass, metal and paper.

9. Conduct a wildlife food plot contest for youth in the community.

10. Set up a volunteer program to assist fire or game wardens.

11. Conduct periodic litter clean-up campaigns.

12. Seed an eroded roadside bank in the community.

13. Establish a Christmas Tree Farm as a conservation.

14. Participate in Adopt-A-Highway Program.

15. Establish a garbage and trash collection service for the community.

16. Landscape grounds around a public building.

17. Promote and support ordinances and regulations concerning sanitary conditions.

18. Construct and put up bluebird houses and wood duck boxes.

19. Obtain and distribute literature concerning soil erosion, pollution, re-forestation, wet lands, and other aspects of ecology as they relate to your area.

 

Look at Your Community

1. Is littering a serious problem in your community? Are there sufficient trash receptacles available along the highways, parks, and business areas?

2. What is being done to conserve forest lands and wet lands in your area?

3. Is your community organized to prevent and fight forest fires?

4. Are the people in your area concerned with soil and water conservation?

5. What is being done to prevent soil erosion?

6. Are the rivers, streams and ponds clean? If not, what is the source of the pollution?

7. Is there an air pollution problem in your area? What is its source?

8. Is there an abundance of wildlife in the woods, fields, and streams?

9. Do your schools place appropriate emphasis on conservation and ecology?

10. Are there provisions such as seed plots for feeding wildlife in bad weather?

11. Are open fire permits encouraged as a means to prevent forest fires?

12. Is proper emphasis given to seafood conservation and management?

13. Are local mines using good conservation practices?

14. Is public or private land used as a dumping ground for trash and garbage? Is it a health hazard? Unsightly?

15. Are business and industrial areas clean and attractive?

16. Does your area need greater control over mosquitoes? Flies? Rats?

 

Public Services Committee

Suggested Projects

1. Take the leadership in establishing needed water and sewage authority.

2. Assist in the organization of fire departments and rescue squads. Erect bus shelters or benches.

3. Collect contributions or conduct a fund-raising project for the local rescue squad or fire department.

4. Print and circulate telephone numbers of local fire department, rescue squad, law enforcement and other public agencies.

5. Promote the establishment of a volunteer auxiliary police force.

6. Establish local library or museum or work for their improvement.

7. Conduct feasibility study relative to the need for an area civic center.

8. Sponsor a Crime Prevention Workshop.

9. Sponsor a Neighborhood Watch.

10. Participate in the Rudy Bear Program by donating bears to police, rescue squads and fire departments.

11. Construct a roadside park.

12. Have warning signs or traffic lights erected at dangerous intersections, curves and pedestrian crossings.

13. Erect welcome signs and Ruritan and road name signs on all roads leading into the community.

14. Promote widening and paving of streets and roads.

15. Work with local highway safety committees.

16. Request railroad to erect gates at railroad crossings.

17. Provide an off-street parking lot.

18. Promote access/use of airports.

19. Donate playground equipment to school or community playground.

20. Install lights for playground or athletic field.

21. Build a community tennis court or ball fields.

22. Provide and supervise a community recreation center or secure a community recreation field.

23. Provide transportation for sick and elderly and church services.

24. Sponsor a first aid or CPR class.

Look at Your Community

1. Does your area have adequate telephone service, water supply, electricity, gas, sewage, solid waste disposal and recycling? Is service available to all residents?

2. Does your area have sufficient fire-fighting facilities? Are rescue squads and law enforcement available?

3. Does your community have necessary health ordinances, traffic ordinances, building codes and zoning regulations?

4. Are business and residential areas adequately lighted?

5. Are public buildings and property attractive, safe, and clean? Are public restrooms needed?

6. Is freight service available?

7. Are the streets, roads, bridges, and sidewalks well maintained?

8. Is there an adequate traffic control system of signs, lights, and traffic markings.

9. Is there a need for public transportation in your area, such as taxis, buses, air, rail, or waterways?

10. Are there adequate parking facilities in your community?

11. Is proper care taken of the streets and highways in winter and summer?

12. Are there adequate signs indicating points of interest and historical sites on major highways?

13. What is the condition of Ruritan road signs?

14. Is there a Channel 9 CB monitoring plan?

15. Do you have adequate public parks?

16. Do you have a public athletic field? Is it available for all the children and the people of the community?

17. Do your neighboring communities have Ruritan clubs?

18. Does the community endeavor to supervise play or arrange for play periods for youth?

19. Does your town have a bowling alley? Skating rink? Pool (with lifeguards)? Wading pool? Playground with playground equipment? Golf course? A movie theater?

20. Does your community have a community center? Is it available to all groups in the community?

21. Do you have a Chamber of Commerce?

22. Are your schools’ physical facilities safe, sanitary, attractive, well-equipped, and well-lighted?

 

Social Development Committee

Look at Your Community

1. What is your community doing for disabled or mentally retarded persons?

2. What is your community doing for "shut-ins"?

3. Is there a blood program in your community?

4. Does your town have adequate health ordinances?

5. Does your community have a Boy Scout Troop? Y.M.C.A.? 4-H Club? Girl Scouts? F.F.A. Chapter? Campfire Girls? Cub Scouts? F.H.A. Chapter? F.T.A., or Little League Teams?

6. Does your community have adult education programs?

7. Is an adequate educational program available for retarded or handicapped persons?

8. Are residents aware of the many potential hazards in the home? Have children been instructed on how to react to emergency situations such as a fire? Does your home have smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, fire escape plans?

9. Does your community offer activities which encourage participation by parents and children as a family?

10. Are programs available which instruct and inform residents on topics such as home crafts, gardening, home and lawn beautification?

11. Is there a need to provide training for children returning from school each day to an empty house (latch key children)?

Suggested Projects

1. Sponsor a drug abuse program.

2. Sponsor an organization for senior citizens in the community.

3. Build ramps for disabled people to enter public buildings.

4. Furnish school lunches for underprivileged children.

5. Have a community Christmas tree with gifts for children.

6. Sponsorship of any youth organization.

7. Provide opportunities for the youth in your community to become familiar with local history and points of historical interest.

8. Provide field trips for youth to visit local industrial plants, business houses, educational facilities, and recreational areas.

9. Provide and maintain identification sign for a local church.

10. Sponsor a community Vacation Bible School.

11. Post schedules of church services in parks, motels, bus stations, and other public places.

12. Publish and distribute home safety check lists to every home in the community.

13. Sponsor cleanup, paint-up, fix-up campaign in the community.

14. Sponsor a Christmas Decoration Contest.

15. Make a survey of disabled people in the community and help them contact the proper agencies for assistance.

16. Sponsor or secure a bookmobile for the community.

17. Make a contribution to the Ruritan National Foundation or other scholarship program.

18. Record church services and make them available to those unable to attend.

19. Sponsor community services regularly or on special occasions such as Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas and Ruritan Sunday.

20. Send a minister to the Rural Ministers’ Conference.

21. Recognize outstanding students and faculty members.

22. Sponsor adult education classes.

23. Participate in Ruritan Student Program.

24. Sponsor training for "latch key children."