About Us 
Ruritan National has nearly 32,000 members throughout the United States who work to improve more than 1,200 local communities. Since the organization’s beginning in 1928, Ruritan Clubs have served America with Fellowship, Goodwill, and Community Service. Ruritan is a civic service organization made up of local clubs in urban areas, small towns and rural communities.
Ruritan's purpose is to create a better understanding among people and through volunteer community service, make America's communities better places in which to live and work. The slogan of Ruritan is "Fellowship, Goodwill and Community Service." Club membership represents a cross-section of the community in which the club serves, and is not restrictive with regard to occupation, social position, or any other specific criteria.
Unlike most civic service organizations, Ruritan rarely has national programs. Rather, each club surveys its own community as to the needs of that community and then works to meet some of those needs. Nearly all clubs work locally with 4-H and other organizations serving youth. Nearly one in every three Ruritan clubs sponsors a Boy or Girl Scout unit.
Many clubs provide and supervise community recreational centers, sponsor Little League and other athletic programs, involve themselves in anti-litter campaigns, help the sick and needy, and perform a wide range of services to help their communities.
Many people ask us how the name Ruritan was developed. Its origin is Latin. “Ruri” in Latin is “open country.” The Latin word “tan” means “small town.”