About Us

Birth of the Efland Ruritan Club was the result of the closing of the Efland Elementary School in the late 1970's. Upon being declared surplus property, the Orange County Board of Education decided to sell the Efland School property and according to the law had to dispose of it by selling it at public auction.

The people of the Efland community upon learning that the County Commissioners wanted to purchase the school building and property and turn it into a Willie M Center, which was described to be a retention center for disturbed youth, met and agreed that this was not acceptable to the Efland community.

Another meeting was held and the decision made to organize a civic club, and to buy the school property for club use. After carefully investigating several civic clubs and finding that a Ruritan Club would be the most acceptable. Our application was made to Ruritan National and the Efland Ruritan Club received its Ruritan Charter on December 7, 1981 with sixty three (63) charter members After
a bidding war with the Orange County Commissioners and the determination of the people of the Efland community, the Ruritan Club finally prevailed and the purchase of the Efland School property was completed in March 1982. Due to its age and size, the original big school building was demolished leaving the lunchroom building and the adjacent classroom building which is in use by the Ruritan Club. It has been, and still is, the goal of the Ruritan Club to replace the demolished building with a modern Community Center Building. Fund raising for our proposed new building is on going which includes our annual Rodeo that attracts several thousand Rodeo supporters each year. Our Rodeo is typically held the first weekend of every year. Proceeds from the rodeo, annual breakfast and other fundraising events go back into our support of the community. We have hosted everything from blood drives, to sponsoring the local Boy Scout and Girls Scout groups. Your support of our organization is greatly appreciated.