History of the Burkittsville Ruritan Club

The Burkittsville Ruritan Club marked its 70th year of community service in 2023. The club was organized on June 23, 1953, under the sponsorship of the Keedsyville Ruritan Club. There were twenty-three charter members of the club who represented the communities of Burkittsville, Jefferson, Knoxville, Broad Run, and Locust Valley. 

The first meeting place of the club was the Parish Hall of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church in Burkittsville. The club held its first butchering in January 1961, making a profit of $300.00 from the sale of meat from six hogs. The butchering has remained a popular annual fundraiser for the club, now accompanied by a community breakfast held three times each winter. Also in 1961, the club held a town fair which grew into an annual summer carnival. This event continued until 2019. Other early initiatives of the club included sponsoring little league teams and boy scout troops. 

In 1969, the Ruritan Club purchased the former Burkittsville Elementary School from the Frederick County Board of Education. This has remained the meeting place for the club ever since. Additions to the campus have included two pavilions, an ice cream stand, and a large outdoor kitchen and concession stand.

Throughout its existence, the Burkittsville Ruritan Club has worked to serve our local community through a variety of initiatives. These include an annual scholarship program for high school students and providing financial aid to families impacted by fires or health emergencies. The club holds annual social events for the community including trout and catfish fishing derbies, Easter egg hunts, Halloween parties, and a Flag Day ceremony. The Ruritan Hall is also available for rent for private events and is used for council meetings by the Town of Burkittsville.

The Charter of the Burkittsville Ruritan Club

Presidents of the Burkittsville Ruritan Club

​Charles D. Beachley, Jr. (1953-1954) * +
Paul M. Smith (1955) + ★
Garland S. Guyton (1956) * +
Richard Lee Pry (1957) * +
Wayne Guyton (1958) +
Arthur J. Hiers (1959) + ★
Mark L. Summers (1960) + ★
W. Austin Zecher (1961) * +
Graham Weigle (1962) + ★
Mark L. Summers (1963) + ★
John William Sigler (1964) +
James Pasike, Jr. (1965) +
A. Richard Zimmerman (1966) + ★
Austin L. Huffer (1967) + ★
Charles J. Brandenburg (1967) + 
Carroll H. Huffer (1968) + ★
Lee Axline (1969) * +
Wayne E. Huffer (1970) + ★
Robert E. Huffer (1971) + ★
Donald W. Guyton (1972) + ★
Paul M. Smith (1973) + ★
Charles Allen (1974) + 
David L. Semler (1975) +
Arthur C. Huffer (1976) +
Harold A. Webber (1977) ​★

Robert Freund (1978)
J. Wendell Huffer (1979) + ★
Keith Harsh (1980) + ★
Martin Munday (1981) 
David McBride (1982) + 
Jerry Blair (1983) ★
Edgar Kesner (1984)
Randy L. Huffer (1985) ★
Carrollee Zecher (1986) + 
Carl H. Humphrey (1987) + ★
R. David Axline (1988)
Jerry Blair (1989) ★
Charles Leopold (1990) + 
Samuel L. Brown, Jr. (1991)
Wayne E. Huffer (1992) + ★
Carroll H. Huffer (1993) + ★
Warren L. Huffer (1994)
Michael E. Harris (1995)
John Delauder (1996) ★
Shon A. Andrews (1997)
George W. Hoffman (1998) 
C. Fred Parker (1999) ★
Thomas E. Jenkins, Sr. (2000) + 
R. David Axline (2001)
James W. Rand, Sr. (2002) ​★

Gary E. Huffer (2003)
R. David Axline (2004)
​Gary E. Huffer (2005)
Justin R. Hargett (2007)
J. Wayne Leatherman (2008)
​James W. Rand, Sr. (2009) ★
Jackie L. Cooper (2010)
G. David Moser (2011)
​R. David Axline (2012)
​F. "Butch" Mentzer (2013-14)
​Robert Keller (2015) 
J. Wayne Leatherman (2016)
James W. Rand, Sr. (2017) ★
Wade Clem (2018)
Jody M. Brumage (2019)
Ken Basler (2020-2021)
R. David Axline (2022)
J. Wayne Leatherman (2023)
​James W. Rand, Sr. (2024) ​★
Jody M. Brumage (2025)

* Presidents who were charter members of the Burkittsville Ruritan Club
+ Presidents who are deceased
★ Presidents who were veterans of the United States Armed Services or Maryland National Guard