Copeland Ruritan Club Delivers Dictionaries and Smiles to Dobson Third Graders

The Copeland Ruritan Club in Dobson, North Carolina is proving that even small clubs can make a big impact. For over a decade, this dedicated group has been putting dictionaries directly into the hands of local third graders—delighting students and supporting literacy at a critical stage in their education.

This year, third grade students at three elementary schools in Dobson received a personal dictionary through the club’s participation in The Dictionary Project. Brenda McKinney, a long-time Ruritan member, shared:

“We are a small group, yet we feel very strongly in education. We’ve seen the smiles and excitement of children receiving their own dictionary. We do multiple small fundraisers to pay for the books.”

The Copeland Ruritan Club began its involvement in 2011 and has since donated more than 1,500 dictionaries to students. These personalized books not only help students expand their vocabulary, but also provide valuable content like maps, civics resources, and math references—tools that encourage curiosity and lifelong learning.

By investing in their local youth, the Copeland Ruritan Club is showing how grassroots efforts can deliver lasting educational value, one dictionary at a time.