Photo by Ellen Ferrera
John and Anna Ruscin started seeing each other when John started helping with Turkey Bingo.

And the Beginning of Life with Anna

•November 20, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

John Ruscin has probably never undertaken any assignment for the short haul. He was a teacher/coach at Sullivan Elementary School for 37 years, then an IGA employee for 19 years and on November 8 he announced that he would be retiring after 68 years of volunteer service to the Lion Club’s Turkey Bingo.
“I came to Sullivan as a geography teacher and coach in 1951,” John recalled. ”Then Principal, Russell Ashbrook, actively recruited every male teacher to membership in the Lion’s Club. I have been there ever since.”
“I’ve been told that the turkeys were tossed off the roof of the Court House and the participants had to chase down their turkey,” He said it was an early story of how Thanksgiving Turkeys were distributed. Turkeys can fly can’t they?
“This practice was discontinued due to complaints about cruelty to the turkeys,” he continued.
Turkey Bingo was first held at Shasteen Motors, then moved to the Armory and finally to the American Legion Hall, John said, emphasizing more than 300 people have participated in the annual fundraiser each of the past two years.
The Lion’s Club helps those with vision issues and supports community programs including school scholarships.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.