Burke Singles History

Burke Singles History History

History of Burke Singles

by Tom Frenzinger

Burke Singles started in the summer of 1979 with a small group of single people living in one of the townhouse clusters in Burke Centre. The group got together for dinner parties or social gatherings in their homes. They enjoyed a very relaxed and compatible atmosphere and soon other interested singles were attracted to the group.

The group invited other people that they met, and those friends invited other friends until the half dozen had grown to more than twenty. Soon they began to realize just how many single people lived in the suburbs and that perhaps a club should be organized to serve the needs of the single community. Announcements were placed in local newspapers and community association newsletters and the membership grew. The group remained in touch by a modest newsletter that -- believe it or not -- was called the Bull Sheet. It was run off either on a ditto machine or a mimeograph and mailed to those on the fledgling mailing list that had been compiled.

As the group enjoyed initial successes, the members were conscious of the unique atmosphere of friendliness that seemed to prevail in their activities. People remarked that it was a nice, comfortable group that offered support and a chance to meet other singles without a lot of pressure. This "small town" type of atmosphere soon became the hallmark of the club.

Eventually, a committee was appointed to draft a set of by-laws and the group petitioned the State of Virginia for incorporation as a not-for-profit organization. The original Articles of Organization were signed by the first Board of Directors on December 10, 1981. It was at that time that the name Burke Singles was adopted officially. Until then, the group had suffered a bit of an identity crisis. Depending on whom you talked with, the club was known as Burke Centre Singles, Singles of Burke (the SOBs), or Burke Singles.

In the process of writing the by-laws, the group had to address the matter of membership. To whom should membership be available, and how should it be handled? Although the group was definitely centered in Burke and most of the members lived in Burke, the group did have a number of very active and contributing members from other areas. The group also wished to preserve the close-knit, small town atmosphere that characterized the club. It was finally decided that membership would be available to any single, divorced, separated, or widowed person over the age of 21 who resided in zip code 22015, 22032, 22150, 22151, 22152, or 22153. Those not resident in that area could join if sponsored by a member in good standing. Further, a limit was put on the number of members in the club in order to preserve the atmosphere. The original limit was 300, but that has since been raised to 400. A modest annual membership fee was instated to fund the production and distribution of the monthly newsletter and membership directory. The original fee was $10, and has increased over the years to the current $25, which is still a great bargain.

Burke Singles provides a comfortable, relaxed, low pressure and non-threatening environment in which single people can interact socially and make friends. Many find it to be a great support group, but the emphasis is on the fellowship and friendship. By keeping these underlying thoughts foremost in our minds, the club will continue to enjoy the fine reputation that it has today.