In 2011, the membership of the Harrisville Civic Club disbanded and used the proceeds in its treasury to make a lasting impact on the Harrisville community through the creation of the Harrisville Civic Club Community Improvement Fund at Our Community's Foundation's Ritchie County affiliate. This fund provides annual charitable support for programs and projects undertaken in the Harrisville town limits and within a 2-mile radius surrounding the town.

The Harrisville Civic Club was formed in 1950 for the purpose of constructing a facility to house the Myles Manufacturing Company, a garment manufacturing business. In 1966 the Harrisville Manufacturing Company purchased the building from the Civic Club after Melvin May had acquired the business. Proceeds from the club's first business venture were utilized multiple times to attract and aid other businesses in the area which have provided hundreds of jobs for area residents. The Civic Club also made a significant impact on the quality of life in the community by purchasing and donating the property for the Harrisville Town Park; providing donations to the area's fire departments and emergency squads; and providing the funds for the town mural in downtown Harrisville.

Daisy Cokeley, Wade Prather, Brooks Fleming, Harry Moats, Carlton Welch, Kenneth Westfall, Wallace Pew, Jim McMillion, Enos McDougal, Doug Jackson, Alan Haught, Eldon Haught, the Washburn family and many others have played a key role in shaping the Harrisville Civic Club. "Although many prominent citizens have been actively involved in the club over the years, Russell Grose's name appears as a constant on the club's records throughout its history. He worked diligently for the club throughout his life and was actively engaged in the betterment of the Harrisville community until his death in 2009. We would like to dedicate the new Harrisville Civic Club Community Improvement Fund as a memorial to our longtime club member Russell Grose. Russell would have been pleased to know that this fund will forever work to improve the quality of life in the community that he loved," commented Floyd Hodge, former Harrisville Civic Club President.

Russell L. Grose was 96 years old when he died. Mr. Grose graduated from Harrisville High School in 1934. He operated the former Harrisville Sales and Service Ford Dealership for 25 years; was one of the founding members of the Ritchie Raceways Inc (which started the Hillbilly 100); was president and part owner of the former United Manufacturing Inc; and was part owner of the former B&L Hardware in Harrisville. In addition to his many years with the Harrisville Civic Club, he was also a longtime member of the Harrisville Lodge #98 AF & AM; the Pennsboro Masonic Commandary #20 and Masonic Chapter #25; and a member of the Nemesis Shrine in Parkersburg where he was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason. Russell was also a member of the Harrisville Chapter 29 Order of Eastern Star; the former director of Ritchie County Economic Development; and former president of the Harrisville Lions Club and Civic Club.