Submitted by Don Koveleski
It is the season for the Exchange Club of Falcon’s annual giving initiative, newly renamed the Exchange of Joy Program. This year’s trees are decorated with gift tags for foster care agencies in Colorado Springs — Hope & Home and Lutheran Family Services — as well as tags for students in Calhan schools.
Community members are encouraged to visit participating locations, pick up a tag and return toys or gift cards to support foster children and other families in need throughout the area.
Giving trees are located at the Falcon Walmart, The State Bank, Farmers State Bank, High Prairie Library, Antler Creek Golf Course, American Insurance Agency in Colorado Springs and, for the first time, Chapel Hills Mall.
For those who prefer to donate funds rather than shop, the club will purchase gift cards on their behalf. To contribute, contact Theresa Koveleski at 719-684-4139.
The club’s Youth of the Month and Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (ACE) scholarship programs have also expanded to include the Patriot Applied Learning Campus in District 49. Guidance counselor Kim Van Valkenburg recently met with club members to learn more about the program. Patriot will now submit names of eligible students during the final months of the school year. Each participating school provides the names of two students monthly. Monthly winners advance to compete for the club’s annual Youth of the Year and ACE scholarships, which include a certificate and monetary award to be presented in April 2026.
The Exchange Club also completed distribution of proceeds from its annual Falcon Craft Fair, held in early October at Falcon High School. Donations were awarded to Kidpower of Colorado, Safe Passage (a child abuse prevention center), Silver Key Services, the Falcon Zone Clothing and Food Pantry, Bennett Ranch Elementary School’s arts program, the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center food pantry and the Eastern Plains Community Pantry in Calhan.
For more information about the Exchange Club of Falcon, contact Club President Don Koveleski at 719-369-5158 or email exchangecluboffalcon@gmail.com. The club welcomes new members interested in serving the community.
Happy Holidays from the Exchange Club of Falcon!
Showing off the Exchange Club of Falcon giving tree at Walmart are Carmen Murrow (left) and Theresa Koveleski.
The Exchange Club distributed funds raised from their annual Falcon Craft Fair to a variety of nonprofit organizations: Bennett Ranch Elementary School’s arts program was among those that benefited: (from left to right) Kathy Gabler, Kelsey Sampsel, Cari Murisan and Don Koveleski.
