We all cheered for American veterans who live at Laurel Manor Nursing Home during a Dec. 18 Christmas Party for the vets, put on by the Exchange Club of Falcon. The festivities began with a prayer and the traditional Pledge of Allegiance. Three long tables stacked high with Christmas presents and mounds of baked goods were center stage.The Exchange Club collected 126 presents funded by ìAngel Treeî donations that were dropped off at the I-Hop south restaurant, Walmart in Falcon and Prominent Point Dental Group in Colorado Springs. Joy was abundant as they began opening their gifts.The veterans spoke about their length of time in the service. Some had been in the Army, some in the Navy, others in the Air Force and Marines.The Exchange Club also purchased items for each veteran: 25 big two-pound boxes of Russell Stover chocolates; 25 large tins of popcorn, 25 large containers of peanuts and 25 boxes of individually pre-wrapped cheese and crackers. The club wishes to thank the couple, who would like to remain anonymous, who donated $500, which was used for this event. Home-baked Christmas cookies and other baked goods were donated by the club members and other outside sources.Members of the Exchange Club wanted to make the holidays a little brighter for the often forgotten vets in the nursing home. Would you like to give some time to worthy causes? Call Bob Miller, president of the Exchange Club of Falcon: 719-641-0752. The encouragement and humility we feel as members of this organization is overwhelming. The Angel Tree Program will include foster children this month, led by Child Abuse Committee Chairwoman Ursula Miller. †
