By Don Koveleski, president
The Exchange Club of Falcon was active for the month of September with many projects and activities to support the food pantries, community and the foster care agencies in El Paso County.
The Exchange Club was provided an opportunity from Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center to deliver perishable and non-perishable foods to the District 49 Falcon Zone Pantry and the Eastern Plains Community Pantry (Calhan) on Sept. 12. This was a collaborative community event, hosted by Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, which is their way of giving back to those who give so much. Free non-perishable food, fresh groceries and more to military members, veterans, first responders and the public.
We worked with Shannon Olin to allow us to get 20 boxes of non-perishable food and fresh produce for delivery to the Eastern Plains Community Pantry and the Falcon Zone. We got so much food that it filled up the bed of the truck, the entire middle seat and Theresa Koveleski’s lap. There were many vehicles lined up to partake in the free food giving day.
The food was delivered to both locations and everyone there was appreciative of the food for their pantries. Richard MacKay of the Eastern Plains Pantry said that none of it will go to waste. There is such a demand for food in their area. We provided food for the Falcon D 49 Zone (Cari Muresan is the lead on that pantry) and this will help them for those who need it in the Falcon Zone.
The Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains presented the Exchange Club with the 2025 Community Partner of the Year Award at the Annual InnKeepers Dinner at the Great Wolf Lodge on Sept. 18.
We have partnered with the Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains foster care program for at least 15 years. We have supported their foster care program with our Gifts of Love (formerly Angel Tree) program where we have gift tag Christmas trees at several locations in Falcon, Colorado Springs and our new location in the Chapel Hills Mall. We also provided donations for their holiday parties, Foster Care Appreciation Dinner, backpack program and several other opportunities to help their cause.
Our club will continue our support with the LFSRM Foster Care program as well as the other partnering agencies in El Paso County in support of the Prevention of Child Abuse.
We completed another Highway Cleanup on Sept. 13. A few members from the Exchange Club of Falcon cleaned up a 2-mile stretch of the Falcon Highway (the corner of Meridian Road to Good Fortune Road) this past weekend. It was another beautiful day to get it done. We only had five members out there, but we got it done. We picked up about 10 bags of trash, wood, pipes and carcasses.
The Exchange Club was honored to receive the 2025 Community Partner of the Year award from Lutheran Family Services Rock Mountains: (from left to right) Exchange Club president Don Koveleski, Theresa Koveleski (member), Beth Schlauch (LFSRM foster care licensing supervisor), Dr. Harriet Bauer (member) and Diana Nietz (member).
