With more than 20,000 volunteers nationwide, the Exchange Club has been a service-oriented organization for 103 years. The Falcon Exchange Club, with 32 members, has been in operation for eight years.Bob Miller, president of the Falcon club, said community is their No. 1 priority.ìWe focus on community service,î he said.Child abuse prevention is one of the clubís primary goals. ìWe have a golf tournament that we hold to raise funds for that (child abuse prevention),î he said. ìThe tournament is in June; we usually have about 60 to100 golfers.î The club hosts other events focused on prevention throughout the year and often sponsors speakers at monthly meetings.The annual craft fair is a successful fundraiser for Helping Hands Food Pantry. Totals for this year havenít been tallied, Miller said. However, last year, the fair brought in $6,000.Supporting local youth through scholarships is a local and national effort. Local recipients receive $500 and national winners receive up to $10,000, Miller said. ìWe almost had a winner from Falcon last year for the national level,î he said. ìHe just missed being runner up. He was that good.îClub members also clean up litter along 2 miles of Falcon Highway 24 every quarter.They are also active in the Colorado Springs community. ìWe went to volunteer at the veteran nursing home, Laurel Manor, and asked what they might need,î Miller said. ìThey said they were cold. So we organized blankets to be donated to them.î The veterans received 46 warm blankets and two of the vets were recognized with free dinners at a local restaurant.The annual ìangel treesî program is in full swing for the holidays. (See write up by Leonore Misner.) Last year, the program brought in 622 presents for kids in need, Miller said. The trees will again be set up in various locations around Falcon: The State Bank, Rock Solid Chiropractic and US Bank.The Exchange Club of Falcon continues to add to its membership and is always looking for more volunteers. To find out more about the club, visit https://nationalexchangeclub.org/ or contact Bob Miller at 719-641-0752.
