MISSOULA – The Missoula Exchange Club is reaching out to Seeley Lake and encouraging the community to get more involved. Exchange Club member since 2002 and part-time Seeley Lake resident Larry Anderson said The Exchange Club serves all of Missoula County with their programs, "We want the area and the community to be aware of them so they will take advantage of them."
Chartered in 1957, the Missoula Exchange Club is a group of men and women working to make the community a better place to live through programs of service in Americanism, community service, youth activities and through their major focus prevention of child abuse.
Anderson said the oldest club member has been a member for nearly 50 years.
"We enjoy each other's company and we enjoy projects that help out the community," said Anderson. "That is what the Exchange Club is all about, an exchange of ideas and an exchange of ways to help the community be a little bit stronger."
The Exchange Club financially supports The Parenting Place in Missoula that focuses on preventing child abuse by strengthening families. They provide parenting classes, parent aide program and home visiting, support for families touched by incarceration, crisis intervention, respite childcare in the evenings for parents at no cost and general support and advocacy.
At the University of Montana homecoming parade, the Exchange Club hands out around 6,000 American flags. It also sponsors the Freedom Shrine Plaques in area schools. The plaques include copies of 16 of the country's most significant documents "that reminds people of the major documents that gave us the republic that we have today," said Anderson.
The Club hosts a yearly luncheon for the Missoula County Fire Protection Association and all of the volunteer firefighters and medical personnel. The Club also gives the MCFPA a donation to be used for prevention education and outreach.
"Firefighters don't usually like to be singled out, they work as a team," said Anderson. "We don't do individual awards [like with the law enforcement] but we want to honor all the area firefighters for the work they do. A lot of them are volunteers and they often don't receive the credit they deserve. The luncheon is just our way of saying thanks."
They also financially support the Montana Special Olympics, Law Enforcement Camp held at Camp Paxson every year and rewards for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' TIP MONT program.
The Exchange Club offers the Achieving the Challenge of Excellence (A.C.E.) awards that includes students from the area. This program recognizes high school seniors who have made a dramatic change in their attitude and performance during their high school years. These changes have enabled the students to overcome adversities and prepare for graduation. Students receive a $500 cash award and one student receives a $1,000 award and competes at the national level.
"These are usually the kids that aren't ever recognized," said Anderson. "And hopefully we will get the community involved to see and appreciate their achievements."
That is the same reason for hosting the Missoula Law Enforcement "Officer of the Year" Banquet. This is the Exchange Club's 45th year hosting the banquet. This year it is Dec. 6 from 6-9 p.m. at the University of Montana UC Ballroom. It started as a luncheon and has now become an evening event for officers and their significant others to enjoy an evening out with a meal paid for by the club and their sponsors and speaker retired district court judge Ed McLean. The agencies nominate an officer to be recognized from the different agencies.
This year, the Exchange Club is running a fundraising drive in conjunction with the banquet to not only help recognize more officers but also help support their other programs.
"With all that has been going on in Seeley Lake and the local law enforcement Sergeant Bob Parcell, Deputy Mike Sunderland and Heath Hanson, Tyler Robinson, the Highway Patrol and [Fish, Wildlife and Parks officers], we just thought we would see if the community was interested in helping us out with this," said Anderson.
There are levels of sponsorship starting at $500. Members of the public can also attend the banquet by purchasing tickets at eventbrite.com.
The Exchange Club meets weekly on Thursday night in Missoula. Anderson invites anyone from Seeley that would like to learn more about becoming a member. Speakers from Seeley Lake would also be welcome to come and speak with the club about events, their business or other services and opportunities that may be beneficial for the club.
"We think there are more projects out there where we can donate money or time," said Anderson. "We are willing to look at anyone's ideas and look if there is a way we can help that fits with the mission of the club and the foundation."
For more information visit http://www.missoulaexchangeclub.org.
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