Child Abuse Prevention
Exchange provides a variety of public awareness materials and community service projects designed to help inform and increase awareness of child abuse and how it can be prevented.
The club makes an annual donation to the National Exchange Club Foundation Endowment Fund. In addition, in the month of April we have special speakers and service projects related to Child Abuse prevention. In the past, the club has distributed educational materials at local shopping centers and gathered supplies and clothing to give to local help centers.
Community Service
The Noon Exchange Club of Garland serves the Garland area. Its highest profile event is the annual Labor Day Parade, which is the largest, best-attended, and most well-organized Labor Day parade west of the Mississippi river.
In addition to the parade, the club works on blood drives, fire prevention, crime prevention, Habitat for Humanity, and the Hope Clinic. Members of the club volunteer for the Garland Animal Shelter, and it has donated funds to Joseph’s House and Crime Stoppers.
The club also gives out a community service award called the ‘Book of Golden Deeds’ to outstanding individuals that have made a difference in the community.
Youth Programs
America’s young people are our most precious resource. They are the ones we trust with all of our tomorrows, and for that they deserve every ounce of time and effort that we can pour into them today. For many years, The National Exchange Club and local-level clubs have sponsored an impressive selection of activities designed to benefit and encourage our nation’s youth.
Each month, the club recognizes two seniors as our Youth of the Month. They present a written essay which is judged, and a Youth of the Year is selected to represent the club at the district convention. There is also an ACE Award for Accepting the Challenge of Excellence. This is presented to students who have overcome hardships and will graduate and go onto higher education.
To encourage youth to become first responders, the club has made arrangements with a fire station for local Boy Scouts to use.
At the Labor Day Parade high school-aged youth pass out flags and Boy Scouts carry the our 500 flags.
The Kid’s Christmas Party, which began in 1990, started as a project in cooperation with the Lions Club of Garland. In November, there are four shopping days for over 400 needy children. In December, the gifts are wrapped followed by our Christmas party on the 1st Wednesday. The kids are treated to cupcakes, entertainment and finally Santa with bags of wrapped gifts. It is a thrilling and emotional time for many of the adult helpers. The Kid’s Christmas Party is an opportunity for schools to present music and skits performed by their Fine Arts Departments.
Through college scholarships at the community and national levels, mentoring, guidance and service recognition, Exchange is making a difference for America’s youngest generations. If you are interested in showing our nation’s youth just how treasured they are, we encourage you to become involved with this important program.
Americanism
One of the first club projects after our founding was to hand small American Flags to kids along the Labor Day Parade route. This “Give a Kid a Flag” project is still being done today.
The club purchased 500 full-sized American Flags in 2015. These flags have been displayed on National Holidays, at the Labor Day Parade, at the “Wall That Heals” exhibit, and as a Field of Honor to First Responders.
Over the years the club has presented the Freedom Shrine to many public buildings. The Freedom Shrine is an impressive, permanently mounted collection of 30 of the most important and historic American documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Gettysburg Address. They show our nation’s youth the strength and courage of their forefathers by allowing them to read, with their own eyes, the immortal words of inspired Americans who so decisively changed the course of history.
Proudly We Hail – Many residents fly the American Flag in the proper manner. The club has honored many residents with a plaque to display for their honoring the flag.
The One Nation Under God project was adopted by Exchange leaders seeking to heighten awareness of our rich religious heritage. Noon Exchange of Garland has had many enriching One Nation Under God programs.
Annually the club gives gift cards to homeless veterans through the police department. Over the past four years the club has helped more than 300 homeless veterans.
We have had special Memorial Day events to honor Service Members and dedicated plaques honoring those who fought in previous wars.