Welcome to the 2015 - 2016 Exchange Club Year.   We kicked off the year right with one of our Youth Projects:  the Give-a-Kid-a-Flag-to-Wave Project.  Exchangites handed out flags to kids on Broad Street as well as at the Fireworks show.  I would like to thank all those who gave their time and worked hard for this event over the weekend of the 4th.  
 

   Our club members accomplished so much last year, and I know that we will have to work hard just to keep pace, but I am confident we will do more this year.

 

    One theme that The National Exchange Club is promoting this year is "Exchange Strong ".  Exchange Strong is about serving communities.  It's about raising awareness of the sacrifices of American Troops and their loved ones.   Exchange Strong is about spreading child abuse prevention awareness and education to protect the most vulnerable among us.    The Exchange Club of Rome is already leading the Rome area on both of those fronts.   The Exchange Club Family Resource Center is attacking child abuse every day and is the only certified Child Abuse Prevention Center in the state of Georgia.    This year's Memorial Day Celebration Service, spearheaded by our own Americanism Committee, was a fitting tribute to the sacrifices our veterans and their families have made over the years.

 

    The coming year presents many opportunities for each member of the Exchange Club of Rome to be "Of Service" in his or her own way.   One of my goals for our club is to engage more members in more activities which will translate into better service to our community.  Another goal that I have is to increase our recognition and our celebration of the Youth of the Rome and Floyd County area.   The future of our county, state, and nation lies with our young citizens and their accomplishments are numerous.  We have plans for at least one and possibly two 'Freedom Shrines' to be installed at local schools, more information will be forthcoming at a later date.

 

    We can all contribute to the cause of a better community in different ways, if you have an idea for a project or a cause that needs a project, I want to know about it.  My door is always open and I look forward to working with each and every one of you to make the Exchange Club of Rome the best club in the nation.

 

JP

 

Leadership Training for Officers and Board Members has been scheduled for Saturday,  August 15th at Middle Georgia State University in Macon.  

Full details and the registration form are available at this link

     Historically, the Exchange Club has sponsored a "Family Fun Day" to provide families working with our agency a day out as well as school supplies.  Exchange members, FRC staff, and families enjoy the day, but time is a barrier this year.  

 

     Therefore, the FRC would like to change the way we distribute school supplies to families served by our agency....and we believe the change will mesh well with our Parent Aide program (we are actually pretty excited about the possibilities!).  

 

There are two ways you can help:

 

1)      Purchase gift cards (e.g. Wal-Mart, Staples, Christies, etc.):  Our Parent Aides will be responsible for and manage the gift cards.  They will meet parents at the store and assist them in picking out school supplies.  The simple act of purchasing supplies as a family allows us to reinforce budgeting skills, address stress management and model behavior management in a public setting.  It also provides a great family experience while enabling the parents to select items their child needs most. With your gift, we provide families with a very tangible experience that reinforces some of the skills we teach! 

 

2)      Purchase school supplies and donate directly to us for distribution to families.  If you see some good sales and prefer to "stock up and donate", we are glad to distribute those items to our families. In addition to the "usual" supplies, we also welcome backpacks, lunchboxes, 1-2" binders (look for durable, clear view).

 

National Exchange donates $1000 Scholarship

      Special thanks to our National Exchange Club for a $1000 scholarship to our child abuse prevention networks National Symposium. This will allow Parent Aide Shemika Roberts to attend some great training at no cost to the Center.

    Our last meeting was the Installation Banquet where we installed our 2015-2016 officers.  District President Tyron Spearman was on hand to do the installation.

    Our outgoing President Bryan Shealy also presented awards to Exchangites who have exemplified dedicated service to the club during the past year.  

District President Tyron Spearman outlined some of the accomplishments during the past year at the District and National level.  The three candles on the podium were burning in memory of three Exchangites who died during the past year -   Sam Burrell, Jack Carter, and Milton Tippin

Greg Gaston, BIll King, Ronnie Farmer, and Phil Franssen were honored with certificates for their dedicated service to the club during the past year.

The meeting concluded with the ceremonial transferring  of the gavel to our new president J P Cooper.

     It's time to lace up your running shoes, your walking shoes, or your volunteer shoes and mark your calendars for the 30th Annual Gary Tillman Memorial Clocktower 5K Road Race and 2 Mile Health Walk.  This year will mark the 10th year of Exchange Club involvement and benefiting our own Family Resource Center.  The race will be held on Saturday, August 15th, at 8:00am.  We need participants, sponsors, and volunteers.  This race cannot happen without your help.  Volunteer sheets will start appearing at meetings starting next week.  Registration forms and sponsorship information are available by clicking on the appropriate links. 

  

        As always, the race cannot happen without many volunteers, and this year this is especially important, since I will be taking a less active role in the future.  There are several key roles that can be filled by volunteers who will work closely with Exchangite Jason Sanker and me to ensure that every aspect of the race is covered. Some of these roles have been filled, but there are still some needs.  We still need individuals to fill the following leadership positions: 

• Volunteer Coordinator - Work with the race director to recruit and assign some 70 volunteers, including Exchangites, FRC board and staff, and community volunteers.  Communicate with volunteers prior to race day to ensure they know their job, where they are to be, and what time they are to arrive on race day.  Check in volunteers on race day, reassigning to open spots if necessary.  Ensure that tee-shirts and lanyards are distributed, and that lanyards are returned.  Requires strong organizational skills and the ability to think quickly under pressure.  Jason has done this beautifully for several years, but will be shadowing me this year.

• Refreshments Coordinator - Secure food, beverages, cups, and ice for post-race refreshments, and work with Sponsor Liaison for refreshment area layout on race day.  Ensure that water is available for water stop and that volunteers are in place to carry tables and water to the water stop.  The water stop volunteers are "old pros" at this.  We just need to be sure they have what they need to take to the water stop. Ensure a smooth flow from the Finish Line to the refreshment area and then out into the park.  We need water for the runners when they finish but don't want them to congregate at the Finish Line.  In the past we have had bananas and oranges, sometimes bagels, water, and energy and/or recovery drinks.  I would like to expand this and make it more organized.  Depending on sponsors, they may also have food or drinks at their tents.  This needs to be coordinated.

• Registration Liaison - Ensures that registration deadlines are met on race day (no runners may register after 7:30am).  Ensures that all entries are received by the Finish Line company for input, and then returned to Kathy Phillips for input into the race email database.  Assists the Finish Line company in tracking down problem entries prior to race and during results compilation.

    Next year there will be other roles that can be filled by someone other than the race director, but if we can get volunteers in these for this year, it would be tremendous!  Please contact Gail Johnson at 706-346-9348 or gailj1@bellsouth.net if you are interested, or know someone who would be a good fit.

 

Treasurer Meredith Brown is reminding all members with a past due balance that it's time to pay.  Reminder statements have gone out to all members with a past due balance requesting payment and all members are asked to be aware that our club's bylaws state that any member who is two quarters behind will be dropped from the rolls.  If you have received a letter from Meredith, please contact her as soon as possible.

What ever you have...we want it and you can either bring it to an Exchange meeting with you or we will pick it up if you call Scottie at 706-346-5998.  Nothing is too small or too big because one man's trash is an others treasure.

Have you seen the new Exchange Club of Rome Shirts?  The new distinctive logo includes the State of Georgia logo on a striped red and white flag and incorporates by the Exchange Club and the Fair Association.

These are available in both men's and ladies styles and can be ordered for you.  Please use the link below to download an order form so you can make your selection.  Please attached your check to your order form, give it to Bryan Shealy, and you shirt(s) will be ordered for you.