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The Waverly Exchange Club was chartered in 1984. Throughout its history, the club has focused on raising funds and volunteering time to support families, victims of child abuse, and improve the lives of those living within our communities.
During 2024, we will be celebrating our 40-year history and lifting up the National Exchange Club pillars. We welcome you to learn more about our local service club. Membership in Exchange is open to anyone interested in serving our communities and nation, and fulfilling the mission/motto of Exchange. Members come from a wide range of backgrounds. If you are interested in seeing if Exchange Club is right for you, please contact us at [email protected]. Check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waverlyexchangeclub. |
Waverly-Shell Rock Excel ClubThe Excel Club at Waverly-Shell Rock is celebrating its 5th year as a club in 2024. In 2019, students, under the guidance of Exchange Club member and business education instructor Beth Burrow, got the club started and immediately put their motivation to help others into action.
Excel Clubs are groups of high students dedicated to improving their schools, communities and country through volunteerism, developing valuable leadership and communication skills and growing through community service projects, fundraising for charity, and working toward a common goal. Being part of Excel allows members to make lasting friendships. Each Exchange Excel Club selects projects based on the needs of the school, community concerns and skills that club members want to improve upon. With the help of Mrs. Burrow and the Waverly Exchange Club members they decided on how to serve their school and community. Excel members typically share their time and talents to develop and execute projects such as planning a prevention of child abuse activity (an emphasis for the Exchange Club), organizing a school clean-up day, collecting food and clothing for the underprivileged, and seeking solutions to homelessness. The Excel Club actively assists in our Waverly Exchange Club activities. They are a highly motivated, resourceful group of students. Recent projects of he Waverly Excel Club includes organizing U.S. flag presentations at several W-SR sporting events, hosting an obstacle course at the Family Fun Fair, positive messages on W-SR elementary school classroom bulletin boards, and attending Waverly City Council meetings as guest council members. 
Member Spotlight - Steve Egli, Charter MemberSteve was interested in joining a service club and the morning meetings for Exchange appealed to him. “The focus of preventing child abuse resonated with me from the start,” Steve commented. “Our morning meetings are very engaging and I appreciate that every member has the opportunity to invite a speaker. It’s a great way to learn about the other members and their interests and talents. Our members are very engaged and enthusiastic about serving the community.”
Member Spotlight - John Johnston, Charter MemberLike the other charter members, John wanted to give back to his community. “I joined the Exchange Club because I liked its mission of preventing of child abuse. I continue to be a member because of its mission and the many programs that we support in the community,” John commented. “I really like the diversification of our membership and how each member brings a special talent to the table. The Book of Golden Deeds, an award I chair, is one of my favorites. We have the opportunity to highlight and celebrate individuals who have made serving others their personal mission.”
Member Spotlight - Gary Williams, Charter MemberGary initially joined the Waverly Exchange Club because he was asked by friends and he wanted to give back to the community. “The focus of child abuse prevention was very intriguing to me,” Gary commented. “We started raising funds for small projects and then we looked at creating a bigger impact through larger fundraising efforts such as the annual golf outing - Tee Off Against Child Abuse. I have enjoyed seeing the club grow over the years and also seeing the bigger impact we have been able to make on the community.”
Pillar #2 Community ServiceCommitment to the Community is the focal point for each Exchange Club’s efforts. Exchange is unique, as clubs have the flexibility to structure projects targeting needs of their communities, rather than being tied to a certain cause.
Our Mission, Inspiring communities to become better places to live, is what drives many of our members to become involved with Exchange in the first place. Like you, they’re passionate about helping people in any way they can. Through their desire to give back, local-level Exchange Clubs devote countless hours and funds toward community improvement, bridging gaps in services, developing partnerships that enhance opportunities for their neighbors and sharing members’ skillsets. Beginning with the very first group of Exchange Club members and extending into present day, we have set the bar high for community service involvement. Community service is the lifeline of Exchange, with local-level clubs devoting countless hours and dollars to serving their neighbors every year. Community Service is the Program of Service that most allows clubs to identify opportunities within their communities and offer assistance to fill gaps in services. Since the first group of Exchange Club members convened, Exchange has set the bar high for community service involvement! Some of the club's projects include the following:
National Exchange ClubFounded in Detroit, Michigan in 1911 with only a small handful of members, the National Exchange Club has grown to become America’s oldest service organization. Exchange is an all-volunteer, national service organization for men and women who want to serve their community, develop leadership skills and enjoy new friendships. Exchange is made up of nearly 800 clubs and more than 25,000 members throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The National
Exchange Club motto is, “To Build A Better America.”
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Member Spotlight - Monica Severson"I decided to join the Waverly Exchange Club because I was looking for a service organization that was involved in our community. My good friend, Derek Solheim, shared with me his wife Heidi enjoyed being a part of the Exchange so I decided to check it out!
I love being a member because we are helping several organizations that provide support for many people in need. Carrying the flag in parades or at a sports events is one of the more powerful things we do as a club. I truly enjoy our club members whether it is at a Thursday morning meeting or while we are working on one of our fundraising events or a when completing a service activity. Our weekly meetings are always one of the positive highlights of my week! I am currently the President-Elect for our club and looking forward to being our President starting July 1, 2024." 
Member Spotlight - Dani Gordon"I saw the Exchange name in and around Waverly often for several years. I didn’t really know what they did, how to join, or who could be involved. Then Janeen Stewart invited me to a meeting. Turns out that is all you need to get started!
I care about Waverly and the surrounding communities and I believe in Exchange’s call to service and the focus the club has on youth. Both are important to me as coach. It has been fun volunteering at events such as the GoHawk Hustle, our Girls basketball tournament, and working on the softball fields." 
Member Spotlight - Jerry Vallem, Charter MemberJerry served as the 5th president of the club and was asked to serve another term as president a few years later. He was the club’s first, two-time president. “I initially joined Exchange because of the other men in the club. I never dreamed we would raise as much as we have over the years and it seems like we get better every year. It’s exciting to have new activities and new experiences at each meeting,” Jerry commented.
Member Spotlight - Denny Button, Charter MemberDenny served as the club’s president in 2010. As president, he wanted to add more diversity to the club. “I challenged the membership, which at that time was all male, to make recruiting women into the club a priority. Our goal was to add seven women and we exceeded the goal! I love the camaraderie at our meetings and my favorite activity is carrying the flag in parades,” Denny commented.
Member Spotlight - Jim Brandau, Charter MemberJim was instrumental in starting the club and served as the club’s first president in 1984. He has continued as a member of the club because of its mission and programs of service. “The club membership has a great cross section of individuals from our community. At the meetings, we have the opportunity to visit with other members of the community that we ordinarily would not encounter in our daily lives. We also have interesting speakers at each meeting. It is always a joy to distribute funds to the programs and organizations we support,” Jim commented.
Pillar #1 AmericanismAmericanism is one of the four pillars of Exchange Club. The Commitment to Country was born in the aftermath of World War II, a time of unquenchable patriotism. Exchange Club members are proud to join veterans and other civic groups in promoting Americanism as the rich blessing of democracy and freedom. Members also educate today’s youth to cherish these values.
The Americanism Program of Service promotes pride in our country, appreciation for the freedoms granted to American citizens, and gratitude to the men and women who serve/have served in the Armed Forces. Americanism celebrates the country’s rich, unique heritage and inspires unity from coast-to-coast. The Waverly Exchange Club participates in the following programs of service to promote Americanism:
Waverly Exchange Club Celebrates 40 Years of ServiceThe Waverly Exchange Club was chartered in 1984. Throughout its history, the club has focused on raising funds and volunteering time to support families, victims of child abuse, and improve the lives of those living within our communities.
This year, we will be celebrating our 40-year history and lifting up the National Exchange Club pillars. We welcome you to learn more about our local service club. Membership in Exchange is open to anyone interested in serving our communities and nation, and fulfilling the mission/motto of Exchange. Members come from a wide range of backgrounds. If you are interested in seeing if Exchange Club is right for you, please contact us at [email protected]. Check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waverlyexchangeclub. |
