The members of the Portage Exchange Club, a local branch of the National Exchange Club, are gearing up for another year of having fun together and working together for the betterment of our community. You can be a part of this!
Throughout the year, the club conducts various fundraisers—a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s, a golf outing, a car raffle and other events. The bulk of the money raised is used for the annual Needy Kids Christmas Shopping Project.
In December, 2012, the club held its 26th Shopping Project. In the past, this event took place at SuperK. Since that store has closed, this year’s shopping took place at the Portage WalMart. Twenty-one Exchangites helped with the event. WalMart supervisors Karen Sims and Brandy Navardauskas and cashiers Cherri Bonner, Teresa Richier and Melissa Mackey assisted the club.
This year the club spent over $8900 and helped 122 children from 59 families.
The Home School Advisor in each PTS elementary school provides the names of families from that school that could use some assistance. The parents are contacted by letter and invited to come on a certain day and purchase clothing for their children. The amount of money they can spend depends on the number of children in the family. They may purchase anything their children can wear, from underwear and socks to jeans and party dresses, from winter coats and boots to pajamas.
Brad Clapp has chaired this project since its inception. This year he applied for and received a $1000 grant from WalMart toward the shopping. Portage High School principal Caren Swickard has co-chaired for many years. This year she decided to hand the reins over to assistant principal and Exchangite John Zack for the future.
The Kids’ Shopping Project is a favorite for most of the Exchange Club members, but they are also involved in many other projects and activities throughout the year. With the Proudly We Hail project, they recognize businesses and individuals who fly the American Flag correctly. They hand out over 3000 little American Flags to children along with July 4th Parade route. They give awards to outstanding fifth grade citizens and once a month invite four outstanding seniors and their parents to come and speak at the breakfast meeting. These seniors then qualify to apply for Exchange Club scholarships, both locally and at district and national. We also have weekly speaker at our meetings who inform us about many interesting things, including community leaders, artists and writers and others.
It’s not “all work and no play,” however. Members enjoy getting together socially for a dinner out, a play, a RailCats game and other fun activities.
You can be a part of this by coming to a breakfast meeting at 7 a.m. at Miller’s Assisted Living on Lute Road. For more information, please check out our website at www.portage-exchange.com or call president Peggy Berbesque at 762-2201.