The ACE Award recognizes High School students who have made a dramatic change in attitude and/or performance in school, or have overcome a great physical or social obstacle. The ACE Award is a positive program designed to help encourage students to overcome problems and obstacles, while getting back on track towards a High School Diploma and beyond. The committee will coordinate with school counselors and honor up to three students with a special program and presentation of cash or merchandise awards.

John Hilton
Bert Gailushas
Justin Moseness,
Jeff Springer,   
Bob Pyfer, ,
Rick McAlmond

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The Blue & Gold Wounded in Service Award was conceived as an effort to properly pay the highest possible tribute to law enforcement officers who, in the line of duty, have paid so severe and, in some cases, the ultimate price to serve and protect their citizens. Hopefully, this award won’t have to be made, but on the occasions which warrant it, it is the Clubs role to further enhance the publics level of respect, admiration and appreciation for the sacrifices which law enforcement officers and firefighters make in the line of duty.

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The Book of Golden Deeds is widely and enthusiastically sponsored by local Exchange Clubs as a recurring activity. This exclusive Exchange Club project affords the opportunity to bestow deserved tribute upon the heroes and heroines of everyday life whose sacrifice, toil and achievements too often pass unrecognized and unsung. The committee will organize a program and select a very special person to be honored at a club meeting with the entire membership present. Community leaders, press and news personnel should be invited guests.

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A weekly bulletin summarizing the activities of each meeting and announcing upcoming dates helps to keep members who are unable to attend a meeting up-to-date and should help in maintaining the general interest of the membership. The committee is responsible for preparing and distributing a weekly bulletin to all members, District Officers, The National Exchange Club headquarters and for maintaining an accurate mailing list.

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This committee is responsible to plan and carry out our annual Christmas Party for all members, spouses, and guests. Duties include arranging for a location, social hour, dinner, music and programs including encouragement of member participation in our gift-giving projects for needy children.

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BOARD MEMBER: 
Lesley Gallagher-Tolan

This program designed to provide direct support for Helena exchange club’s efforts to provide winter coats, gloves, hats…etc.  for those children in our community that otherwise would be challenged to be properly outfitted for winter weather.  The committee is responsible to see that proper selection procedures and communication with local schools and service organizations in selecting the youth to receive coats each winter.  This committee is responsible for both scheduled fundraising event (annual wine fair) and informal weekly collection to insure coats program is self-financed

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The goals of the committee are to educate Club members about conventions, encourage attendance and bid for future conventions.

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Crime in one of the most disturbing internal problems confronting Americans today. The committees responsibility is to plan and carry out the annual Police Officer of the Year Award. In addition, close cooperation with Lewis & Clark County Crime stoppers is encouraged throughout the year.

Mike Wong
Ken Pankratz
Donovan Hayes 
Clyde Dailey,
Aaron Helfert

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Each year, the Helena Exchange Club sponsors a baseball and football team in the community youth leagues. Historically, our teams done well. Our support includes paying sponsorship fee and providing needed equipment and uniforms. The committees responsibilities include coordinating with the coaches of our teams, arranging for payment of fees and expenses and inviting coaches once or twice a season to attend a meeting to update the membership on team activities.

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Marshall Price,
Brad Cozzie, 
Bob Kimball,
Martin Lewis,
Tim Curtin

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Our major fund raising activity is through the beer concessions during such events at Horse racing, Last Chance Stampede and the Lineman’s Rodeo. The committee is responsible for communication and coordination with the Racing Association, Stampede Chair and Montana Power Company. To generate a significant profit, facilities and equipment must be adequately designed and maintained. The committee coordinates the design, construction and maintenance of our concession facilities at the Fairgrounds. The committee arranges for repairs, organized cleanup sessions and “winterizes” the booths.

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This committee is responsible for scheduling crews for beer pours and arranging everything related to this fund raising effort.  Purchase of licenses, permits providing seed money, arranging for armored car service, opening and closing beer booths, making deposits and reporting to the club.

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A sound financial status is essential to the smooth functioning of an Exchange Club as is to the business and industry. Exchange Clubs must practice good money management. Nothing will cause members to lose interest in a club faster that assessment, insufficient funds to carry out projects or a large financial deficit. The Finance Committee, establishes fiscal policy and supervises the financial management of the club.

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The National Exchange Club believes that a program to educate the public in basic rules of fire prevention can greatly reduce devastating and costly fires in the nation. The committee is responsible to contact the fire departments and schools (Helena, East Helena, Montana City, Kessler, Clancy) for distribution of materials that may be made available for grade school students, during Fire Prevention Week in October. In addition, the committee should identify other ways for our Club to become involved in the fire prevention effort in the future years.

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The Freedom Shrine is the perfect means of bringing the inspirational message of our American Heritage to the youth of our Nation. These collections of the most cherished documents in American history, are beautifully frames and laminated, and are on display in several schools and public buildings as gifts of our club. The responsibility of the committee is to arrange for presentation or rededication of a Freedom Shrine during May. This includes making all contacts, program arrangement and publicity releases. The committee should also explore the possibility of a corporate sponsor or co-sponsor for the financial costs of the Freedom Shrine.

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Project Give A Kid A Flag To Wave (usually spelled “Giveakidaflagtowave”) is an easily implemented and effective program designed to cultivate a deeper sense of patriotism and respect of the American Flag among our nations children. The key to this program is as simple as its name suggests... providing children with the symbol of our national unity- the American Flag! The committee is responsible for distributing small American flags to children along the parade route of the Last Chance Parade in July. Volunteers to distribute flags will be requested from the club membership if needed.

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The committees responsibilities include setting up the golf tournament and arranging for awards and organizing a meal to follow. In addition, family picnics of different types should be explored as adjuncts to the perennially successful golf tournament.

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The smooth functioning of the Exchange Club often depends upon the care and attention that the House Committee devotes to its duties. The responsibility of the committee is to arrange regular club meetings, including time, place, meals and cost. The committee sees that banners and flags are properly displayed at all meetings and solicits comments from members regarding service, food and accommodations, In addition, the House Committee is responsible for appointing individuals to lead the Prayer and pledge at our weekly meetings.

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Each new member is inducted into the Helena Exchange Club in the dignified and impressive ceremony at a regular meeting. During this ceremony, each inductee is given a New Member Kit that includes the Covenant of Service Certificate, a lapel pin and a composite of Exchange publications for the e new member. In addition, new members attend a short instructional meeting on the meaning and purpose of the Exchange. The committee's responsibility is to plan and carry out induction ceremonies as scheduled by the club president.

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BOARD MEMBERS: 
John/Mark/Marshall

The primary challenge facing our Club is membership retention and growth. To retain and strengthen our reputation as the area's greatest supporter of community youth and patriotic programs, we must pursue an energetic and continuous program of quaintly membership building. It is through high quality new members that renewed vitality and ideas are infused into our organization, Whether a member attends meetings regularly depends on the importance of the club to him or her. Since a member is interested when he or she joins, the solution to attendance problems often lies in keeping him or her sold on the work of the club. To help every Exchange derive maximum benefit from membership in the club, the committee must promote increased attendance and eliminate causes of non-attendance.

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Milestones Of Freedom provides Exchange club with an opportunity to focus public attention on the Freedom Shrine Programs and on Exchanges continuing emphasis on American Citizenship. This program provides an incentive for middle-school students to examine the documents, The sole purpose of this program is to broaden the young students appreciation and understanding of America's most important precepts and their significance in our history.

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Due to the nature and complexity of our contracts and the large amount of money that we are generating, we have established this committee to handle all contract negotiations.  The committee will keep the board and the membership informed, in general terms, of the progress on contract negotiations. The negotiations before contracts are agreed upon or signed.

Dale Reagor

Rick Schlenker

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The "One Nation Under God" committee is responsible for making presentations in area schools on the history of the flag, the President of the United States and the Pledge of Allegiance, The goal of this committee is to impart knowledge of our nations patriotic and democratic heritage.

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The prevention of child abuse and neglect is the national project of Exchange. The National Exchange Club Foundations for the Prevention of Child Abuse was started to provide financial support for the project through the contributions of individuals, clubs, businesses, corporations and other foundations. Exchange Centers for the Prevention of Child Abuse has been established by the Foundation in communities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. There is a center in Missoula and umbrella center in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

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The program committee is responsible for arranging interesting, informative, entertaining and diversified weekly programs. The committee has one of the most important assignments in an Exchange Club since the success of other club elements-attendance, interest & growth, often depends on how effectively the Program Committee carries out its duties. The chairman’s normal practice consists of assigning a different committee member the responsibility for arranging each weeks programs. From time to time, the committee as a whole should design programs for special events.

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“Proudly We Hail” is a program that encourages display of the American Flag by individuals, commercial establishments, industries and other entities by ceremoniously honoring them through the presentation of a handsome “Proudly We Hail: plaque. This easy to execute program is an ongoing effort that promotes American Citizenship and community recognition of Exchange. The committee will select recipients for the award and resent one award a month for a total of six months. The committee is also responsible for arranging that the recipients attend club meetings to receive their awards.

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BOARD MEMBER Betsy Rispens

Perhaps the most gratifying service youth project sponsored by the Exchange Club is the Sunshine Special. The program treats orphaned, handicapped or otherwise underprivileged children to a day of unforgettable enjoyment at an amusement park, beach or other destination. The committee is also responsible to organize and carry out the program with assistance from the entire membership.

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This is the fundraiser for the Coats For kids program.

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The youth of the Month program provides a means to recognize and publicize the worthy achievements of upstanding, law-abiding young people. The project’s principal objective is to provide proper incentives to our youth by recognizing leadership, scholarship, athletic ability and industry. The Youth of the Month program culminates in April with a banquet (or reception) when we resent a scholarship to the Youth of the Year winner from among the monthly winners. The responsibility of the committee is to visit our two high schools and present the criteria for selection to the designated guidance counselors from each school. Each school then selects three Youth of the Month candidates five time each school year.  The committee is also responsive to see that proper selection procedures and reports are filed for selecting the Youth of the Year and entering our candidate in District coordinating the Annual Banquet (or reception) where outstanding youth and their families are honored.