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r 0 EXCHANGE fir.. t THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUB The first Exchange Club was formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1911. The second was the Exchange Club of Toledo, Ohio formed in 1913. Subse- quently, two others were organized in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cleve- land, Ohio. These four clubs were the first to be chartered by the National Exchange Club after it was organized as a nonprofit, educational organiza- tion in 1917 and its headquarters es- tablished in Toledo, Ohio. Founder Charles Berkey was elected as the first national president and Her- old Harter was named national sec- retary. Harter held this position until 1961. Exchange is the oldest exclu- sively American service club organi- zation. Famous Exchangites • Former President George H.W. Bush • Former President Calvin Coolidge • Former President Warren G. Harding • Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt • Former President Harry Truman • Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd • Chief Justice Earl Warren • Aviator Orville Wright • Aviator James "Jimmy' Doolittle • Aviator Amelia Earhart • Dr. Norman Vincent Peale The first half of Exchange's history concentrated on promoting the new technology of aviation and supporting America through patri- otic programs during the Great Depression and World War II. • In 1929, The National Exchange Club sponsored the National Women's Air Derby, the first transcontinental race ever held for women. • Exchange sponsored Lt. Walter Hinton for a year-long national air tour in 1930 to promote aviation. • In 1933, Exchange is called upon by President Franklin D. Roos- evelt to help fight the Great Depression. Harter traveled 40,650 miles on the National Recovery Crusade. • Starting in 1941, Exchange strongly backed the war effort and the U.S. Savings Bond program. • Exchange adopted the Freedom Shrine project in 1949. The first Freedom Shrine is dedicated on May 26, 1950 at Santa Monica High School in California. To date more than 12,000 Freedom Shrines have been presented to schools and other public loca- tions around the country. In the latter- half of the century, Exchange became more heavily involved with women, children and family, and promoting strong families for a stronger America. • In 1979, The National Exchange Club adopted Child Abuse Prevention as a national project at the urging of Dr. Edward R. North, national president. Subsequently, The National Exchange Club Foundation is established. • The first Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse opens in Fort Pierce, Fla., on March 22, 1981. • On July 4, 1985, delegates voted to allow women membership in Exchange. Exchange was one of the first service club organiza- tions to do so. • Assisted by Exchange Clubs, the National Exchange Club Foun- dation reached its goal of distributing 1,000,000 Shaken Baby Syndrome brochures in 2000. • Exchange launched Believe in the Blue in April 2007 during Child Abuse Prevention Month. This popular project promotes strong, healthy families through positive parenting. 3050 Central Avenue • Toledo, OH 43606 • 800-924-2643 • www nationalexchangeclub.org • info@nationalexchangeclub.org I.Q.