Exchange Club of the Jacksonville Beaches members cleaned and repainted a pavilion at Tide Views Park in Atlantic Beach on two Saturdays in October as a “National Day of Service” Project.
The Exchange Club has been providing community service at the Beaches and beyond since the local chapter was created in 1980. Prevention of child abuse, promotion of Americanism, recognition of youth and community service are among the programs through which the Club has performed hundreds of projects since it was established. The pavilion at Tide Views Park is particularly important to the Club because a bench was dedicated there in 2013 to Roy Deese, a founding club member.
The main focus of more than 700 Exchange Clubs and their 21,000 members across the country is prevention of child abuse. The two Duval County club support the Exchange Club Family Center, which provides in-home counseling and mentoring for parents at risk of having children removed and placed in foster care. Beaches residents may recognize some of the club’s other projects, including handing out American flags at the Opening of the Beaches Parade, operating water stops at the Donna Foundation Breast Cancer Marathon, and work at local schools, parks and public buildings.
Exchange Club of the Jacksonville Beaches representatives who participated in the “National Day of Service” project included (from left) Scott Layman, Steve Bauer, Bobby Bass, Ron Black, Jeff Sneed and Jane Sneed. They were joined by John Mullins and Jim Hanson (not pictured).