AMERICANISM
Americanism was embraced by Exchange most especially in the aftermath
of World War II, when patriotism, pride in Country, appreciation of
our freedoms and respect for our flag ranked so high in the minds of
our citizens. We are dedicated to preserving and perpetuating that spirit
of patriotism and our club does it by promoting Americanism in projects
such as:
Freedom Shrine - This is a collection of 30 historical
American documents photographically reproduced in exacting detail for
permanent mounting in schools, libraries, city halls, and other public
places. Thousands of Shrines have been dedicated across the nation with
documents displayed ranging from The Mayflower Compact of 1620, the
Declaration of Independence of 1776, The Bill of Rights of 1789, Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address of 1863, the letter naming Eisenhower Supreme Commander
in 1943 and Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream" speech of 1963. Each
Shrine illustrates significant milestones in our country's history which
have helped shape its character, and strives to remind us that the freedoms
we enjoy today were not achieved easily and must be vigorously protected.
Give a Kid a Flag to Wave - This is a project for
almost any community occasion whether it be a parade, festival, fair,
picnic or other happening that generates a crowd. It consists of giving
kids a small 4" x 6" American flag on a stick, with the objective of
elevating young peoples' respect and admiration for our flag while at
the same time giving them a nice souvenir of the occasion.
