Members of the Exchange Club of Mount Olive, Gary Barefoot (in hat) and Brittany Parent, help children decorate sugar cookies at the town’s annual tree-lighting ceremony. (Belinda Parent|Courtesy photo)
During Mount Olive’s annual tree-lighting event, Hayden Grady, left, and Laney Grady get a friendly hug from the Grinch (alter ego of Shane Hicks), who made an appearance at the invitation of the town’s Exchange Club. (Belinda Parent|Courtesy photo)
The Exchange Club of Mount Olive is a service organization that meets every Monday (except fifth Mondays) from 12-1 p.m. at Ribeye’s. Pictured are several members who participated in the town’s annual tree-lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1. Left to right: Dwayne McKay, Amberley Davis, Ronda Thompson, Michael Thompson, Brittany Parent, Bryant Gibson, Belinda Parent, Gary Barefoot, Lynwood Herring, Susan Price. (Belinda Parent|Courtesy photo)
It was no coincidence that the Grinch showed up in Mount Olive during the town’s tree-lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1. He was there — decked out as usual in his red Santa jacket and hat — to pose for free photos, courtesy of the Exchange Club of Mount Olive. The club also arranged two other free activities for kids — providing them with “fairy hair” and letting them decorate their own sugar cookies. Additionally, the club sponsored several food trucks. And this is just a taste of what the Exchange Club does throughout the year.
The Exchange Club is a service organization, with weekly meetings held every Monday (except fifth Mondays), from noon to 1 p.m. at Ribeye’s in Mount Olive. “We have our meetings at lunch for people that have a 9-to-5 job,” explained the group’s president-elect, Belinda Parent. “We’re hoping that they’ll take their lunch break one day a week and come eat with us.”
By holding meetings during the day, the organization tries not to take up members’ family time during the evenings. “We want to be able to support the community, support the veterans, support the seniors, support the children, but we don’t want to take away from you and your family too terribly much,” Parent said. She also pointed out that when the Exchange Club is participating in an evening event — like the recent tree-lighting — there’s no reason members can’t bring their kids. “Their families are always welcome to come, always,” she emphasized.
During Monday meetings, the club hosts a variety of speakers from area businesses and volunteer organizations. “If anyone is ever interested in coming to speak to us, we invite them to do so,” Parent said. “We like to know what’s going on in our community in case anyone ever needs our help, we’re kind of already familiar with them.”
On the first Monday of each month, the club hosts a Student of the Month from both North Duplin and Southern Wayne high schools. The students are selected by their school counselors, and both students and counselors are treated to lunch. The students are then in the running to possibly receive a scholarship from the Exchange Club on the district level.
Every year, the Exchange Club sponsors a big July 4 celebration in Westbrook Park, providing free food and entertainment. And starting next year, another major annual event will be added to the calendar: Field of Flags, to be held in May, in conjunction with Memorial Day. People will be able to purchase flags from the Exchange Club — in memory of or in honor of military personnel, first responders, law enforcement, etc. — and these flags will be displayed for two to four weeks in Mount Olive, though the exact location has yet to be determined. Each flag will have a tag identifying the person being honored (and the person doing the honoring, if that person chooses), as well as a light shining on it. “[People] can go day or night, stop by, check ‘em out, show ‘em to their kids, enjoy it,” said Parent. “At the end of the display, the flag will be theirs to take home.” She noted that this is not intended to be a big fundraiser; rather, it is more of a “giving back” opportunity for the club.
Other instances of the Exchange Club’s good works include: recently donating 50 teddy bears to the Mount Olive Children’s Advocacy Center to provide comfort to children who have been abused; ordering 25 teddy bears to donate to the Mount Olive Police Department, to be made available to children involved in any type of stressful situation; sponsoring a Recreation Department basketball team; and purchasing benches for the town’s VFW Memorial.
Parent said the club currently has approximately 15 active members and is very welcoming to anyone interested in joining. “We’re always open to visitors to come and kind of check us out and see what we’re all about, see if it’s the right fit for them,” she said. “They’re welcome to come as a visitor, anytime they want to; they can contact one of us, or they can just show up. Just walk right in one day [during a Monday lunch meeting].
“It’s very easy to join,” Parent noted. “It’s very easy to help out.” If a person does decide to join, he or she will pay a small quarterly dues fee.
Anyone with questions is welcome to attend a Monday Exchange Club meeting or contact Belinda Parent at 919-222-2608 or belindaparent@yahoo.com.
