The first
Exchange Club was formed in Detroit, Mich., on March 27, 1911, by Charles A. Berkley and 12 of his friends and
associates. Although the Exchange Club officially organized and acquired its name that
year, the foundation of the club was laid much earlier—as far back as 1896. It was
then that a group of men, representing a cross section of Detroit’s business and professional community, began to
meet informally during the lunch hour to exchange ideas and information.
The
principle of community service soon became the focus of club activity, and word of the
organization spread. In 1913, an Exchange Club was formed in Toledo, Ohio. Soon, there were Exchange Clubs in Cleveland, Ohio and Grand Rapids, Mich., as well. Representatives of these clubs met in Toledo in August 1917, and formally incorporated the
National Exchange Club as a nonprofit, educational organization.
‘Unity for Service’ is the officially adopted motto of Exchange, and our
official colors are blue and gold.
There are nearly 1,000 local
Exchange Clubs, made up of nearly 33,000 business and professional men and women, in
communities across the United States and Puerto Rico. The U.S.
and Puerto Rico are divided into 12 Exchange regions, and each
region is made up of two or more districts. There are 38 districts in all, each of which
is further divided into divisions.”
The
Exchange Club of Columbus, Inc. is in the Georgia District of Exchange and is one of the larger clubs in the
district. The Georgia District is the largest district in National Exchange. Our
club was established in 1946 and has sponsored the formation of other clubs in the area.
The Club uses committees in
carrying out its internal and external functions within the community.
JOINING THE CLUB |
