It all started in 1896, when a cross-section of Detroit’s business and professional community first met for no other purpose than to eat lunch. The group, known as the Boosters’ Club, took on the attributes of a luncheon club over a periods of time. One of the energetic members, Charles A. Berkley, organized the group into the formal organization of the first Exchange Club on March 11, 1911.  A second club was organized in Toledo, Ohio in 1913 followed by two other clubs in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio. These four clubs were the first to be chartered by The National Exchange Club after it was organized as not-for-profit, educational organizations in 1917. Since then hundreds of clubs have been chartered in the United States and Puerto Rico. In the 1980's the club membership was expanded to include ladies.

On April 13, 1921, at 7:30 P.M. in the main dining room of the Exchange Hotel, two brothers from Selma, Alabama assisted in the organization of Exchange Club of Montgomery. The Montgomery Club, along with three other Alabama clubs in Birmingham, Florence and Selma, were chartered on June 1, 1921.  This makes our club one of the 25 oldest clubs in the nation.  Our Club was chartered with 58 members who comprised many prominent business and professional men, which included the father of Tonie Tennille of Captain and Tennille fame.  Some of the businesses of these charter members are still in existence today

HISTORY OF THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF MONTGOMERY

-Built Exchange club ballpark.
-Paid salary of a Speech Therapist for Montgomery School System.
-Built an addition to the Boy's Dorm at Brantwood Children's Home.
-construction of Educational TV (channel 26)
-Provided playground equipment at Children's Center.
-Provided Camp Exchange for underprivileged kids.
-Grants given to various charitable organizations.
-Provided Care Bears for the Montgomery Fire Department  for traumitized children.
-Provided blankets for Department of Human Resources for children.
-Bought four heart resuscitators for the Montgomery Zoo.
-Provided funds to buy Shaken Baby Syndrome Doll for The Family Guidance Center
-Donate money for the past several years to Exchange Family Centers in Mobile and       
  Birmingham

Some of the Club's Projects