100th Annual California Nevada District Exchange Club Convention In San Bernardino
By Charles Jackson Jr.
The Annual California-Nevada Exchange Club Convention occurred at the DoubleTree Hotel in San Bernardino. The convention united members from all California and Nevada Clubs and was hosted by District President R. Dale Evans and the Exchange Club Fontana. It was an exciting, informative, and rewarding convention, marking the first time it had been held in the Inland Empire in over 40 years. The event featured great speakers, workshops, and presentations.
The Exchange Club of Fontana is a significant part of the National organization. It has experienced substantial growth in membership and contributions. Brock Champion is president of the Exchange Club of Fontana and has shown exceptional leadership in organizing annual events such as the Fontana Days Parade, Fontana Days Festival, and the Fontana Christmas Parade.
Fontana resident R. Dale Evans has served as District President from 2023 to 2024, making remarkable contributions to bring the convention to San Bernardino. He has now stepped down, making way for Ken Dufour of Newport Harbor Club for the 2024-2025 term. Sonja Dawkins, a longstanding Fontana resident and past president of the Exchange Club of Fontana, will now be the District Director of the California Nevada region. Sonja has made significant contributions to the Fontana community and has played a key role in the club’s progress and activities.
The convention’s highlights included awards and recognitions. Gloria Najera and Mason Galaviz were honored with the A.C.E. Award during the Luncheon on Saturday. Fontana Police Chief Michael Dorsey was the keynote speaker, sharing insights about his new position in Fontana and his working relationship with the Exchange Club of Fontana. Another highlight was the presentation of the Youth of the Year Awards to Brandon Liu and Tina Liu. These awardees gave speeches and were joined by their families in this special honor. Brandon Liu, a student at UCLA, will also be recognized at the National Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
The California Nevada District Exchange Club Convention was a fantastic event that brought special attention to Fontana, the Inland Empire, and the Exchange Club’s great initiatives in Fontana. National Representative Julie Harman attended the event and commended the Fontana Club’s remarkable fundraising campaign and extraordinary scholarship efforts.
The National Exchange Club is a service organization with 700 clubs and over 21,000 members in the United States and Puerto Rico. Established in 1911, the Exchange Club assists youth and provides services to senior citizens. The Senior Outreach Program, adopted nationally in the 1980s, aims to help senior citizens stay active. For youth, the Exchange Club offers scholarships and awards such as the Accepting the Challenge of Excellence (ACE) Award, Youth of the Month, Youth of the Year, and Citizenship Award. High school students can join the “Junior Exchange Club,” called the Excel Club, where they volunteer the same amount of work as the National Exchange Club.
