Exchange Club of Grayslake Events

One of the most popular Exchange youth projects, the Youth of the Month/Year Award recognizes hard-working high school students who attain high levels of scholastic achievement, community involvement and leadership. This proven program not only rewards outstanding young people, but also provides an incentive for other youngsters to strive for equally high levels of achievement. Once a Youth of the Month program has been successfully implemented, the groundwork for conducting an annual Youth of the Year competition is already in place. Selection of the Youth of the Year is simply made from the club's Youth of the Month recipients for that school year. The club's Youth of the Year advances to district competition, and ultimately, an opportunity to vie for the prestigious National Youth of the Year Award. Specially designed plaques and certificates, along with a detailed Youth of the Month/Year information guide and application, can be obtained from National Headquarters

Serving the best pancakes in Grayslake at the end of  October at the Grayslake Fire Station in downtown Grayslake for 50 years!

Volunteer efforts are very important to our society and should not go unnoticed. The National Exchange Club’s longest running project, the Book of Golden Deeds Award, recognizes dedicated volunteers who give endless hours of their time and talents toward making their communities better places to live. Ever since the Exchange Club of Huntington, Ind., sponsored the first award in 1919, thousands of unsung heroes and heroines have been recognized.

The Grayslake Craft Beer Festival is an afternoon in heaven for lovers of craft beer!

This is an opportunity for aficionados of craft beer to compare their favorite brews with similar brews and to find new favorites. It is also a chance for new beer drinkers to explore the wide range of brewing styles and flavors.  All proceeds go to the Exchange Club of Grayslake and the Grayslake Chamber of Commerce to fund their Scholarships.

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Beerfest 2021 will be September 18 with tickets going on sale in July.   Visit grayslakebeerfest.com for details.

Who doesn't love a parade?   Each year at Summer Days in Grayslake the Exchange Club sponsors a Bike and Pet Parade for children of all ages with trophies and ribbons for the best in show.  This year's Pet Parade will be held on August 21 at 1:00 pm.

Developed by the National Exchange Club, the Freedom Shrine originated from the Freedom Train that toured the nation in 1947 carrying an exhibit of historic documents. The purpose of the Freedom Shrine is twofold. It puts before young Americans proof that the freedom and greatness we enjoy today were not purchased easily and reminds them that these gifts must be cherished and protected.

Painstakingly researched to guarantee absolute authenticity, the 28 historical American documents that comprise the Shrine were carefully chosen to exemplify the beginnings of our nation and those subsequent turning points of importance which shaped our national character and eminence. The documents of the Shrine, although culled from the past, represent foundation stones which permit the present, as we know it, to exist and the future, as we dream it, to be attainable.  

The Illinois Adopt-A-Highway program brings citizen volunteers into partnerships with IDOT to pick up trash and keep our roadsides clean. The program also educates and encourages people to stop littering.

Developed by the Exchange Club of Galesburg, Ill., the program can be implemented on any occasion which calls for a parade, i.e., Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Day. The sponsoring club, after first securing permission from the local authorities, distributes small 4" x 6" United States flags to children along the parade route.

Summers Days is an annual celebration held in downtown Grayslake in August.   Give us a hello at the beer tent!

A Food Truck heaven for foodies to enjoy! 

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No symbol inspires respect and love of country more than our American flag — the Stars and Stripes. That is why Exchange encourages all Americans to properly fly the flag as an ongoing, highly visible expression of that respect through the Proudly We Hail program.

Proudly We Hail honors those Americans who do display the nation’s banner properly and regularly. Recognition is in the form of a beautiful plaque specially designed for this purpose.

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It is customary to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and stationary flagstaffs, except during inclement weather. It may be displayed at night to produce a patriotic effect if proper lighting is provided.​

Weather permitting, display the flag every day. Always hoist the flag briskly, and lower it ceremoniously. Flags should always be flown on national and state holidays and other days proclaimed by the United States President. When handling the flag:

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•     Never show disrespect to the flag.

•     Never dip the flag to any person or thing.

•     Never display the flag with the union down except as a signal of dire distress.

•     Never allow the flag to touch anything beneath it.

•     Never carry the flag horizontally.

•     Never use the flag as drapery nor to receive, hold, carry or deliver anything.

•     Never place anything on the flag nor attach any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing to it.

•     Never embroider the flag on cushions, handkerchiefs, and the like, nor should one print it on objects intended for temporary use and then discarded.

•     Never throw away a flag. Badly worn flags should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by private burning.

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We are currently looking for a local Grayslake business and/or residence that has a flag properly displayed with a spotlight to be eligible for the Proudly We Hail award. Please email us with your suggestions!
glexchangeclub@gmail.com

Every Memorial day along Lake Street in Grayslake we lead the parade behind the color guard.   Be sure to wave as we pass by!

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