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Exchange Club President Michelle Ford, left, with Terri Hudson, member of the year.
This is for cynics who thought the old good days had slipped out of view and permanently into history.
Days when good people did deeds to help others – never with an ulterior motive lurking in shadows.
Meet a throwback kind of person, Terri Hudson.
At the Exchange Club’s end-of-year dinner the other evening, President Michelle Ford, awarding the ultimate honor, identified Ms. Hudson, a Culver City businesswoman, as the Exchange Club’s Exchange-ite of the Year.
In her first official outing (see below), Ms. Hudson delivered an elegantly constructed Invocation last Friday at West Los Angeles College’s Fourth of July fireworks performance.
Ms. Hudson joined the Exchange Club 10 years ago for an admirable reason. “I wanted to be of service to my community,” she said.
Glancing over her shoulder at the years since 2004, Ms. Hudson had a difficult time isolating a favorite defining moment. “The Exchange Club is involved in so many activities,” she said. “The Car Show in May, the Fireworks every Fourth of July, and we do a Children’s Disability Carnival at the Senior Center, which always is satisfying.”
She settled on none of those.
“I believe it is just being of service in general, knowing that I am helping raise money, not only for the community but for children in need,” she said. “Their national motto is to stamp out child abuse. A portion of everything we earn goes to a national fund for that cause.
“What I am really proud of is most of the money we raise stays right here in our community,” Ms. Hudson said. “Last year we gave out $13,000 to the high school in scholarships.”
Her response was rapid-fire to the question of which Exchange Club event she enjoys most every year.
“The Car Show,” she said with a hearty laugh. “Because I like the hot rods.
“I grew up (in Orange County) with hot rods, and I get to dress up in ‘50s style, wear a poodle skirt and pigtails.”
Ms. Hudson is a top-tier salesperson, too. “At the last Car Show, I was the only one selling 50-50 tickets, and I raised over $1400 in six hours.”
If you think she didn’t work hard, tickets were a mere $1 apiece.
Ms. Hudson’s Invocation:
Our Loving God
We thank you for the freedoms that we, the people of the United States of America, can prosper in your grace.
I pray that you bless the veterans here today and throughout our nation who have stood strong to defend our families and our country.
Heal all of our veterans who need your touch.
Today we ask that you watch over and protect our nat8io9n from all of our enemies.
Thank you for the United States of America and let Americans always live in freedom.
God bless this day as we all celebrate our freedom, living in the greatest nation in the world.
We thank you for our banner of freedom and the beautiful colors that represent America.
Our glorious flag of red, white and blue.
Our Stars and Stripes of our blessed freedom.
Join me today as we cheer in joyful celebration on the anniversary of our nation
Let us be filled with gratitude and serve where we are needed, where our hearts have pleaded, “Let us rejoice and enjoy our time together as we celebrate our country, the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
God bless America!
Amen.
