The Exchange Club of Mount Olive has donated two new benches for the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial on West Main Street across from Steele Memorial Library. The benches were presented Wednesday, Aug. 2, following a meeting of the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial Committee. Seated from left, on the new benches, are: Harlie Carmichael, committee member; and Exchange Club members Joe Scott, Al Southerland, who also is a committee member, and Belinda Parent. Standin, from left, are: Gordon Coombs of McLamb Monument Co., who is working with the committee; Exchange Club members Lynwood Herring, Gary Barefoot, Steve Wiggins, who is also the committee chairman, and his wife, Hazel Wiggins, Michael Thompson and James Kornegay; and Ray Harrell, committee member. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Harlie Carmichael, left, and Steve Wiggins, center, sit on the two new benches at the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial while talking with the Exchange Club of Mount Olive member Lynwood Herring. The club donated the two benches that were placed Wednesday, Aug. 2. Wiggins is a member of the club and chairman of the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial Committee. Carmichael serves on the committee, too. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
Two new all-weather benches donated by the Exchange Club of Mount Olive flank the town’s Veterans Memorial. The benches replace two older ones that were in disrepair. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Exchange Club of Mount Olive members Steve Wiggins, left, and Michael Thompson place a new bench at the town’s Veterans Memorial. The club has donated two benches to replace two old ones at the memorial. Wiggins also is chairman of the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial Committee. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Exchange Club of Mount Olive has donated two new all-weather benches for the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial.
The colorful blue benches replace two white wooden ones that were in need of repair.
Club members delivered the benches following the Wednesday, Aug. 2, meeting of the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial Committee.
“One of our projects with the Exchange Club is Americanism and just to be a part of the memorial we know there is a fundraising effort to continue to add to that memorial,” said Dwayne McKay, club president. “The benches were something that we thought you know what, we are going to replace those because the ones that were in there were getting in bad shape.
“We wanted to do an all-weather type bench that would last a little longer. We have done some fundraising throughout the year and thought that would be a good project to support.”
The club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in January, meets at lunchtime on Mondays at Ribeyes Steakhouse.
Members talk about projects, speakers come in and tell about their businesses or themselves, McKay said.
New members are encouraged to join the club, he said.
“Our main project is the prevention of child abuse,” McKay said. “We do things like in the park giveaways. We work with students of the month. We are supporting Alkebulan Community Reform. They do a lot.
‘We help out in the community any way that we can for the prevention of child abuse.”
