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1252963
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7/12/76 - Remarks to Members of the National Exchange Club at its 58th Annual Convention, Washington D.C.
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1252963
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7/12/76 - Remarks to Members of the National Exchange Club at its 58th Annual Convention, Washington D.C.
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Presidents
Speeches, addresses, etc.
American Revolution Bicentennial, 1776-1976
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1976-07-12
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1976
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1976-07-12
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 36, "7/12/76 - Remarks to Members of the
National Exchange Club at its 58th Annual Convention, Washington D.C." of the
President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential
Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 36 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
PRESIDENT'S REMARKS TO
NATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUBS ANNUAL CONVENTION
MONDAY, JULY I2, 1976
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THANK You, JACK ( JACK PIRRIE, PRESIDENT
NEC, INTRODUCES you)
LEE WELLS - (EXECTIVE DIRECTOR, NEC)
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
LADIES + GENTLEMEN
kind
-I-
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION, MR. PIRRIE (PEER-EE),
2 am deeply grateful n
AND FOR YOUR INVITATION TO SPEAK HERE THIS EVENING AT YOUR
7
58th ANNUAL CONVENTION.
I CONGRATULATE YOU Jack ON YOUR YEAR OF SERVICE AS
NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE EXCHANGE CLUBS
AS YOU CALLED
IT, A YEAR OF "DUTY TO DESTINY
-2-
I ALSO CONGRATULATE YOUR PRESIDENT-ELECT,
LEABORNE EADS (LEE-BORN EEEDS), WHO HAS CHOSEN FOR HIS
MOTTO THIS YEAR, THE "CHALLENGE OF ACHIEVEMENT.'
A FINE EXAMPLE OF THAT CHALLENGE IS THE RECORD OF YOUR 1976
NATIONAL YOUTH OF THE YEAR, DAVID H. DANIEL
HIS COMMUNITY
HIS SCHOOL AND HIS PARENTS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT MUST BE
)
)
EXTREMELY PROUD OF HIS ACHIEVEMENT We all am.
-3-
IT IS A SPECIAL HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE TONIGHT
MY FATHER WAS A MEMBER OF THE EXCHANGE CLUB IN GRAND RAPIDS --
THAT WAS THE THIRD EXCHANGE CLUB IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
That was
WE USED TO GO TO THEIR FATHER AND SON BANQUETS, UNTIL before
GONGRESS MADE THEM ILLEGAL. they became unconstetuland
or illigal.
according to Longress on some
in our society.
-4-
THOSE FATHER AND SON BANQUETS WERE WONDERFUL
THEY
TAUGHT ME SOMETHING ABOUT SERVICE AND FRIENDSHIP
TONIGHT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU MY FEELINGS ABOUT
TWO DAYS THAT WILL ALWAYS STAY WITH ME
They brught my 2 don't father
think d me closer my also M other enjoyed our similar thou sum, sons
approved & it was great + D why
2, with with affert affer
at 2 at 7 other dont All wants such to
-5-
LAST SUNDAY AND MONDAY -- OUR GREAT TWO HUNDREDTH
BIRTHDAY PARTY -- WERE TWO OF THE MOST MEMORABLE DAYS
OF MY LIFE
I WENT TO CELEBRATIONS IN FIVE HISTORIC PLACES --
VALLEY FORGE, PHILADELPHIA, WASHINGTON, NEW YORK AND
MONTICELLO
-6-
I COULD FEEL A SPIRIT OF RENEWAL TAKE HOLD ACROSS OUR
COUNTRY
THAT SPIRIT WILL BE REMEMBERED
THERE WAS APPREHENSION THAT THIS INDEPENDENCE DAY
WOULD FIZZLE -- OR EXPLODE
SOME THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
AN OCCASION FOR HOLLOW SELF-CONGRATULATION, OR CHEAPENED
BY COMMERCIALISM -- A BICENTENNIAL BOUGHT AND SOLD
-7-
STILL OTHERS, REMEMBERING A PAST DECADE OF DISCORD,
FEARED THE DAY WOULD DEMONSTRATE NATIONAL DIVISIVENESS,
RATHER THAN NATIONAL UNITY
THE FEARS PROVED GROUNDLESS
I HAD A FEELING
THEY WOULD, FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE AT THE VERY FIRST
BICENTENNIAL EVENT
-8-
saw
WHEN I WATCHED THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LINED THE ROAD
FROM LEXINGTON TO CONCORD, I COULD SEE OUR GREAT CELEBRATION
WOULD BE A SUCCESS -- AND IT WAS
AMERICANS ENJOYED
THEIR NATIONAL BIRTHDAY PARTY
--
IT RENEWED OUR SENSE OF PURPOSE
-9-
A GREAT TIDE OF REJOICING WASHED ACROSS THE LAND,
REMOVING PAST DISCORDS
AMERICANS FELT PROUD --
A PRIDE SOME THOUGHT THEY HAD FORGOTTEN
THAT FEELING WAS SUMMED UP IN THE WORDS OF ONE
AMERICAN INTERVIEWED AS HE WATCHED THE FIREWORKS AT THE
WASHINGTON MONUMENT ON SUNDAY NIGHT
-10-
HE SAID, "IT GAVE ME A FEELING OF
HOW GREAT THIS COUNTRY
IS, HOW BEAUTIFUL THE PEOPLE ARE."
AMERICANS REALIZED ONCE AGAIN WHAT AMERICA IS.
FROM THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND I FELT A NEW OPTIMISM, A
NEW ERA OF GOOD FEELING IN AMERICA
-11-
THE PAGEANTRY AND THE FIREWORKS DID NOT CREATE
THOSE FEELINGS
THEY MERELY PROVIDED THE SPARK FOR A
SPIRIT THAT WAS ALWAYS THERE, WAITING TO BE REKINDLED
IT BLAZED ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON JULY THE FOURTH -- EVERY
AMERICAN FELT IT
-12-
THE DAY HAS GONE, BUT THE SPIRIT REMAINS
WHILE IT STILL BURNS BRIGHTLY, WHILE ITS STILL THERE LET'S
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
WE'VE GOT PLENTY TO DO
IN OUR THIRD CENTURY,
WE MUST INCREASE THE FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL
AMERICANS
-13-
WE MUST CONQUER DISEASE,
UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE
EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE
MAKE OUR PEOPLE
SECURE -- IN THEIR JOBS, ON THEIR STREETS, AND IN A PEACEFUL
WORLD
-14-
LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND SERVICE PROGRAMS ARE ONE WAY
TO FOCUS OUR NATIONAL ENERGY ON THESE CHALLENGES
THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUBS HAVE FOSTERED SUCH ACTIVITIES
FOR OVER 65 YEARS
YOUR PROJECTS ARE OF NATIONAL
and
IMPORTANCE --
THEY ARE SELECTED AND CARRIED OUT BY LOCAL
PEOPLE, SENSITIVE TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES
-15-
NEIGHBORHOODS AND CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND CIVIC
GROUPS CAN KEEP AMERICA AS PROUD AND ACTIVE EVERY DAY AS
IT WAS ON THE FOURTH OF JULY
YOU CAN
MAINTAIN
AMERICA'S RENEWED CONFIDENCE IN ITSELF
YOUR PROJECTS
WILL BRING AMERICANS TOGETHER,
YOU CAN GIVE
MEANING TO YOUR MOTTO, BY MAKING THIS
TIME OF NATIONAL REBIRTH AN ERA OF "UNITY FOR SERVICE
-16-
OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE A FOCAL POINT FOR
NATIONAL PRIDE
IT MUST NURTURE
THE ENERGY AND
SPIRIT WE SAW ON JULY FOURTH, FOR THE GOOD OF ALL
GOVERNMENTAL POWER MUST BE USED WISELY AND
CAUTIOUSLY
-17-
IT CAN ONLY WORK IF EVERY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL,
ELECTED OR APPOINTED, IS A MODEL OF PERSONAL INTEGRITY.
-18-
WE CAN ALL ASPIRE TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL SET BY
GEORGE WASHINGTON AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, WHEN
HE SAID: "LET US RAISE A STANDARD TO WHICH THE WISE
AND HONEST CAN REPAIR; THE REST IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD."
-19-
IN THIS WAY WE WILL SUSTAIN NOT JUST THE SPIRIT
OF A SINGLE HISTORIC WEEKEND -- BUT THE SPIRIT OF TWO
CENTURIES
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
END OF TEXT