By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
For the first time, the three Exchange Clubs of Copperas Cove gathered for one event, t he Book of Golden Deeds award banquet.
Ira Brand, who is a member of all three clubs, was bestowed with the honor on Friday evening.
Brand addressed the crowd gathered for the banquet and expressed his thanks to those who embraced him and welcomed him to the community more than 30 years ago.
Likewise, he thanked his wife, Klaudia, for her support over the more than 40 years, when he was absent from home with fieldf training exercises, Army schools, college courses, community service projects.
“She’s always held down the home, which gave me a great amount of confidence to go out in the community and do some of the things that I felt driven to do,” Brand said.
He said that his motivation to give freely without expecting anything in return comes from a strong godly upbringing, and he gave his father credit as being an example of that in his life.
His father and another friend founded a church and built it one member at a time, one BBQ fundraiser at a time.
“We would cut the grass. We would mop the floors, we would clean the bathrooms. But he was always involved in doing something for somebody else in church. He was everyboyd’s daddy, everybody in the community, everybody in the church, they were just drawn to him.”
Their family had a saying, “What would papas do?” when addressing a difficult decision.
They still call him for advice, even at 92 years old, and each year he raises a garden to share with the community.
“That has been an inspiration for me for many years. And since I came to come to Copperas Cove 30 years ago, I’ve been involved in the community and many of the people that I’ve met have become friends since I’ve been here.”
Brand said that many of the Golden Deeds recipients that they named at the banquet were people who he had interactions with in the early days were inspirations to him.
The Book of Golden Deeds award has been given in Copperas Cove since 1973, with the first Exchange Club.
On Friday evening, 11 of those past awardees, 10 individuals and one organization, attended the banquet.
They included John A. Hull (1987), Shirley Mallett (2017), MSG (Ret.) Michael Blount (2017), Star Group-Veterans Helping Veterans (2018), Rita Burgess (2019), Sandro Vegh (2019), Kipp Miller (2021), Trudy Bolton (2022), Inez Faison (2022), and CSM (Ret.) Larry Holly.
Brand encouraged people to join one of the Exchange Clubs and get involved.
He said all three clubs fund raise all year round, and that the money is given to organizations that help prevent child abuse.
The Noon Exchange Club is holding its next fundraiser, Brand said, the May the 4th Be With You, on Saturday, May 4 at Ogletree Gap Park.
Also recognized on Friday evening were three students, who each received $2,000 scholarships.
The Excel of the Year was awarded to Steven Castillo; ACE of the Year went to Jacqueline Gonzales; and the Youth of the Year award was given to Joseph Carpenter.
