Exchange Club of Gatesville moves weekly meetings to Monday evenings

The Exchange Club of Gatesville is moving its weekly meetings out of the early-morning slot that has defined the club for years, shifting from Thursdays at 7 a.m. to Monday evenings at 5:30 p.m. beginning June 1. The new meetings will be held at The Gathering on Main, 2429 East Main Street in Gatesville, next to Scott’s Funeral Home.

The change is aimed at making it easier for members to attend and for the club to keep growing. Nathan Gohlke, the incoming co-president, said the 7 a.m. Thursday schedule had become difficult for many members and attendance had declined over the years. He said the evening meeting time should help the club better fit around church nights, school functions and sporting events, three regular conflicts that can keep volunteers from showing up in a community where civic commitments often stack up fast.

Until the switch takes effect, the club will continue meeting at The Junction on Route 36, 1216 TX-36 N in Gatesville, where it has gathered every Thursday at 7 a.m. The club’s move is part of a longer pattern of adjusting its meeting place over time. Before settling at The Junction, the Exchange Club had met at the former Andy’s restaurant and then Ranchers Steakhouse, reflecting the organization’s effort to stay accessible as members’ schedules change.

The club remains active beyond its weekly meetings. On Saturday, May 2, the Exchange Club of Gatesville hosted its 30th annual Day of the Child event at Freedom Park, bringing together the Coryell County Child Welfare Board, Team Gatesville, the Gatesville Police Department, the Gatesville Volunteer Fire Department, Coryell EMS and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Central Texas. The Gatesville Police Department also offered fingerprinting services at the event, underscoring the practical role the club continues to play in local family and child-focused outreach.

The schedule change gives the club a later start and a new location, but the aim is the same: keep a longtime Gatesville civic group visible, useful and easier to join. With meetings now set for Monday evenings at The Gathering on Main, the Exchange Club is betting that convenience will help strengthen the membership base it needs for the work ahead.