The Richmond Hill Exchange Club recently donated to two charities.

Club donated $250 to support the Matthew Freeman Project at its December meeting. The Matthew Freeman Project is named for Capt. Matthew Freeman, USMC, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on Aug. 7, 2009. Freeman was a co-recipient of the Richmond Hill Exchange Club Student of the Year in 1998, along with Katie Brookshire. The Matthew Freeman Project was established by Matt’s parents, Lisa and Gary Freeman, as a way of continuing the work that near and dear to his heart. The Matthew Freeman Project is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Among the programs supported by the Project are scholarships to siblings of fallen military members either killed on deployment or loss due to combat related suicide. They also provide bears to those who are mourning the loss of someone special. The Freeman Project is a small group and only offer the bears to fallen service member’s families.

The club donated $250 to Wreaths for Warriors Walk, a nonprofit group that places a Christmas wreath at the tree of each and every fallen soldier along the Fort Stewart Warriors Walk in a solemn memorial service. "Americanism and remembering the sacrifice of our military is one of the primary aims of the Richmond Hill Exchange Club, and we are proud to recognize the good works of the Wreaths for Warriors Program," club president Steve Asplund said. Retired Army Col. Tony Justi spoke to the club about the project on Dec. 13