Sunrise Rotary's Growing Healthy Kids Program Promotes Healthy Eating, Healthy Cooking and Physical Fun!
The Growing Healthy Kids Project “Nutrition Scientist Training Program”, took place recently and was attended by more than a dozen young people in the County. This is one of Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach Club’s most successful and most rewarding projects. 
Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. founder, Nancy Heinrich, MPH, designs and develops model programs to educate and empower kids and adults about good nutrition. The objective of our Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach Growing Healthy Kids Project is to provide training and hands-on learning on how to select and prepare delicious, nutritious food…with the long term objective of heading off the rise of obesity and diabetes in children.
Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach and Nancy Heinrich work closely together to provide a fun environment. This encourages the kids to participate in a variety of activities that promote healthy eating, healthy cooking, and physical fun. Counter Culture Restaurant at The Boulevard Tennis compound, Vero Beach, kindly opened up their professional kitchen for the class. 
The day began at the Ocean Drive Farmer’s Market at Humiston Park where kids selected a rainbow of veggies to bring back to the Counter Culture kitchen. The kids were given the opportunity to personally ask questions of the vendors and learn from them.
At Counter Culture the kids learned how to prepare a wide variety of dishes under the direction of Nancy Heinrich and Chef Damiano, in a hands-on learning environment, where both kids and adults participated.
After enjoying a lunch that the kids helped to prepare themselves they had the opportunity to play a little tennis!
Fun and learning was had by all!!
Sunrise Rotary Teams with ORCA to Help Map Pollutants in the Lagoon
Sunrise Rotary is sponsoring Ocean Research Conservation Association's (ORCA) Pollution Mapping Citizen Science Program for 2020. Training was held throughout the month of January. Sunrise Rotarians went on the water to take water and sediment samples. In the lab, they learned how to test for chemicals and other pollutants in the water. The data collected will be used to identify and map pollutants in the Indian River Lagoon.
Sunrise Rotary Announces New Rain Garden Incentive Program at Sustainable Landscapes Conference
President Robin Pelensky announced Sunrise Rotary's new Rain Garden Incentive Program at the Pelican Island Audubon Society's Third Sustainable Landscapes Conference. More than 300 people attended the conference to learn about the benefits of using native plants in the landscape. The Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach Residential Rain Garden Program provides an incentive to property owners who install and maintain rain gardens. The incentive consists of a direct cash payment that may be used to offset any expenses related to the planning, planting and maintenance of the rain garden. Incentives are limited to properties located inside the City limits, and only one incentive is provided per property regardless of the number of rain gardens that may be located on that property.
Sunrise Rotary Shares Four-Way Test with Stormgrove Middle School Students
Over 175 students participated in Sunrise Rotary’s Four-Way Test workshop held at Stormgrove Middle School. The Rotarians were impressed with the students' insight and maturity in using the 4-Way Test to handle real-world scenarios posed by the Rotarians. The hope is that their new understanding of the Rotary Four-Way Test will help them as they make decisions. Students received a Four-Way test card and were encouraged to participate in a contest. Winners will be the Guest of Honor at an Awards Lunch to be held at the school. Each winner will be awarded a gift card for a local store or restaurant, and $25 to donate to a charity of their choice.
Jane Burton Scholarship committee, Michelle Edwards Scholarship winner, Peter McCarthy FAU Associate Director of Education, Mrs. Paul Dritenbas (Cathy), Pam O’Donnell, Scholarship Committee Chair
Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach awarded its 3rd annual Environmental scholarship this October, named after the late Sunrise Rotary member Paul Dritenbas. Paul was an Architect, Boat Captain, and a champion of the Indian River Lagoon. He established the Lagoon Oyster Mat project and designed buoys that withstand storm surges, which currently mark and protect submerged sea grass areas (RISSA) in the lagoon. Read More ...
