NEW YEAR - NEW THEME
PRESIDENT AND LEADERSHP TEAM 2022-2023
Pam O'Donnell - Our new President
living out rotary's motto 'service above self'
CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to our President, Marty Lewis for being named President of the Year 2021-2022 for Rotary District 6930!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach for being name Club of the Year 2021-2022 for Rotary District 6930!!!
Pictured above:
Marty Lewis, President of Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach with his crystal gavel
Award given for Club of the Year
Sunrise Rotary members Arthur Hodge, Bill Edelstein, Richard Giessert, Laile Fairbairn, Buck Vocelle, Jane Burton, Gene O’Donnell, Pam O’Donnell, Marty Lewis, Debbie Avery, Lisa Gehin accepting the award from District Governor Michael Walstrom
sunrise rotary vero beach invites you to join us !
Welcome to Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach!
We meet on Wednesday mornings at 7:00 a.m. (breakfast available at 6:30 a.m.) at the Riverhouse - 305 Acacia Road.
Chartered in 1989, Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach is made up of members of our community who volunteer throughout Vero Beach, Indian River County, the state of Florida and internationally under the motto 'Service Above Self.'
Some of our areas of focus indclude improving our environment, combating hunger, impacting the health and welfare needs of a variety of popultaions, providing education and job training, promoting peace, eradicating polio and so much more!
We are small business owners, corporate executives, non-profit leaders, government officials, as well as retired executives and professionals who meet weekly to share camaraderie, hear from speakers on important topics, and plan meaningful projects to benefit others.
SPEAKERS/PROGRAMS FOR OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS
September 28th: Chris Steinkrauss - Travels in Africa
October 5th: Club Assembly
October 12th: Shotsie LaJoie - Vero Beach Rowing Club
October 19th: Lyle Fried - Rotary Diversity
October 26th: Jonnie Mae Perry - Gifford History
SAVE THE DATES!!!!!!
SAVE THE DATES!!!
October 1, 2022
Vero Beach Christmas Parade
Saturday, December 3, 2022
Craft Brew and Wingfest
February 18, 2023
Vero’s Royal Palm Point
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
Rotary’s International Day of Peace was celebrated September 21, 2022 with members from Rotary Vero Beach Oceanside, Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach, Rotary Club of Orchid Island and the Rotary Club of Vero Beach. A ceremony was held at Humiston Park around the Peace Pole which was erected in the park in January 2012.
Peace is a cornerstone of Rotary’s mission and the focus of many of our service projects.
INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP DAY
Sunrise Rotarians along with our incredible Interact Club members and prospective members joined forces this morning at the International Coastal Cleanup Day. Over 140 pounds of trash were removed from Riverside Park. It is incumbent all of us NOT to litter as well as to pick up litter that we find while enjoying our beautiful parks!
DODGERTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Sunrise Rotary, The Children’s Home society of Florida, One Caring Adult, Treasure Coast Community Health and others who made in-kind donations created “The Little Dodger’s Corner” at Dodgertown Elementary School. While great strides have been made to create this space for the students, it is not officially competed and additional funding and donations are being sought to add the final touches.
DAY OF CARING
Sunrise Rotarians Pam O'Donnell, Gail DeRoy, Kyle Castle and Chris Steinkrauss recently helped out at the United Way's Day of Caring at Citrus Elementary School.
LITTLE FREE LIBRARY
Vero Beach has a new Little Free Library. Thank you Marty Lewis, Past President, Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach, for constructing and installing this at the Environmental Learning Center.
INTERACT CLUB
Our Interact Club recently held a bake sale and raised $207 for Little Birthday Angels!
CITRUS ELEMENTARY CLEAN UP
How did you spend your Saturday morning?
Our Sunrise Rotarians braved the rain, heat, and humidity to beautify the rain garden at Citurs Elementary School.
The students will see the results of their hard work when they start back to school this week.
CLEAN UP PROJECT
Saturday, July 23rd, Sunrisre Rotary Vero Beach partnered with the Teal Team from Exit Right Realty to clean up around the local marina. The group removed over 50 pounds of unsightly trash!!!! Our club works hard to make a positive impact on the environmental challenges in our area.
EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT 5K
Cheryl Ward, Chris Steinkrauss, Pam O'Donnell, Jane Burton, Laura Kennedy and Debie Avery participated in the Education Empowerment 5K on Saturday, May 28th. The race benefited Education Access, Seek the Lamb, Crossover Mission, and All you Need is LOVE. These non-profit organizations provide education programs to children and youth locally and internationally.
DODGERTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Linda Scalco, Kathy Lindsey, and Wilfred Hart set up a display and talked with participants at Dodgertown Elementary’s “Summer Kick-Off” event.
Wendy Orthober worked the afternoon shift.
WOMEN IN ROTARY
Help Your Community!
Consider being a part of our dynamic club serving Vero Beach, the state of Florida, and beyond.
Contact a Sunrise Rotarian & find out how you can become a Member!
ROTARY 6930 DISTRICT CONFERENCE
MEET OUR NEWEST NEW MEMBERS IN 2022
CLARE MESHOT
Clare Meshot was born and raised in Santa Barbara, CA and comes from a large family. She homeschooled her children until high school. Her two youngest ones both attend FSU. She enjoys fitness activities, outdoor activities, traveling and spending time with friends and family – especially her two granddaughters in Virginia. Clare works as a realtor.
KRISTIN JEWELL
Kristin was raised in Burlington, MA, moved to Vero Beach in 1982 and graduated from Vero Beach High School in 1985. She always wanted to be a funeral director and embalmer. Glen Strunk gave Kristin her first experience in the industry by employing her in his funeral home when she was just 15 years old. She went to mortuary school in Miami and received an AS in Funeral Service Education and has served in in various capacities in the funeral industry ever since. She is married to Rusty and they have two children, Tyler and Cody.
KYLE CASTLE
Kyle was born and raised in Fort Pierce, Florida. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Indian River State College and a master’s degree in accounting from Stetson University. Kyle relocated to Vero Beach in 2020 and is the tax manager at DiSalvo and Company where he specializes in small business and individual taxation. He has always valued community service. During a 10-year career with Publix Super Markets, Kyle participated in various United Way projects in the community and was his store’s team leader for the March of Dimes campaign. His hobbies include running, biking, and fishing. Kyle hopes to one day have time to travel the world.
LYN KENNEY
Lyn Kenney is originally from Pensacola and grew up in a Navy family. She attended high school in Japan, earned her bachelor’s from the University of Florida and a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin. Lyn’s working career was primarily in Healthcare and in Marketing. Lyn has been active in Rotary since 1988 when she was one of the first 6 women in the Madison, Wisconsin Downtown Club of 500 members. After moving from Madison, she has been a member of four different Rotary Clubs in the past 35 years. Lyn has served in multiple club and district roles. Lyn and Casey Kenney have been married for 30 years. Casey is from Montana, and they met on a river raft in Brazil.
ALEX ALEXANDER
Alfonse Alexander, who goes by Alex, is originally from San Antonio, Texas. Alex is a veteran, having served four years in the United States Army. He is a graduate of Santa Fe Community College, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1995 from University of Central Florida. In 2001 he moved to Vero Beach. Alex started Alexander Insurance, a local, independently owned property and casualty agency that offers auto, homeowners, recreational vehicle, and business and commercial lines. Alex is married and has one daughter.
NEW MEMBERS IN 2022
FELICIA BROWN MATT ROLFES JACK BERRIGAN
REBECCA WHITE ROBYN STONE
UPCOMING EVENTS
♦♦♦ SEPTEMBER ♦♦♦
21
World Peace Day - Humiston Park - 5:30 p.m.
27
Environmental Committee Meeting
♦♦♦ OCTOBER ♦♦♦
1
Oktoberfest - 4:00 p.m. - Riverhouse
6
Rotary Means Business - 7:30 a.m. - Baci Trattoria
7
Membership Committee Meeting
21
District Conference
24
World Polio Day
Hispanic Community Resource and Job Fair
An inaugural Hispanic Community Resource and Job Fair (HRF) was held on April 2, 2022, at Operation Hope in Fellsmere, Florida. The event was led by the Center for Independent Living Options and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and organized by a team also including the Fellsmere Police, the Fellsmere Action Community Team (FACT), the School District of Indian River County (SDIRC), the Rotary Club of Vero Beach and Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach.
Sunrise Rotary became involved as a result of ideas generated over several meetings of the community diversity group, and from Sunrise Rotarians Pam O’Donnell, Cheryl Ward, and Tarik Kawi participating at monthly FACT meetings. The Resource Job Fair helped raise awareness of, and shared information about, available local community resources and employment opportunities.
Rotarians (L-R) Jose Conrado, Chris Steinkrauss, Mike Murphy, Pam O'Donnell, Cheryl Ward and Tarik Kawi
More than 200 members of the Fellsmere community attended and enjoyed live entertainment, refreshments, and visited the more than two dozen Indian River and Florida community organizations represented at the event.
SUNRISE ROTARY COMMITTEES
Community Service & Partnerships
Co-Chair - Jane Burton
Co-Chair - Dave Schwartz
Environmental
Chair - Sue Flak
Health & Welfare
Chair - Kathy Lindsey
Interntional
Chair - Rick Root
Literacy
Chair - Cheryl Ward
Membership
Chair - Tarik Kawi
Public Image
Co-Chair - Deb Avery
Co-Chair - Deb Perez
Rotary Means Business
Chair - Joanne Liakos
Scholarships
Chair - Ed Massey
Vocational
Chair - Tracy Carroll
Youth
Chair - Linda Scalco
THIS IS ROTARY!!!!
AND THE WINNERS ARE...........
Sunrise Rotarians Debbie Avery and Bob McCabe (far left) and Jane Burton (far right) award laptop computers to accelerated readers at Gifford Middle School eighth-grade students.
Jane Burton congratulates the sixth-grade laptop winner. Also attending were Linda Scott, Chris Steinkrauss, Daid Schwartz, Wilfred Hart and Bob McCabe.
More Violins - Less Violence - Better Tomorrows
Members of the Gifford Youth Orchestra.
Sunrise Rotary recently helped with the Gifford Youth Orchestra's Diamond and Crystals Gayla. Our Club partners with GYO often. Pictured above are Debbie and Drew Padnuk who sold raffle tickets.
The Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. With your help, we can make lives better in your community and around the world.
Our mission
The mission of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
What impact can one donation have?
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For as little as 60 cents, a child can be protected from polio.
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$50 can provide clean water to help fight waterborne illness.
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$500 can launch an antibullying campaign and create a safe environment for children.
Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach Helps Our Environment
Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge was the site of the latest cleanup organized by Coastal Connections along with the Friends of the Carr Refuge at 8am on Saturday April 9, 2022. Sunrise Rotarian Pam O’Donnell recruited members Rex Taylor, Mike Murphy and wife Kristy, Kevin Rollin, his children Michael and Grace, and Tarik Kawi to recover over 44 pounds of plastic, metal, foam and miscellaneous trash.
Our Rotarians worked with a group of more than 25 volunteers who helped prevent over 130 total pounds of trash from entering the ecosystem and ending up harming wildlife, including the nesting sea turtles.
Archie Carr Refuge, running 20 miles from Melbourne Beach south to Wabasso Beach, is reported by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as the most significant area for loggerhead sea turtle nesting in the world, and the most significant area for green turtle nesting in North America. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/archie-carr
OTHER PROJECTS
SUNRISE ROTARIANS RAISED $1700 FOR THE RELAY FOR LIFE IN MEMORY OF STU GOLDMAN A LONG TIME ROTARIAN IN OUR CLUB.
STU AND HIS WIFE, CINDY WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE RELAY FOR LIFE AND ORGANIZED IT FOR OUR CLUB FOR MANY YEARS.
SUNRISE ROTARIANS PARTNERED WITH DODGERTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO COLLECT ITEMS FOR THEIR FOOD PANTRY.
SUNRISE ROTARIANS ATTENDED A RECENT BRUNCH TO SUPPORT TYKES AND TEENS
SUNRISE ROTARY HELPS MAKE THE FELLSMERE COMMUNITY FRIDGE A REALITY
Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach Scholarship Awards
Dr. Ed Massey presented three George C. Schroeder Service Above Self awards at Vero Beach High School.
He also presented the Interact Scholarship award at the Indian River Charter High School.
ROTARY MEANS BUSINESS
Rotary Means Business meets the first Thursday of each month
7:30 - 8:30am
Baci Trattoria - 1918 14TH Avenue
Contact a Sunrise Rotarian for your invitation
Rotarians are welcome!
Rotary Means Business encourages Rotarians to support the success of their fellow Rotarians by doing business with them, and by referring others to them.
NEXT MEETING IS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6th
SUNRISE ROTARY CITIZEN SCIENTISTS ARE AT IT AGAIN!
Sunrise Rotarians involved with ORCA’s Pollution Mapping project collect samples and analyze them at ORCA’s Center for Citizen Science in Vero Beach.
