WELCOME PRESIDENT ROB MACCALLUM!!!

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

As we step into another exciting year together, let’s remember that Rotary is not just about meetings and service projects—it’s about fun, fellowship, and discovering the joy of making a difference.

Each of us brings a unique passion and purpose. Whether it's mentoring youth, feeding families, cleaning up a park, building schools in another country or any other project we get involved in—there's something deeply fulfilling about giving back together.

So let’s laugh more, serve boldly, and let our shared passion for doing good lead the way. Rotary is where purpose meets joy—and this year, let’s make it unforgettable.

Yours in Service,

Robert MacCallum   

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.

Contact Us Now to Learn More.

July 16th:            To Be Announced

Thank you Rotarian George Blythe for stocking the Fellsmere Community Fridge and pantry.  Volunteers are always needed to pick up, deliver, and stock supplies for food insecure individuals and families in our local communities.  George does this on a regular basis.  BE LIKE GEORGE!  

Sunrise Rotary gave 20 laptop devices to the top 20 Students at Gifford

Middle School. Thanks to Rotarian Jane Burton and the grants committee.

A number of Rotarians helped with our annual Mother's Day Brunch at St. Francis Manor. Everyone enjoyed the homemade food, fun, and fellowship.

Reading to the children in our local elementary schools has been an ongoing project for our Club for many years.  Pictured are Rotarians Pam O'Donnell (top) at Glendale Elementary School and Barbara Ford and Chris Steinkrauss (bottom) at Dodgertown Elementay School.  

A small but mighty group of our Rotarians spent the afternoon beautifying A1A picking up litter.

The second annual Treasure Coast Craft Spirits Festival sponsored by Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach was very successful.    The weather was perfect for the event which was attended by a large crowd from the community as well as willing volunteers from our Club.  

RotaKids, under the leadership of Sunrise Rotarian Wendy Orthober, have recently been involved in a number of community projects. Rotakids helps develop the strength, knowledge, skills, enthusiasm,  and determination to keep finding ways to change the world locally and globally into a more peaceful place.  

     VeroBEachKind event at the Environmental Learing Center

                   HALO No Kill Shelter Chase Your Tail 5K race  

      St. Patrick's Day Party for the residents of St. Francis Manor

Sunrise Rotarian Gail DeRoy and the Indian River Charter High School Interact Club did a great job with their cleanup at the Hallstrom House.  

The 2025 Craft Brew and Wingfest is in the books.  Everyone appeared to have a great time.  It was one of the most successful years to date.  We extend our gratitude to all sponsors, volunteers, beer distributors, homebrewers, and feed vendors.  And we thank YOU for coming out to support our biggest fund raiser of the year.  It allows us to contine doing good in the world by taking action to create lasting change across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves!    

Our Homestay guests for 2025 were from: Sweden, Australia, Netherlands, Hungary, England, & Scotland.  

♦♦♦JULY♦♦♦

16

Foundation Board

16

OKTOBERFEST Cmmittee Meeting

21

Community Service Committee

28

Membership Committe Meeting

29

Environmental Committee Meeting

SHANE MEEKS

Shane Meeks is a third generation Meeks of Vero Beach. He graduated from Vero Beach High School in 2011 and moved to Orlando where he attended The University of Central Florida and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Radio and Communications. His initial goal was to become a morning radio on-air talent.  During his time in college, he interned at a radio station in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.  Upon his return, he did an internship with the KVJ Show down in WPB. After those experiences, he found radio wasn’t for him and he made my way to the mortgage field where he is today.

JOHN CAPOBIANCO

John Capobianco III has been a resident of Vero Beach since 1987.  He is the owner/operator of Caps Pizza and Pub. John coaches and volunteers with Vero Beach Little League, works with local churches and various youth sports organizations, and is a proud Booster for VBHS Football and Baseball teams.  He and his wife, Jessica, have four children:  Dante, Mia, Aubrey, and Mason. In his spare time John and his family enjoy traveling, playing golf, fishing and spring baseball games.  He is a second-generation Rotarian joining his father and looks forward to becoming involved in community service projects with our Club.

STEFANIE DUNN

Stefanie moved to Vero Beach, with her husband Ryan, in July of 2023 once their children graduated from high school in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. With over 20 years of experience in strategic business leadership, marketing, and tech sales, Stefanie works as a strategic executive for Forsyte I.T. Solutions in cybersecurity. In addition to this role, Stefanie launched a home service business with her husband Ryan, called Pooperrific!, that serves dog owners with professionally cleaned yards throughout Indian River County. Stefanie has a passion for serving others, providing business coaching and executive leadership, sales mentorship, youth guidance, and community volunteerism. Her hobbies include tennis, scuba diving, and paddleboarding. As a writer, Stefanie also contributes to online publications in the area of marketing and
sales.

JAY WOODHULL

Raised in Old Lyme, CT, Jay was an avid sailor and rowed crew spending his spare time on the water. In lieu of college, he joined the Army National Guard and served for 9 years, achieving the rank of Staff Sargent, while also entering the working world in sales. In 1987 he was offered an opportunity to be part of a startup freight brokerage and is still there today. After he and his wife, Marie, raised their two children in Glastonbury, CT and became empty nesters in 2009, they moved to Vero Beach. Since then, they have been blessed with 5 wonderful grandchildren.

LEE HAEFELE 

Lee Haefele and his wife, Sherry (also a Rotarian), are snowbirds splitting their time between Spencer, New York and Vero Beach.  He owns a cable TV and Internet provider in Spencer, which is near Itaca. He is a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow.  Additionally, he is a board member of two nonprofits, Inspire S/VE and HTS Congo. He is an avid sailor and enjoys working with electricity.

Rotary Means Business meets the first Thursday of each month 

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

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 AUGUST 7, 2025

Our Club was one of the sponsors and our members particiated in the Indian River Lagoon Greenway Air Potato Cleanup event.  They along with others, helped in the effort to "get ahead of the spread."  

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?

• For as little as 60 cents, a child can be protected from polio.

• $50 can provide clean water to help fight waterborne illness.

• $500 can launch an antibullying campaign and create a safe environment for children.

​

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!

Several Sunrise Rotarians were out bright and early participating in the Hallstrom Conservation Cleanup.  The 100+ acres around the Hallstrom Farmstead were purchased by Indian River County and are being restored as a nature preserve and green space. The County expects the 93-acre conservation area around the Hallstrom House to be open to the public sometime in early 2023.

Community Service

Chair - Debbie Avery

Environmental

Chair - Sue Flak

Health & Wellness 

Chair - Colby Bechtold

International

Chair - Rick Root

Literacy

Chair - Wendy Orthober

Membership 

Chair - Richard Geissert

Public Image

Co-Chair - Deb Avery

Rotary Means Business

Chair - Darrell Horn

Scholarships

Chair - Ed Massey

Vocational

Chair - Linda Scalco

Youth 

Chair - Mike Murphy

Sunrise Rotary is involved with the Ocean Research & Conservation Association’s Pollution Mapping Project on a regular basis.  The most recent expedition Saturday included Rotarians Mike Murphy, Jack Diehl, Kathy Lindsey, Justin Lefebure.  They collected samples from the lagoon then analyzed and reported their findings at ORCA’s Center for Citizen Science.  The two lagoon sampling sites our members monitor on a regular basis are the areas behind the Riverhouse and the dog park. This sampling provides needed data to initiate and maintain conservation actions. The purpose of the poject is to educatte and engage community members in solving the problmes that lead to the degradation of the Indian River lagoon.  

Rotarians Wendy Orthober, Pam O'Donnell, Chris Steinkrauss, and Nancy Nitardy are shown reading to elementary school students.  Our club does this twice a week in several local schools to stress the importance of books.

Many people in our area were impacted by Hurricane Milton and the tornados.  A "Call to Action" went out and Sunrise Rotarians answered the call.  Truly Service Above Self.

DrownZero Life Saving Stations, a project of Sunrise Roatry, have been installed at the beaches and boat ramps.  Sponsorship opportunities still available.  

Thank you to Jim Parks for installing our newest Little Free Library.  Our Club sponsors and maintains these in numerous places throughout town.