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
December 13th: Dr. David Moore - Indian River School District
December 20th: Club Assembly
December 27th: NO MEETING
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CHRISTMAS PARADE!
All hands were on deck to provide another great Christmas parade for our community. 90 + entries were in the parade. Thousands of people lined the streets and tuned in live on Facebook to watch.
BELL RINGING
Several of our Rotarians gave of their time by rinigng the bell for the Salvation Army. This is an annual event for our Club.
THANKSGIVING MEAL PACKING
Thank you Joe Conrado, Justin Lefebure, Bill Edelstein, Cathy Penderleith, Debbie Avery, and Gail DeRoy for putting together the Thanksgiving dinners that will be distributed to local families.
CAN CHALLENGE
NEW LITTLE FREE LIBRARY
Thank you Jim Parks for building and installing our new Little Free Library at Shady Oaks Park. This LFL was dedicated to Buddy Dawson, a longtime Rotarian.
COMMUNITY FRIDGE GRAND OPENING
Sunrise Rotary recently held a community fridge grand opening at the Mueller campus of IRSC. The refrigerator was donated by David Thompson and Laura and David Kennedy in memory of their father, Jim Thompson, a 65 year Rotarian and member of Sunrise Rotary. The refrigerator is located in a room that also provides space for dry goods, personal hygiene items, clothing and shoes.
LEARNING ALLIANCE
Barbara Hammond, Wendy Orthober, Pam O'Donnell, and Moonshot puppet enjoying the Learning Alliance & Dr. Moore "meet and greet" at Counter Culture. Attending was a network of local, state, and national policy makers, researchers, and practitioners.
TREASURE COAST GIRLS COALITION
Pictured above at a recent event held by the Treasure Coast Girls Coalition: Shala Edwards , Director and Sunrise Rotarians Wilfred Hart and Pam O'Donnell.
INTERACT CLUB NEWS
Rotarians Mike Murphy and Gail DeRoy with Interact students Sophie Schlaeper, Lindsay Dillahey, and teacher Mr. Doutrich at an event at IRCHS.
DISASTER RELIEF TRAILER
Sunrise Rotarians are pictured stocking the disaster relief trailers that are maintained by our Club. President, Justin Lefebure, (Bottom picture - Right) delivered the trailer to Mayo Florida (north west of Gainesville and East of Perry) to be used by Rotary clubs in the area to assist residents impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
*****UPDATE*****
Justin, and his wife, Michelle, delivered the second fully stocked trailer to Mayo, Florida.
ANOTHER COMMUNITY REFRIGERATOR
Sunrise Rotary partnered with other local agencies to establish another community refrigerator. Pictured above (L-R): Wanda Scott (Fridge Coordinator), Sue Flak, Sister Mary Jackson, Chief Touchberry, Pam O'Donnell, Debbie Martens, and Jill Brown at the grand opening of the Gifford Community Fridge.
ENCOURAGING FUTURE ROTARIANS
Rotarians Pam O'Donnell, Mike Murphy, and Gail DeRoy supporting Trent (past presidnet of the IRCHS Interact Club) and Lindsey (current president) during the Rotakids and Jurior Interact Orientation/Open House at Imagine Schools at South Vero.
CITRUS CLEAN UP
Brian, Pam, Gail and Cathy are pictued getting the rain garden in shape for the new school year. Sunrise Rotary sponsors the garden at Citrus Elementary.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Club members collected supplies for local schools over a period of several weeks. Pictured Left: Gail DeRoy delivers to Indian River County School District. Pictured Rigt: Pam O'Donnell delivers to Fellsmere Elementary.
POLLUTION MAPPING PROJECT
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.
RIVERSIDE PARK CLEAN UP
A group of our Sunrise Rotarians spent their Saturday morning beautifying Riverside Park.
TREASURE COAST ELEMENTARY
Sunrise Rotary sponsored a Family Engagement Night for the Early Learning Program at Treasure Coast Elementary. Pictured helping serve dinner to over 100 attendees are Rotarians: Drew, Megan, Pam, Chris, Kristin, and Rob.
GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP
Members of our club helping with the Great American Cleanup.
Nationally - 14,056,283 pounds of liter and debris collected and 2,449,669 pounds of items recycled!!!
CAREER FAIR
Sunrise Rotarians, Pam O'Donnell, Wilfred Hart, and Gail Marcia DeRoy participated in a carrer fair at Treasure Coast Technical College.
SUPPORTING OTHER ROTARY CLUBS
Pam and Gene O’Donnell, Lyn Kenney, Wendy Orthober, Linda Scalco, Tom and Rita Groendyke, Bill and Patrice Stapleton, Mike and Kristy Murphy and Debbie Avery supported the Rotary Club of Port St. Lucie by attending their Motown fundraising event with proceeds benefiting their Haiti project.
MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH
A large number of willing Sunrise Rotarians turned out to help with our annual Mother’s Day brunch for the residents of St. Francis Manor. Members brought delicious homemade items for the buffet and donated money for door prizes. Everyone attending received one as well as had a chance to win one of four bonus door prizes. All the ladies received a carnation given by Brian and Leigh Carman. Everyone enjoyed the food, fun and fellowship.
GIFFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Bob McCabe, Wilfred Hart, Jane Burton and Markus Mueller presented laptop computers to eight (8) students at Gifford Middle School for their exceptional test scores including one student who had perfect test scores in math and reading!
INTERACT AWARDS
Pam O’Donnell, Gail Marcia DeRoy, Linda Scalso, Mike Murphy, and Rex Taylor presented Zone 34 Interact awards at Indian River Charter High School.
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Sunrise Rotarians, Pam O’Donnell and Chris Steinkrauss, with Principal, Tosha Jones, and Assistant Principal, Kim Rahal, during Teacher Appreciation Week at Citrus Elementary School.
ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Congratulations to (front row left to right) Judith Lennox, Chris Steinkrauss, Jane Burton, Mike Murphy, Lisa Gehin, (back row left to right) Justin Lefebure, Pam O’Donnell and Tarik Kawi our most recent Rotary Leadership graduates. Also pictured, Arthur Hodge, instructor, and Chairman of our Sunrise Rotary Foundation.
NEW MEMBERS 2023
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, DECEMBER 7, 2023
UPCOMING EVENTS
♦♦♦DECEMBER♦♦♦
6
CBWF Committee Meeting
7
Rotary Means Business
11
Community Service Committee Meeting
12
Board Meeting
16
Club Christmas/Holiday Party
20
Christmas Carol Sing-a-Long - St. Francis Manor
FELLSMERE COMMUNITY FRIDGE
The following article was recently published in the Sustainable Events Network and features Sunrise Rotary members Sue Flak, Gail DeRoy and Linda Scalco. Many other club members, community volunteers, and agencies work tirelessly on the Fellsmere Community Fridge project to make it a sustainable project that benefits those in need.
Volunteerism - Meet the Fellsmere Fridge and Gail Deroy and Linda Scalco
Francis Purvey (Administrator) on 7 Feb 2023 8:44 AM
What happens when eliminating food waste and community volunteers collide? Change that can unite communities for the better.
Thank goodness for volunteers - in hospitals, airports and at events, food pantries and almost everywhere in most communities. In essence the world and many populations rely on volunteers to survive.
When Sue Flak, a SENFC Board member and Sunrise Rotary Club of Vero Beach member presented the concept of a Community Fridge to her fellow Rotarians and the city leaders of Fellsmere, Florida (near Vero Beach). She received immediate support - and even a donor for the fridge itself. It opened officially on February 26th, 2022 so will soon be celebrating its one year anniversary.
What is a Community Fridge? Quite simply it typically is a household size refrigerator. Sometimes with a pantry. In communities with known food insecurity, food is positioned in an easily accessed and safe location. Food items are donated, and food items are used with the mantra “Take what you need, leave what you can.” Sue Flak shared the purpose of a community fridge “to reduce food waste, build stronger communities and promote equal access to healthy food.”
And now meet Gail Deroy and Linda Scalco, also members of the Sunrise Rotary Club and avid volunteers for the Fellsmere Fridge. They deliver food, some donated and some paid for out of their own pockets. According to Gail, “As a special education teacher in Rhode Island before retiring and moving to Vero Beach, I have always appreciated that not all people have the same opportunities. Now, when I drop off food at the Fellsmere Fridge and see happy faces coming to take some food, it is heart warming and with huge self satisfaction”. Linda, a former school counselor in New Jersey, added, “I really feel what gratitude is all about and feel it in my heart on every visit”.
They both acknowledged there are many volunteers supporting the Fellsmere Fridge and are happy to be involved. “Fellsmere Police Chief Keith Touchberry has been particularly supportive,” added Linda. While the corporate donors list is long, Gail recognizes a few regular donors - Publix, Panera, the Food Pantry of Indian River County, and the Shining Light Garden Foundation. These help to ensure that community needs are met by the community, allowing us all to benefit in the rewards of depleting food waste.
INTERACT CLUB
Our Interact Club recently held a bake sale and raised $207 for Little Birthday Angels!
SUNRISE ROTARY COMMITTEES
Community Service
Chair - Debbie Avery
Environmental
Chair - Sue Flak
Health & Wellness
Chair - Linda Scott
International
Chair - Rick Root
Literacy
Chair - Wendy Orthober
Membership
Chair - Robyn Stone
Public Image
Co-Chair - Deb Avery
Rotary Means Business
Chair - Darrell Horn
Scholarships
Chair - Ed Massey
Vocational
Chair - Linda Scalco
Youth
Chair - Mike Murphy
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.
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!
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.
4-WAY TEST WORKSHOP
Sunrise Rotary held a 4-Way Test workshop for the 8th grade class at Imagine School South Vero on Friday the 20th of January. The objective of the workshop was to help the students learn how to handle and solve personal predicaments as well as make good choices using the Rotary 4-Way Test. This is the second year we have conducted the program at the school.
WOMEN IN ROTARY
HELPING AT HALLSTROM
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.
GIFFORD YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Several Sunrise Rotarains and many community members recently attended the Gifford Youth Orchestra gala.
The GYO offers a refuge from the mundaneness that can blunt the creative energy that lies dormant in many. It provides an education experience and training in various cultural and performing arts, including music, drama, dance, and the vocal arts. It is a place that encourages exposing talent within, and a place where any child can walk in and know that they are welcomed and loved…….and that they matter.