Kiwanis presents $500 check to support the Dodgertown Elementary School Food Drive
Pictured are Robi Robinson, Kiwanis Member and Candacy Rumph from Dodgertown Elementary School.
KIWANIS NAMES AWARD WINNERS
The Annual Kiwanis Awards and Installation Dinner was held at Vero Beach Yacht Club on Sunday, October 27, 2024. Kiwanis President Jessica Hernstadt welcomed members and guests and shared the many successes of Kiwanis in helping residents and children in Indian River County.
New Officers for 2025 were sworn in by Kiwanis Lt. Gov. Cher Fisher.
Three special awards were also presented. Kiwanian of the Year: Mark Sammartino; Key Member: Mara Wicklund; and Spirit of Kiwanis: Greg Holtan.
Members Milt Thomas and Robi Robinson provided fun entertainment for the evening.
Pictured standing Lt. Gov. Cher Fisher, Past Lt. Gov. Al Sammartino, Mara Wicklund, and Mark Sammartino. Seated Greg Holtan and Kiwanis President Jessica Hernstadt.
In the late ’90s, Cheryl Warriner became a member of Kiwanis with a desire to give back to the community, especially its children. She wanted to volunteer her time and efforts to help others and make a positive impact on Vero Beach. One of the things Cheryl enjoys most about being a Kiwanian is participating in Kiwanis Youth in Action, where members team up with young, like-minded volunteers to support those in need. As a Kiwanis advisor at Vero Beach High School, Cheryl was able to have truly hands-on experience guiding members of the Key Club. This also gave her the special opportunity to serve alongside her granddaughter, who was President of the Key Club. That experience is one they will both forever cherish, sharing the joy of making a lasting difference in the lives of others. Cheryl says “It feels good to be part of something focused on doing good, and I’m grateful to give my time to a cause that truly matters. Kiwanis has also blessed me with many meaningful friendships and I’m proud to continue serving alongside such dedicated individuals.”
Kiwanis Board Member Al Sammartino shares “I recruited Cheryl to join Kiwanis. I knew she would be a great asset. Anytime I ask her to be involved as an advisor or with Kiwanis Youth in Action she is always number one to say yes. Cheryl always gives back and is also a member of the scholarship committee.”
Kiwanis President Jessica Hernstadt echoes Sammartino’s comments. “Cheryl is a dedicated Kiwanian who supports our many programs for youth in the community. She has volunteered her time for the Vero Beach High School Key Club, Kiwanis Youth in Action projects, Take a Kid Fishing, youth sailing events and more. She is an important member of the Kiwanis team.”
This is just another example of how members of The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast help those in need here in Indian River County. To learn more about Kiwanis visit our website at www.verokiwanis.com
Donations to Kiwanis Bring Happiness to Others
The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast, through Club member Martin Gonzalez, recently received a generous donation of over $10,000 in new toys, suits, clothing, shoes, school uniforms, bed sheets, and books from the Carl Shechter Southwest Focal Point Community Center. Jay Shechter, Pembroke Pines Community Services Director, said “Our city has adopted Fellsmere as a sister city through the work of your local Kiwanis Club at the Fellsmere Elementary School.”
To receive the donated items, Kiwanis needed to pick up the merchandise in South Florida, then distribute them to local charities based on need.
On July 1, Club members Martin Gonzalez, Al Sammartino, Mark Sammartino, and Doug Vitunac, met to discuss the logistics of picking up and distributing the donations. They determined that a truck was needed, so the Club approved a budget of $550. Martin, Al, Mark and Doug each contacted local charities to determine which ones had a need for the donated items. They were not to be resold, only distributed directly to their clients.
On July 11, Al Sammartino and his son, Mark, drove a rental truck to South Florida and picked up the donations. Upon returning, Al, Martin and Club member Tim Wright sorted the merchandise based on the participating local charities’ needs. On August 1, the merchandise was delivered as follows:
The ARC
5 sets of clothing in various sizes
Sheets all sizes
Books basic reading
Every Child Counts
Bed Sheets – twin and full size
United Against Poverty
Suits
Clothing
Indian River County Jail
Suits
Clothing
Shoes
Books
Hope for Families Center
Clothing
Books
Fellsmere Elementary School
Toys and games
School Uniforms
5 sets of men’s and women’s clothing for parents that lost their home in a fire
This is just another example of how The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast helps those in need here in Indian River County. To learn more about Kiwanis, please visit our website at www.verokiwanis.com.
Martin Gonzalez
Al Sammartino and Gonzalez
Al and Mark Sammartino
Dedication at its Best
Important historic buildings are known to have what is called a “cornerstone” which refers to laying the initial base for a strong foundation. Well, the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast has someone that truly fits the definition of the club’s cornerstone.
Bob Marshbanks joined Kiwanis in January 1978 shortly after he opened his business called The Pipe Den in September 1977. Bob was invited to join Kiwanis by then club president Gene Waddell. Kiwanis met in the early mornings, which did not hinder the opening of his new store. Bob’s business was open six days a week and he wanted to do something that could support the mission of Kiwanis and fit into his busy workweek. So, he volunteered to serve as club secretary.
To this day Bob still holds that important position. What is even more impressive is that since joining Kiwanis in 1978 Bob has never missed a meeting – that is 47 years of perfect attendance! Even when he has traveled within the United States or abroad, Bob finds a Kiwanis club (there are more than 7,000 clubs in 85 countries) and attends their meetings.
Bob thinks back to one of his favorite projects with Kiwanis. The club raised funds to build bike paths close to schools. Kiwanis built 16 miles of bike paths around Vero Beach in five years.
Like Bob, Kiwanis has many dedicated members with long association to volunteer work. The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast was founded in 1973. The club raises funds through many projects to provide financial assistance and manpower for those organizations that serve children. For over five decades, Kiwanis has been tirelessly working to create positive impacts for the youth of Indian River County. Through initiatives like Youth in Action projects, volunteer programs in Indian River County Schools (Key Club, Builders Club, and K-Club) and the Scholarship Golf Day, the club continues to raise vital funds that directly benefit children’s education, health, and well-being.
We welcome new members and encourage you visiting the Kiwanis website at www.verokiwanis.com for more information. We meet every Wednesday at noon at The Vero Beach Yacht Club.
Bob Marshbanks, Kiwanis Club Secretary
Another Great Kiwanis Golf Tournament
Vero Beach, FL – The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast held its annual Charity Golf Day at Sandridge Golf Club on Saturday, April 6th, drawing in 58 enthusiastic golfers and receiving overwhelming support from over 100 local sponsors. The event, now in its 38th year, not only showcased the community’s love for golf but also demonstrated its commitment to supporting local children in a number of ways, including the college scholarships that the proceeds from the day funded. The scholarship winners were chosen based on their academic achievements, as well as their commitment to volunteering in the community.
For over five decades, the Kiwanis Club in Vero Beach has been tirelessly working to create positive impacts for the youth of Indian River County. Through initiatives like Youth in Action projects, volunteer programs in IRC schools (Key Club, Builders Club) and the Scholarship Golf Day, the club continues to raise vital funds that directly benefit children’s education, health, and well-being.
Special thanks go to Matt Hamilton for chairing the golf event. He has dedicated his efforts for many years to create a wonderful tournament and raise funds for the Club. Great job Matt!
KIWANIS HISTORY
For over 100 years, Kiwanis International has been an organization of members dedicated to serving children. Today, there are nearly 600,000 members in 80 countries, and members have made a positive impact in millions of lives. Kiwanis International was founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan, and became an international organization with the creation of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario, the following year. Kiwanis members stage nearly 150,000 service projects, devote more than 6 million hours of service, and raise nearly $100 million every year for communities, families and projects.
For more information on Kiwanis visit Kiwanis International at www.kiwanis.org
ABOUT OUR CLUB
The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast was founded in 1973. Our club raises funds through many projects to provide financial assistance and manpower for those organizations that serve children. Examples of Kiwanis projects that have helped the local area include:
Construction of the building foundations for ARC and Riverside Children’s Theatre and the outdoor stage at Riverside Theatre
Bicycle paths for local schools
Assistance with the Annual Children’s Art Festival in Vero Beach
The Annual Kiwanis Radio and Television Auction to secure funds to help children
Volunteer work for Youth Guidance
Construction of the Head Start Playground
Construction of pavilions at Hibiscus
Children’s Center and the Homeless Family Center
The Annual Take a Kid Fishing Tournament est. 1992 serving over 300 children annually
Painting homes for needy families through the Youth in Action Program
Serving Indian River County since 1973
The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast Celebrates 50 Years
The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast held its 50th Anniversary Celebration on October 25 and it was a smashing success. Taking up two large meeting rooms at the Vero Beach Yacht Club, more than 100 current and former Kiwanians with spouses, school advisors and guests gathered to first enjoy the social hour, where we renewed friendships and, in many cases, met for the first time, six of the earliest club members. That included charter members Sam Block, Gene Waddell, and first Kiwanis president, Bob Grice.
Past presidents attending the Banquet included Bob Grice ( 1973-74), Sam Block (1975-76), Karl Zimmermann (1976-77), Gene Waddell (1977-78), Dean Luethje (1978-79), Tom Dickens (1987-88), Jeff Meyer (1992-93 and 2011-12), Randy Riley (1993-94 and Lt. Governor 1994-95)), Milt Thomas (1996-97 and 2008-09), Adam Bolinger (2000-01), Lou Aprile (2001-02 and 2009-10), Paul Williamson (2002-03), Kevin Brown (2013-14 and 2016-17), Richard Schlitt (2017-18 and Lt. Governor 2018-19), Tom Maher (2019-20), Al Sammartino (2020-21 and two terms as Lt. Governor), Doug Vitunac (2021-22 and 2022-23).
The meeting was brought to order by outgoing president, Doug Vitunac, with a prayer and pledge offered by long-time club Spiritual Aims Chairman, Rev. Michael Ward. A unique and well-received buffet dinner followed, featuring five food stations, each representing a different ethnic cuisine and dessert – Mediterranean, French, Italian, Mexican and Asian.
The program followed, beginning with a presentation of highlights from our club’s history presented by Milt Thomas. A more detailed history was included as part of the Banquet’s printed program and is reproduced below. A short video was then shown about current Kiwanis community projects. Al Sammartino then gave a presentation about the club’s youth-oriented community activities including Kiwanis Youth in Action, school, and scholarship programs.
Doug Vitunac returned to the podium to present this year’s awards: “Hit the Ground Running”award to members who went above and beyond – Martin Gonzalez, Cindi Shelbourne, Mark Sammartino, Jessica Hernstadt; “Perfect Attendance” award – Bob Marshbanks (for the 45th years in a row); “Key Member” award – Milt Thomas; “Kiwanian of the Year” award – Bill Cala.
Doug then introduced Prairy Riehl, Florida Kiwanis Governor, to install our new officers and directors for 2023-24, including new president, Jessica Hernstadt, who then gave her vision for the year ahead.
With business completed, Jessica introduced our entertainer for the evening, Impressionist Anna Faris. Faris came onstage as Joan Rivers, then moved on to comedic impression of several entertainers that involved costume changes, members of the audience and lots of laughter to finish off our 50th Anniversary Celebration.
HISTORY OF KIWANIS VERO – Treasure Coast
The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast was sponsored on September 17, 1973, by the existing Kiwanis Club of Vero Beach, founded in 1935. Many younger members of the senior club were starting out in business and found it a hardship to attend weekly noon meetings that often lasted well beyond lunchtime. So, Bob Grice recommended, and the club agreed, to start a morning club meeting on Tuesdays from 7:30- 8:30am. Twenty-one members agreed to join the new Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast.
One of our first major fundraising projects was a joint effort with the senior club to conduct the Kiwanis Christmas Radio Auction. It transitioned to a TV auction in the 1990s and involved nearly every member of both clubs calling on businesses for merchandise or cash donations, setting up a television studio with a bank of telephone operators, on-screen interviews, and performances. Money raised from the auction sponsored creation of what is now the Riverside Children’s Theatre. We did the same for ARC of Indian River County.
Our Club also sponsored the Children’s Art Festival for many years, SafeSpace, Youth Guidance, and many other worthwhile projects. Club members also performed hands-on work projects, including construction of pavilions, docks, handicap ramps, creating bike paths and more. Those community efforts led to the creation of Kiwanis Youth in Action, started by members Al Sammartino and Richard Schlitt. KYIA provided adult-supervised teenage volunteers for Saturday projects including painting and repairs for disadvantaged people’s homes or non-profits needing assistance, gardening, beach, and spoil island clean-ups.
We have always been active in the School District of Indian River County, starting with conducting practice job interviews. That led to our adoption of the Junior Achievement program, providing high school seniors with an education in the private enterprise system. Our Club raised funds for the high school to purchase textbooks and teaching materials as well as providing “visiting professors,” Club members who would share our business experiences with the students. This became a required program for senior students. We also started the first Key Club at St. Edward’s School, later at the Indian River County Charter High School and Vero Beach High School, where they thrive today, teaching students the value of community service.
Submitted by Milt Thomas
Kiwanis seeks major sponsors for the Kiwanis Youth in Action Program.
Kiwanis presents $500 check to support the Dodgertown Elementary School Food Drive
KIWANIS NAMES AWARD WINNERS
The Annual Kiwanis Awards and Installation Dinner was held at Vero Beach Yacht Club on Sunday, October 27, 2024. Kiwanis President Jessica Hernstadt welcomed members and guests and shared the many successes of Kiwanis in helping residents and children in Indian River County.
New Officers for 2025 were sworn in by Kiwanis Lt. Gov. Cher Fisher.
Three special awards were also presented. Kiwanian of the Year: Mark Sammartino; Key Member: Mara Wicklund; and Spirit of Kiwanis: Greg Holtan.
Members Milt Thomas and Robi Robinson provided fun entertainment for the evening.
For more information about Kiwanis visit www.verokiwanis.com
Meet Cheryl Warriner
In the late ’90s, Cheryl Warriner became a member of Kiwanis with a desire to give back to the community, especially its children. She wanted to volunteer her time and efforts to help others and make a positive impact on Vero Beach. One of the things Cheryl enjoys most about being a Kiwanian is participating in Kiwanis Youth in Action, where members team up with young, like-minded volunteers to support those in need. As a Kiwanis advisor at Vero Beach High School, Cheryl was able to have truly hands-on experience guiding members of the Key Club. This also gave her the special opportunity to serve alongside her granddaughter, who was President of the Key Club. That experience is one they will both forever cherish, sharing the joy of making a lasting difference in the lives of others. Cheryl says “It feels good to be part of something focused on doing good, and I’m grateful to give my time to a cause that truly matters. Kiwanis has also blessed me with many meaningful friendships and I’m proud to continue serving alongside such dedicated individuals.”
Kiwanis Board Member Al Sammartino shares “I recruited Cheryl to join Kiwanis. I knew she would be a great asset. Anytime I ask her to be involved as an advisor or with Kiwanis Youth in Action she is always number one to say yes. Cheryl always gives back and is also a member of the scholarship committee.”
Kiwanis President Jessica Hernstadt echoes Sammartino’s comments. “Cheryl is a dedicated Kiwanian who supports our many programs for youth in the community. She has volunteered her time for the Vero Beach High School Key Club, Kiwanis Youth in Action projects, Take a Kid Fishing, youth sailing events and more. She is an important member of the Kiwanis team.”
This is just another example of how members of The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast help those in need here in Indian River County. To learn more about Kiwanis visit our website at www.verokiwanis.com
Donations to Kiwanis Bring Happiness to Others
The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast, through Club member Martin Gonzalez, recently received a generous donation of over $10,000 in new toys, suits, clothing, shoes, school uniforms, bed sheets, and books from the Carl Shechter Southwest Focal Point Community Center. Jay Shechter, Pembroke Pines Community Services Director, said “Our city has adopted Fellsmere as a sister city through the work of your local Kiwanis Club at the Fellsmere Elementary School.”
To receive the donated items, Kiwanis needed to pick up the merchandise in South Florida, then distribute them to local charities based on need.
On July 1, Club members Martin Gonzalez, Al Sammartino, Mark Sammartino, and Doug Vitunac, met to discuss the logistics of picking up and distributing the donations. They determined that a truck was needed, so the Club approved a budget of $550. Martin, Al, Mark and Doug each contacted local charities to determine which ones had a need for the donated items. They were not to be resold, only distributed directly to their clients.
On July 11, Al Sammartino and his son, Mark, drove a rental truck to South Florida and picked up the donations. Upon returning, Al, Martin and Club member Tim Wright sorted the merchandise based on the participating local charities’ needs. On August 1, the merchandise was delivered as follows:
The ARC
Every Child Counts
Bed Sheets – twin and full size
United Against Poverty
Indian River County Jail
Hope for Families Center
Fellsmere Elementary School
This is just another example of how The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast helps those in need here in Indian River County. To learn more about Kiwanis, please visit our website at www.verokiwanis.com.
Martin Gonzalez
Al Sammartino and Gonzalez
Al and Mark Sammartino
Dedication at its Best
Important historic buildings are known to have what is called a “cornerstone” which refers to laying the initial base for a strong foundation. Well, the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast has someone that truly fits the definition of the club’s cornerstone.
Bob Marshbanks joined Kiwanis in January 1978 shortly after he opened his business called The Pipe Den in September 1977. Bob was invited to join Kiwanis by then club president Gene Waddell. Kiwanis met in the early mornings, which did not hinder the opening of his new store. Bob’s business was open six days a week and he wanted to do something that could support the mission of Kiwanis and fit into his busy workweek. So, he volunteered to serve as club secretary.
To this day Bob still holds that important position. What is even more impressive is that since joining Kiwanis in 1978 Bob has never missed a meeting – that is 47 years of perfect attendance! Even when he has traveled within the United States or abroad, Bob finds a Kiwanis club (there are more than 7,000 clubs in 85 countries) and attends their meetings.
Bob thinks back to one of his favorite projects with Kiwanis. The club raised funds to build bike paths close to schools. Kiwanis built 16 miles of bike paths around Vero Beach in five years.
Like Bob, Kiwanis has many dedicated members with long association to volunteer work. The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast was founded in 1973. The club raises funds through many projects to provide financial assistance and manpower for those organizations that serve children. For over five decades, Kiwanis has been tirelessly working to create positive impacts for the youth of Indian River County. Through initiatives like Youth in Action projects, volunteer programs in Indian River County Schools (Key Club, Builders Club, and K-Club) and the Scholarship Golf Day, the club continues to raise vital funds that directly benefit children’s education, health, and well-being.
We welcome new members and encourage you visiting the Kiwanis website at www.verokiwanis.com for more information. We meet every Wednesday at noon at The Vero Beach Yacht Club.
Bob Marshbanks, Kiwanis Club Secretary
Another Great Kiwanis Golf Tournament
Vero Beach, FL – The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast held its annual Charity Golf Day at Sandridge Golf Club on Saturday, April 6th, drawing in 58 enthusiastic golfers and receiving overwhelming support from over 100 local sponsors. The event, now in its 38th year, not only showcased the community’s love for golf but also demonstrated its commitment to supporting local children in a number of ways, including the college scholarships that the proceeds from the day funded. The scholarship winners were chosen based on their academic achievements, as well as their commitment to volunteering in the community.
For over five decades, the Kiwanis Club in Vero Beach has been tirelessly working to create positive impacts for the youth of Indian River County. Through initiatives like Youth in Action projects, volunteer programs in IRC schools (Key Club, Builders Club) and the Scholarship Golf Day, the club continues to raise vital funds that directly benefit children’s education, health, and well-being.
Special thanks go to Matt Hamilton for chairing the golf event. He has dedicated his efforts for many years to create a wonderful tournament and raise funds for the Club. Great job Matt!
KIWANIS HISTORY
For over 100 years, Kiwanis International has been an organization of members dedicated to serving children. Today, there are nearly 600,000 members in 80 countries, and members have made a positive impact in millions of lives. Kiwanis International was founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan, and became an international organization with the creation of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario, the following year. Kiwanis members stage nearly 150,000 service projects, devote more than 6 million hours of service, and raise nearly $100 million every year for communities, families and projects.
For more information on Kiwanis visit Kiwanis International at www.kiwanis.org
ABOUT OUR CLUB
The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast was founded in 1973. Our club raises funds through many projects to provide financial assistance and manpower for those organizations that serve children. Examples of Kiwanis projects that have helped the local area include:
Serving Indian River County since 1973
The Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast Celebrates 50 Years
The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast held its 50th Anniversary Celebration on October 25 and it was a smashing success. Taking up two large meeting rooms at the Vero Beach Yacht Club, more than 100 current and former Kiwanians with spouses, school advisors and guests gathered to first enjoy the social hour, where we renewed friendships and, in many cases, met for the first time, six of the earliest club members. That included charter members Sam Block, Gene Waddell, and first Kiwanis president, Bob Grice.
Past presidents attending the Banquet included Bob Grice ( 1973-74), Sam Block (1975-76), Karl Zimmermann (1976-77), Gene Waddell (1977-78), Dean Luethje (1978-79), Tom Dickens (1987-88), Jeff Meyer (1992-93 and 2011-12), Randy Riley (1993-94 and Lt. Governor 1994-95)), Milt Thomas (1996-97 and 2008-09), Adam Bolinger (2000-01), Lou Aprile (2001-02 and 2009-10), Paul Williamson (2002-03), Kevin Brown (2013-14 and 2016-17), Richard Schlitt (2017-18 and Lt. Governor 2018-19), Tom Maher (2019-20), Al Sammartino (2020-21 and two terms as Lt. Governor), Doug Vitunac (2021-22 and 2022-23).
The meeting was brought to order by outgoing president, Doug Vitunac, with a prayer and pledge offered by long-time club Spiritual Aims Chairman, Rev. Michael Ward. A unique and well-received buffet dinner followed, featuring five food stations, each representing a different ethnic cuisine and dessert – Mediterranean, French, Italian, Mexican and Asian.
The program followed, beginning with a presentation of highlights from our club’s history presented by Milt Thomas. A more detailed history was included as part of the Banquet’s printed program and is reproduced below. A short video was then shown about current Kiwanis community projects. Al Sammartino then gave a presentation about the club’s youth-oriented community activities including Kiwanis Youth in Action, school, and scholarship programs.
Doug Vitunac returned to the podium to present this year’s awards: “Hit the Ground Running”award to members who went above and beyond – Martin Gonzalez, Cindi Shelbourne, Mark Sammartino, Jessica Hernstadt; “Perfect Attendance” award – Bob Marshbanks (for the 45th years in a row); “Key Member” award – Milt Thomas; “Kiwanian of the Year” award – Bill Cala.
Doug then introduced Prairy Riehl, Florida Kiwanis Governor, to install our new officers and directors for 2023-24, including new president, Jessica Hernstadt, who then gave her vision for the year ahead.
With business completed, Jessica introduced our entertainer for the evening, Impressionist Anna Faris. Faris came onstage as Joan Rivers, then moved on to comedic impression of several entertainers that involved costume changes, members of the audience and lots of laughter to finish off our 50th Anniversary Celebration.
HISTORY OF KIWANIS VERO – Treasure Coast
The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast was sponsored on September 17, 1973, by the existing Kiwanis Club of Vero Beach, founded in 1935. Many younger members of the senior club were starting out in business and found it a hardship to attend weekly noon meetings that often lasted well beyond lunchtime. So, Bob Grice recommended, and the club agreed, to start a morning club meeting on Tuesdays from 7:30- 8:30am. Twenty-one members agreed to join the new Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast.
One of our first major fundraising projects was a joint effort with the senior club to conduct the Kiwanis Christmas Radio Auction. It transitioned to a TV auction in the 1990s and involved nearly every member of both clubs calling on businesses for merchandise or cash donations, setting up a television studio with a bank of telephone operators, on-screen interviews, and performances. Money raised from the auction sponsored creation of what is now the Riverside Children’s Theatre. We did the same for ARC of Indian River County.
Our Club also sponsored the Children’s Art Festival for many years, SafeSpace, Youth Guidance, and many other worthwhile projects. Club members also performed hands-on work projects, including construction of pavilions, docks, handicap ramps, creating bike paths and more. Those community efforts led to the creation of Kiwanis Youth in Action, started by members Al Sammartino and Richard Schlitt. KYIA provided adult-supervised teenage volunteers for Saturday projects including painting and repairs for disadvantaged people’s homes or non-profits needing assistance, gardening, beach, and spoil island clean-ups.
We have always been active in the School District of Indian River County, starting with conducting practice job interviews. That led to our adoption of the Junior Achievement program, providing high school seniors with an education in the private enterprise system. Our Club raised funds for the high school to purchase textbooks and teaching materials as well as providing “visiting professors,” Club members who would share our business experiences with the students. This became a required program for senior students. We also started the first Key Club at St. Edward’s School, later at the Indian River County Charter High School and Vero Beach High School, where they thrive today, teaching students the value of community service.
Submitted by Milt Thomas
Kiwanis seeks major sponsors for the Kiwanis Youth in Action Program.
To learn more about the program needs and costs
Kiwanis Youth in Action engages youth in helping community members in need.
Kiwanis is an approved 501 (c) 3.
For Kiwanis Youth in Action application for Home Repair Assistance
Kiwanis Club of Vero – Treasure Coast Mission Trip Opportunities in May and June
Fellowship throughout
Indian River County
Florida
Kiwanis and Youth in Action work in the Community
Kiwanis Club of Vero
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Upcoming Events
Guest Speakers
November
27: No Meeting. Happy Thanksgiving!
December
4: No Speaker, Board Meeting
11: Jenna Peterson, Acupuncture Physician
18: Holly Hewitt, Vita Tissue International
25: No Meeting. Merry Christmas!
January
8: No Speaker, Board Meeting
15: Phil Barnes, Executive Director, Youth Guidance Mentoring Academy
22: Jasmine Keefe, Change The World of One
29: Tiffany Everett - Magnum Motivational Group
February
5: No Speaker, Board Meeting
12: Sue Harr Rhinehart, VB Art Club
19: Jamie Bond Ciancio, Place of Hope & Cher Fisher, Lt. Gov.
26: Bill Cala, Joining Hearts and Hands
March
12: Roger Van Dyke, Founder/President, Indian River Golf Foundation
19: OPEN
26: OPEN