The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast recently participated in the Centennial Chili Cookout held on Saturday, October 27th at Riverside Park in Vero Beach. Special thanks to everyone that helped prepare the delicious chili and support the event.
Recently members of the Kiwanis Club of Vero Treasure Coast constructed 150′ of fence for the local ARC organization in Vero Beach. Once again Kiwanis has demonstrated our helping hand to the community. Praise goes to Al Sammartino, Martin Gonzales, Mark Sammartino and Sean Clinton. Here is a photo of their great work.
THE INDIAN RIVER CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR “VOLARE” SINGS FOR KIWANIS
KIWANIS PROVIDES SERVICE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TO DISTRICT SCHOOLS
On Saturday, December 10, 2022, The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast hosted the Indian River Charter High School Choir called Volare for an outstanding performance of song at the Vero Beach Yacht Club. Under the direction of Ethan Kinkle, Volare sang two extended sets of holiday tunes and favorites for attendees. This event helped to provide funds for a new Kiwanis initiative within the Indian River County Schools called Service Leadership Programs. Launched in the last year under the leadership of Kiwanis member Bill Cala, new K-kids Clubs and Builders Clubs have been implemented in elementary and middle schools to help students engage in volunteer work to serve their schools. Each club has a teacher and Kiwanis representative to work with the students. Both K-kids Clubs and Builders Clubs are part of Kiwanis International’s Mission. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
In addition to the two Key Clubs at Vero Beach High School and Indian River Charter High School, Vero Beach Kiwanis has expanded Service Leadership Programs into the elementary (K-Kids) and middle schools (Builders Club) in 2022. Service Leadership Programs are now in Imagine Charter School, Indian
River Academy, Osceola Magnet School, Fellsmere Elementary, Beachland Elementary and Dodgertown Elementary. Projects have included mulching) at all participating schools and volunteering at Shining Light Garden. Long-term goals are to have Kiwanis service clubs in all Indian River Schools. Kiwanis was recently recognized by the Indian River County School District for partnering to help students.
Club President Doug Vitunac extends special thanks to all that attended the December 10th event and to all sponsors.
To learn more about Kiwanis visit www.veroKiwanis.com
Kiwanis Helps on Day of Caring, Saturday, October 15, 2022
On the United Way “Day of Caring”, the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast worked with the staff and students of Beachland Elementary School to install mulch and landscaping around the campus. Kiwanis is starting a K-Kids club in the school to help the kids create and perform their own service projects, teaching the value of service to others. Pictured below, Kiwanis members Doug Vitunac and Tim Wright assist Beachland parents and student volunteers.
Kiwanis also helped Indian River Academy on the same day with multiple projects
Kiwanis Youth in Action continues to help others
On Saturday, January 8th Kiwanis members and high school Key Club members took on the tasks of painting the entire wooden railing around the lake at St. Francis Manor, a local non-profit, and painting another building at a second site. Pictured below is Kiwanis member Steffan Lundberg helping students along with members Jeff Meyers and Richard Schlitt. To learn more about Kiwanis Youth in Action click on the brochure below.
Kiwanis Members Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino receive Very Vero Award
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast attended Main Street Vero Beach’s “Coffee with the Mayor” event, held at the Heritage Center, on Friday, September 9, 2022, to show their support for Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino, who were given the “Very Vero” award to honor their many years of service to the community through Kiwanis and the Kiwanis Youth in Action Club. Sammartino was out of town and President Doug Vitunac accepted in his place.
Board member Jim Kordiak and Kiwanis President Doug Vitunac share news about Kiwanis at Downtown Friday in Vero Beach
Vero Kiwanis Youth in Action Day of Service
On Saturday March 13, 2021 91 teens and 25 adults participated in the “Kiwanis Youth in Action (KYIA) Day of Service”. Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast this quarterly event was helped in four major community service projects as follows.
One group built raised gardens at the ARC where the teens were taught basic carpentry skills. Another group helped harvest and clean vegetables at the Shining Light Gardens. All the produce will be donated to area food banks to help those who are food insecure.
The largest group of teens and adult mentors spent the day at the Environmental Learning Center re-building gravel walkways, doing outdoor clean-up and helping with environmental displays. Finally, another large group sealed the outside of the Youth Guidance Building in preparation for painting it in a few weeks.
Each of these groups was supervised by Kiwanis members who ensured that proper COVID safety protocols were followed. The Kiwanis Club provided water and lunch for all. This was an inspiring example of local teens giving back by helping several non-profits in our county
Kiwanis leads teens in community service
Community service can be the most rewarding “job” you will ever have without being paid. We know that as adults. Imagine if kids felt the same way.
Imagine no more. The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast has made it their mission to involve teenagers in service to the community through a program known as “Kiwanis Youth in Action.” Hundreds of kids participate each year on projects to help the needy, the elderly and non-profits – and they love it!
Kiwanis Youth in Action (KYIA) began 25 years ago when two long time Vero residents and Kiwanis members, Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino, started a program designed to engage area teens in community service projects that filled a need and taught them a valuable lesson. According to Schlitt, “Our projects were designed to help those in need, one family at a time, whether it was to repair a fence, paint a room, or anything residents could not afford to take care of themselves or were physically unable to do it.”
Schlitt and Sammartino recruited volunteers from church groups and high school, especially from the Kiwanis high school equivalent, the Key Club. Typically, each Kiwanis Club in a town sponsors a Key Club at the local middle or high school. In Indian River County, there are four Key Clubs, each enthusiastically volunteering on KYIA projects.
Teen volunteers often engage their parents and other adults to help. Upwards of 150 of them gather at 8 a.m. on Saturday mornings in the parking lot of St. Helen’s Church and receive their assignments – pressure washing and/or painting houses, general hammer and nail repairs, removal and replacement of shrubs, replacing windows, doors and essential home fixtures, building ramps for the wheelchair bound and a host of other tasks. Additionally, KYIA efforts have expanded to perform beach clean-ups and many other work projects for non-profit organizations. For instance, they recently removed weeds and non-native growth at the Environmental Learning Center, did beach clean-up projects for Keep Indian River Beautiful and painted group homes at the Hibiscus Children’s Center.
Each work group is accompanied by a Kiwanis member and/or parent. All projects are typically completed before lunch, which is then provided by Kiwanis members during a hamburger and hot dog cookout.
Kiwanis Youth in Action has extended beyond our local communities in emergencies. They have performed adult-supervised projects in the Bahamas, providing needed supplies and materials after last summer’s hurricane. And in Puerto Rico, they rebuilt a 150-student preschool after the recent disasters those residents endured.
All of these projects are funded through donations and Kiwanis project funds. Needless to say, the program has grown significantly from its roots 25 years ago as different social service agencies advise where this kind of volunteer work is needed.
Pictured at the Kiwanis tent are L-R Elke Fetterolf, Al Sammartino, Richard Schlitt and Kevin Brown.
Kiwanis Puerto Rico Team
Recently several members of the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast along with members of the local high school Key Clubs traveled to Puerto Rico . They worked on a pre-school that serves 150 students. The building was rebuilt by our team using about 80% of the old roofing material and nails. Key Club members participating on the trip included Richard Schlitt, Al Sammartino and Jack Leahy. This is another example of the service work of the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast and the Key Clubs in Indian River County, Florida.
Youth Sailing Foundation Commissions Gangway Donated by Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast
On June 13th Kiwanis presented the Indian River Golf Foundation a check in the amount of $500. Pictured are
Left- Roger Van Dyke, CEO of Indian River Golf Foundation along with Kiwanis President Kevin Brown and Kiwanis Golf Chair Matt Hamilton. Indian River Golf Foundation introduces youth to the benefits of golf and lifelong learning skills.
Special Recognition to Al Sammartino for organizing the recent Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for the Haiti trip.
Kiwanis members and youth volunteers clean islands
On Saturday, May 5th Kiwanis members along with Key Club and youth volunteers participated in an island clean-up along the Indian River in Vero Beach. This represents another example of Kiwanis helping to engage youth in meaningful volunteer opportunities throughout the year. The Kiwanis Youth in Action Project is lead by Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino, both longtime Kiwanis members. Pictured below are Kiwanis members and teens involved in the clean-up. Special thanks to all.
Kiwanis Youth in Action helps out at the environmental learning center
Kiwanis Youth in Action News
Eighty members of the Kiwanis Youth in Action (KYIA) recently swooped down on a number of households and locations in Vero Beach. Assisted by 20 Kiwanis club members, they painted three homes and added a handicap access ramp to a fourth, quickly and efficiently changing those locations for the better and improving the lives of the people living there.
Content copyright 2015. Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast. All rights reserved.
Scholarship and Projects
Kiwanis Builds Fencing for ARC
Recently members of the Kiwanis Club of Vero Treasure Coast constructed 150′ of fence for the local ARC organization in Vero Beach. Once again Kiwanis has demonstrated our helping hand to the community. Praise goes to Al Sammartino, Martin Gonzales, Mark Sammartino and Sean Clinton. Here is a photo of their great work.
KIWANIS YOUTH IN ACTION
THE INDIAN RIVER CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR “VOLARE” SINGS FOR KIWANIS
KIWANIS PROVIDES SERVICE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TO DISTRICT SCHOOLS
On Saturday, December 10, 2022, The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast hosted the Indian River Charter High School Choir called Volare for an outstanding performance of song at the Vero Beach Yacht Club. Under the direction of Ethan Kinkle, Volare sang two extended sets of holiday tunes and favorites for attendees. This event helped to provide funds for a new Kiwanis initiative within the Indian River County Schools called Service Leadership Programs. Launched in the last year under the leadership of Kiwanis member Bill Cala, new K-kids Clubs and Builders Clubs have been implemented in elementary and middle schools to help students engage in volunteer work to serve their schools. Each club has a teacher and Kiwanis representative to work with the students. Both K-kids Clubs and Builders Clubs are part of Kiwanis International’s Mission. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
In addition to the two Key Clubs at Vero Beach High School and Indian River Charter High School, Vero Beach Kiwanis has expanded Service Leadership Programs into the elementary (K-Kids) and middle schools (Builders Club) in 2022. Service Leadership Programs are now in Imagine Charter School, Indian
River Academy, Osceola Magnet School, Fellsmere Elementary, Beachland Elementary and Dodgertown Elementary. Projects have included mulching) at all participating schools and volunteering at Shining Light Garden. Long-term goals are to have Kiwanis service clubs in all Indian River Schools. Kiwanis was recently recognized by the Indian River County School District for partnering to help students.
Club President Doug Vitunac extends special thanks to all that attended the December 10th event and to all sponsors.
To learn more about Kiwanis visit www.veroKiwanis.com
Kiwanis Helps on Day of Caring,
Saturday, October 15, 2022
On the United Way “Day of Caring”, the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast worked with the staff and students of Beachland Elementary School to install mulch and landscaping around the campus. Kiwanis is starting a K-Kids club in the school to help the kids create and perform their own service projects, teaching the value of service to others. Pictured below, Kiwanis members Doug Vitunac and Tim Wright assist Beachland parents and student volunteers.
Kiwanis also helped Indian River Academy on the same day with multiple projects
Kiwanis Youth in Action continues to help others
On Saturday, January 8th Kiwanis members and high school Key Club members took on the tasks of painting the entire wooden railing around the lake at St. Francis Manor, a local non-profit, and painting another building at a second site. Pictured below is Kiwanis member Steffan Lundberg helping students along with members Jeff Meyers and Richard Schlitt. To learn more about Kiwanis Youth in Action click on the brochure below.
Kiwanis Members Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino receive Very Vero Award
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast attended Main Street Vero Beach’s “Coffee with the Mayor” event, held at the Heritage Center, on Friday, September 9, 2022, to show their support for Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino, who were given the “Very Vero” award to honor their many years of service to the community through Kiwanis and the Kiwanis Youth in Action Club. Sammartino was out of town and President Doug Vitunac accepted in his place.
Board member Jim Kordiak and Kiwanis President Doug Vitunac share news about Kiwanis at Downtown Friday in Vero Beach
Vero Kiwanis Youth in Action Day of Service
On Saturday March 13, 2021 91 teens and 25 adults participated in the “Kiwanis Youth in Action (KYIA) Day of Service”. Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast this quarterly event was helped in four major community service projects as follows.
One group built raised gardens at the ARC where the teens were taught basic carpentry skills. Another group helped harvest and clean vegetables at the Shining Light Gardens. All the produce will be donated to area food banks to help those who are food insecure.
The largest group of teens and adult mentors spent the day at the Environmental Learning Center re-building gravel walkways, doing outdoor clean-up and helping with environmental displays. Finally, another large group sealed the outside of the Youth Guidance Building in preparation for painting it in a few weeks.
Each of these groups was supervised by Kiwanis members who ensured that proper COVID safety protocols were followed. The Kiwanis Club provided water and lunch for all. This was an inspiring example of local teens giving back by helping several non-profits in our county
Kiwanis leads teens in community service
Community service can be the most rewarding “job” you will ever have without being paid. We know that as adults. Imagine if kids felt the same way.
Imagine no more. The Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast has made it their mission to involve teenagers in service to the community through a program known as “Kiwanis Youth in Action.” Hundreds of kids participate each year on projects to help the needy, the elderly and non-profits – and they love it!
Kiwanis Youth in Action (KYIA) began 25 years ago when two long time Vero residents and Kiwanis members, Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino, started a program designed to engage area teens in community service projects that filled a need and taught them a valuable lesson. According to Schlitt, “Our projects were designed to help those in need, one family at a time, whether it was to repair a fence, paint a room, or anything residents could not afford to take care of themselves or were physically unable to do it.”
Schlitt and Sammartino recruited volunteers from church groups and high school, especially from the Kiwanis high school equivalent, the Key Club. Typically, each Kiwanis Club in a town sponsors a Key Club at the local middle or high school. In Indian River County, there are four Key Clubs, each enthusiastically volunteering on KYIA projects.
Teen volunteers often engage their parents and other adults to help. Upwards of 150 of them gather at 8 a.m. on Saturday mornings in the parking lot of St. Helen’s Church and receive their assignments – pressure washing and/or painting houses, general hammer and nail repairs, removal and replacement of shrubs, replacing windows, doors and essential home fixtures, building ramps for the wheelchair bound and a host of other tasks. Additionally, KYIA efforts have expanded to perform beach clean-ups and many other work projects for non-profit organizations. For instance, they recently removed weeds and non-native growth at the Environmental Learning Center, did beach clean-up projects for Keep Indian River Beautiful and painted group homes at the Hibiscus Children’s Center.
Each work group is accompanied by a Kiwanis member and/or parent. All projects are typically completed before lunch, which is then provided by Kiwanis members during a hamburger and hot dog cookout.
Kiwanis Youth in Action has extended beyond our local communities in emergencies. They have performed adult-supervised projects in the Bahamas, providing needed supplies and materials after last summer’s hurricane. And in Puerto Rico, they rebuilt a 150-student preschool after the recent disasters those residents endured.
All of these projects are funded through donations and Kiwanis project funds. Needless to say, the program has grown significantly from its roots 25 years ago as different social service agencies advise where this kind of volunteer work is needed.
Pictured at the Kiwanis tent are L-R Elke Fetterolf, Al Sammartino, Richard Schlitt and Kevin Brown.
Kiwanis Puerto Rico Team
Recently several members of the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast along with members of the local high school Key Clubs traveled to Puerto Rico . They worked on a pre-school that serves 150 students. The building was rebuilt by our team using about 80% of the old roofing material and nails. Key Club members participating on the trip included Richard Schlitt, Al Sammartino and Jack Leahy. This is another example of the service work of the Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast and the Key Clubs in Indian River County, Florida.
Youth Sailing Foundation Commissions Gangway Donated by Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast
Kiwanis Supports Indian River Golf Foundation
On June 13th Kiwanis presented the Indian River Golf Foundation a check in the amount of $500. Pictured are
Left- Roger Van Dyke, CEO of Indian River Golf Foundation along with Kiwanis President Kevin Brown and Kiwanis Golf Chair Matt Hamilton. Indian River Golf Foundation introduces youth to the benefits of golf and lifelong learning skills.
Special Recognition to Al Sammartino for organizing the recent Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for the Haiti trip.
Kiwanis members and youth volunteers clean islands
On Saturday, May 5th Kiwanis members along with Key Club and youth volunteers participated in an island clean-up along the Indian River in Vero Beach. This represents another example of Kiwanis helping to engage youth in meaningful volunteer opportunities throughout the year. The Kiwanis Youth in Action Project is lead by Richard Schlitt and Al Sammartino, both longtime Kiwanis members. Pictured below are Kiwanis members and teens involved in the clean-up. Special thanks to all.
Kiwanis Youth in Action helps out at the environmental learning center
Kiwanis Youth in Action News
Eighty members of the Kiwanis Youth in Action (KYIA) recently swooped down on a number of households and locations in Vero Beach. Assisted by 20 Kiwanis club members, they painted three homes and added a handicap access ramp to a fourth, quickly and efficiently changing those locations for the better and improving the lives of the people living there.
Content copyright 2015. Kiwanis Club of Vero-Treasure Coast. All rights reserved.
Kiwanis Club of Vero
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UPCOMING MEETINGS
April
22 - Faye Estes, IRC Garden Club
29 - Loreto Murray, IRC Land Trust
May
6 - Board Meeting, No Speaker
13 - Alexis Peralta, Stormwater Educator, IRC Natural Resources Department
20 - Dr. Moore, IRC Superintendent of Schools
27 -Scott Schnell, Indian River Woodcarvers Club
June
3 - Board Meeting, No Speaker
10 - Louis Caprino, Executive Dean, IRSC Public Training Complex
17 - Learning Alliance
24 - Jessica Gonzalez, Girl Scouts
July
No Meetings for the Month
August
5 - Board Meeting, No Speaker
12 - Rachelle Madrigal, Jackie Robinson Training Complex
19 - The Source- Jonathan Orozco, Development Director & Beverly Paris of Paris Productions