We have an opportunity for you to honor a loved one, celebrate a milestone, highlight a business, or support a cause. 

Engraved pavers on sale as part of the Rotary Corner Fundraiser.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND ORDER FORMS  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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.

                          

December 10:      Michael Walstrom - District Foundation Chair

December 17:      Michael Naffzinger - IRCCHS VPA Program

December 24:      NO MEETING

December 31:      NO MEETING 

January 7:             Danielle McLean - Keystone Education Center

January 14:           Peg Regan - Impact 100

January 21:           Marcia Gaedcke - District 6930 Govenor 

                                                                                                                                                                       

                   

 

    

   

A number of our Rotarians took part in the Salvation Army bell-ringing. The proceeds help fund the many projects the Salvation Army carries out to support residents in our local community.

 

 

Thank you to our fellow Rotarian, Joe Conrado, for organizing and obtaining all the food our club needed to assemble Thanksgiving meals.  They were donated to the Salvation Army to distribute to families in need. Each bag included all the fixings for a complete holiday meal. Turkeys were provided along with the packaged bags.

    

A number of our Rotarians partipated in the Walk to Rember.  The WALK TO REMEMBER raises awareness and funds that support essential programs and services for individuals and families in Indian River County who are impacted by memory and/or movement disorders.   Service Above Self in action.  

                                   

                                              

  

We had great participation from the community for our 2025 Can Challenge.  Winners were:  1st Place - Cox Gifford Seawinds, 2nd Place - Charter High School Interact Club, 3rd Place - Indian River Fence Company.  The real winner was the Fellsmere Community Fridge, which received all the donated canned goods to support local families.

       

       

                                            

Another successful Oktoberfest is in the books!  Great food, amazing aution items, super turnout, and wonderful fellowship.  All for a good cause.  This is how we roll when all of our clubs work together.   

                                      

                                                    

    

A hardworking group of Sunrise Rotarians braved the heat and humidity and volunteered on International Coastal Cleanup Day.  By removing litter and debris from our waterways they are helping to preserve the natural beauty of Indian River County, protect wildlife, and support a cleaner, healthier environment for the entire community.

    

     

   

A number of Rotarians from the Club spent the day restocking the disaster relief trailer.  It is now ready to go whenever and wherever needed.

                                 

                                 

  

A lot of work goes into the DROWN ZERO STATIONS.  A number of Rotarians from our club spent many hours working on them.  Painting was day one.  Assembling was day two.  If you are interested in sponsoring a station, please click on the DROWN ZERO tab.  It could save a life!  

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!  

                                             

     

Rotarians and members from the Interact Club braved the heat to do a huge cleanup at Jones' Pier.  This is an ongoing beautification program our Club does on a regular basis.    

            

       

     

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

 

 

♦♦♦DECEMBER♦♦♦

9

 Board Meeting

11

 Club Christmas Party

15

 Community Service Committee Meeting

17

 Foundation Committee Meeting

17

 Literacy Committee Meeting

17

  Brew Fest Committee Meeting

 

♦♦♦JANUARY ♦♦♦

7

 Brew Fest Committee Meeting 

8

 Rotary Means Business 

14

 Brew Fest Committee Meeting 

16

 Homestay Guests Arrive

18

 Homestay BBQ

21

 Brew Fest Committee Meeting

28

  Brew Fest Committee Meeting

 

                           

                                    

 

MICKEY SCHMITZ

Mikey Schmitz is a passionate advocate for health and wellness, a lifelong water connoisseur, and a man on a mission to change the world—one drop at a time. For over 21 years, Mikey has kept rhythm as a skilled drummer, a passion matched only by his love for dancing and connecting with people through music and movement.  His journey into the transformative power of pure water began during one of the most difficult seasons of his life, when his mother faced her first battle with cancer over a decade ago. Determined to support her health in every possible way, Mikey dove deep into researching the benefits of pure, remineralized, hydrogen-enriched water. That search for answers sparked a lifelong dedication to clean water and holistic living.  Through his work and mission, he’s committed to creating solutions that protect both human health and the planet, inspiring others to live with purpose, vitality, and joy.

MELANIE SPRING

Melanie Spring is a Brand Muse, international keynote speaker, and rebel guide for truth-tellers on the edge of their next (r)evolution. Melanie walks alongside bold visionaries to help you remember who you always were and say what needs to be said out loud–with unapologetic power, presence, and purpose. This isn’t about building a brand. It’s about becoming one.

JOVANY COSSIO

Jovany is a husband to Jenny and father to Roman and Jiovany. He was raised in Miami, then moved to Texas for about six years before living in an RV and traveling the country for two years. He came to the Treasure Coast in early 2023 and is now a resident of Vero Beach. Jovany received his bachelor of accounting from Florida International and Master of Taxation from Nova Southeastern. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has been in public accounting since 2008. He has been part of service organizations since 2017 serving in Texas and then Fort Pierce. He also served in multiple churches in children ministry. In his spare time, Jovany enjoys the beach, paddleboarding, hiking, jiujitsu and family time.

ELENA GUAGENTI-TAX

Elena Guagenti-Tax and her husband, Zoltan, purchased a townhouse in Vero Beach in 2008 while their son, Zack, was attending a baseball clinic at Dodger Stadium. They currently reside in White Plains, New York, in Westchester County, and commute to Vero every other month. Elena has maintained a private psychotherapy practice in New York for over 30 years. She has also established a practice in Vero Beach, which she plans to expand, when her husband, a CPA, retires and they move here permanently. They have been married for 46 years and have three married children, five grandchildren, and one on the way. Elena enjoys working out, playing racquetball and pickleball, and entertaining family and friends. She comes from a large Italian-American family, many of whom live in both Vero Beach and Westchester. She is affectionately known as “Mama Elena.”  She was an active member of White Plains Rotary for eight years and looks forward to serving with her fellow Rotarians in Vero Beach.

 

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 THURSDAY, JANUARY 8

 

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!

     

                                         

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

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.

                                 

                                  

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

       

         

     

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!