COVID-19 Attendance Guidelines
Our New Guidelines Effective August 1, 2021. These guidelines shall apply to all members and guests that attend our Club meetings in person in the Tiffany Room at Capt. Hiram’s restaurant:
1. There shall be no more than 6 people at each table.
2. Facemasks are optional.
3. If any member/guest has tested positive for COVID-19, has experienced symptoms of COVID-19, or has been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, he/she shall not attend any meetings in person until they become symptom-free or test negative. Additionally, he/she shall notify the Club President of their condition, so that we can determine if any other members/guests may have been exposed.
Guest Speaker Series
On November 10th our guest speaker was Jim Hart, President of Space Coast Honor Flight. Jim served many years in the military retiring as a Rear Admiral and has been President of SCHF since 2016. SCHF was established in 2010 and is one of 100 clubs in the country and the 3rd largest of the 10 Florida clubs. SCHF serves veterans from Brevard, Indian River and Volusia Counties.
It is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization composed of all volunteers whose mission is to transport “the veterans who were forgotten” during the wars of WW1, Korea and Vietnam to view their memorials in Washington D.C. A memorial for Desert Storm veterans is in process, and these members will soon be included in honor flights. SCHF has conducted 63 flights carrying 1601 veterans since inception. Each flight carries 25 veterans with 25 guardians, doctors, EMT, etc. The costs per flight range from $27-$33 thousand. Flights are free to veterans and a donation of $400 is requested from each guardian. There are 7 flights per year, each including elaborate celebrations during the orientation, departure and return of flights. Each veteran is presented with a DVD of the visit. Public interaction and recognition received is the best way to say “thank you” to those who have served to preserve the freedoms that we enjoy.
There are currently 400 veterans on the Honor Flight waiting list. Volunteers are needed to assist with setup, transportation to airport and on flights. Vouchers are currently being sold for approval of a specialty license plate. The cost is $33 per plate and 3000 are needed to gain approval. For more information on opportunities visit www.spacecoasthonorflight.org.
Johnathan Rhodeback and Jim Hart, Space Coast Honor Flight President display proposed specialty license plate
Calendar of Events
November
11/13 – Assignment Blue Clay Shoot
11/17 – Students
11/24 – No Meeting – Happy Thanksgiving!
December
12/01 – No Meeting (Board Only)
12/03 – Deadline – Gifts for Guardians for New Futures Kids
12/08 – TBD
Birthday Cake
12/15 – Students
12/22 – Holiday Gift Swap – Merry Christmas!
12/29 – No Meeting Happy New Year!
This and That
Please contact Ali Qizilbash or Kimball Stadler with ideas for future speakers. Suggestions are appreciated!
Eva Chapman needs to know of any volunteer work a member has done outside of Exchange Club. This counts toward credit we get from national toward year end awards. Please use her log or send her the name of the organization and number of hours you spent volunteering.
Phil Barnes thanked all who helped make the Junior Water Open another successful event. Forty-three kids attended to learn to fish, have lunch and go home with a t-shirt and fishing rod and reel. An enjoyable day for all!
Terry Gardner is chairing the Community Involvement Committee. Karen McElveen will serve with her. They encourage members to give them ideas. The next events are a food pantry drive and a toy drive for Guardians for New Futures. Please take an assignment so that these kids will have a merrier Christmas holiday – deadline December 3rd!
Kathy Burns and Margie Duffell are working with both Sebastian Charter Junior High School and Sebastian River High School to rebuild their Excel Club programs. Club meetings are held immediately after school at each school. Volunteers to assist with these meetings are needed! For more information please contact Kathy or Margie.
Eva Chapman says the Blue Water Open Sponsor Packet will soon be out. Many sponsors finalize their budgets before year end. We need to get our requests out to them soon.
On November 10th we celebrated members who have November birthdays:
11/02 Justin LeFebure
11/07 Donald Hart
11/10 Mike Natale
11/12 Rick Giteles
11/18 Adam Preuss
11/22 John Rooney
11/24 Diana Best
11/29 Lane Solomon
November Anniversaries
Michelle Morris 1 Year
Art-Kraft Sign Co. (Lori Reillly) 2 Years
EXP Realty (Susan Baron) 2 Years
Bill Kriener 12 Years
Kathy Falzone 16 Years
Jeff Slade (Charter Member) 39 Years
Rene VanDeVoorde (Charter Member) 39 Years
4th Qtr. Visitors – Please Come Again!
10/13 – Joe Walsh, Florida District President (Rene VanDeVoorde)
10/13 – Ashleigh Dupont, Treasure Coast Tees (Rachel Cannon)
10/13 – Dan Romance, Tax Savings Professionals (Ali Qizilbash)
10/13 – Linas Liubinskas, Tax Savings Professionals (Ali Qizilbash)
10/20 – Allison Zukowski, United Against Poverty (Kimball Stadler)
10/20 – Celeste Cashatt, McLeroy Realty (Sean Facey)
10/27 – Wilford Hart, Community Liaison IRSD (Donald Hart)
10/27 – Joy Votrobek, ASCF (Lane Solomon)
11/10 – Phil Weiler, Teri Eno, Jim Maxner, Space Coast Honor Flight (Kimball Stadler)
Excel Club of Sebastian River High School
An election of officers was held on September 13th. Approximately 25 students attended for the election!
New club officers are:
President Ray Temino
President-Elect Desiree White
Secretary Sawyer Held
Treasurer Adam Chester
Historian Dylan Weragoda
2021-22 Officers
2021-22 Club Members
Club meetings will be held on Wednesdays immediately after school at 2:00 p.m. For their first project students will participate in a school-based Annual Care Package for Soldiers. Club Advisor Jaime Sturgeon is very supportive of our efforts and is enthusiastic about having members get underway with activities which support the ideals of Exchange. Volunteers are needed to assist with these meetings!
An election officers was held on October 13th. New club officers are:
President Amber Fuller
President Elect Shane Corley
Secretary TBD
Treasurer Teagan Keefe
Back Row L-R: President Elect Shayne Corley, President Amber Fuller, Treasurer Teagan Keefe, and Advisor Dr. William Dodds
Front Row L-R members Marley McCain and Ethan Gates
Meetings will be held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. (Due to Veteran’s Day holiday the November meeting to be held on 11/17). For their first project students will be writing letters of appreciation to veterans to be included in the SRHS Excel Club Annual Care Packages for soldiers.
Volunteers are needed to attend future meetings and assist with helping the students achieve activities which represent the four pillars of Exchange. Any member wishing to assist should contact Margie Duffell or Kathy Burns.
As this new school year begins we wish you all the best in your clubs’ accomplishments! We all look forward to the 2021-2022 year’s clubs’ growth and achievements.
District Director Rene’s Corner
Indian River Club: The 5th Annual Toss Out Child Abuse Charity Cornhole Tournament was held on October 16th at Walking Tree Brewery. This year’s event was very successful with 33 teams participating. Over $11,000 was raised! Congratulations Indian River Club for your continued successes!
Fellsmere Club: The 2021 Shrimpfest & Craft Brew Hullabaloo was held Friday, March 19th through Sunday March 21st, 2021. This was a joint effort with the Rotary Club of Sebastian and roughly $55,000 was raised support youth sports and organizations throughout north Indian River County.
South Brevard County Club: Club members have recently packed and distributed another 25 Blue Bags with children’s items for donation to the Melbourne Police. These bags are for use when police are working with children in stressful situations.
Ron Smith says the One Nation Under God Pancake Breakfast will be held on November 13, 2021. A car show is planned for the future – location and date to be determined. The Junior Fishing Tournament is planned for next spring, probably in late April. Contact Ron for more information at ronlsmith45@gmail.com.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Margie Duffell