Eliezer Ortiz-Rivera, 36, Vero Beach

‘Drawing people together’: GYAC Turkey Giveaway brings happiness, laughter

GIFFORD — Turkey giveaways are not just about the food, but also about building community relationships through service and laughter, organizers say. That's the mantra that leaders with the Gifford Youth Achievement Center held as they passed out 200 turkeys to families during the 18th Annual Turkey Giveaway on Monday evening. "Service is the pillar to building a solid community," said event co-organizer Freddie Woolfork, GYAC's longtime director of public relations and facilities operations. "The volunteers here are helping out while also getting to know each other, writing down each other's phone numbers and knowing their names. This is about finding common ground and working as a team." As the holiday season quickly approaches, community leaders want to make sure ...

Man critical after being struck by vehicle Friday in Sebastian

SEBASTIAN — A 70-year-old Brevard County man was critically injured after being struck by a pickup truck while walking across U.S. 1 last week, fire rescue crews and sheriff's officials said. An update on his condition was not immediately available on Monday. "All indications are that the pedestrian was crossing the roadway improperly," said Sgt. Kevin Jaworski, a spokesperson with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. "Impairment is suspected for the pedestrian." The driver of the pickup and two passengers were not hurt, Jaworski said. The crash involving the Indian Harbour Beach man and the pickup happened at 9:30 p.m. Friday in the 1400 block of U.S. 1, north of Main Street and just west of Mo Bay Grill in ...

Retired educator honored for sowing seeds in lives of county’s youth

It is a peaceful space that A. Ronald Hudson finds filled with restful moments amid the citrus groves. Here in the orchard, the lessons of harvesting and sowing remain a constant in life – in and out of the field. “I would go in the grove, get on my tractor and forget about everything else,” said the longtime educator, of the therapeutic feeling he gets from minding the land, years after trading in a life of walking the school hallways and guiding students. “I’m strictly a nature person,” said Hudson, who turned 93 on July 1, talking of tending to the soil, planting oranges and grapefruit about a mile from his Vero Beach home. Hudson worked in the citrus groves ...