VERO BEACH — Cynthia Falardeau, executive director of the Education Foundation of Indian River County, contributor to Parenting Special Needs Magazine and CNN-iReports, and woman highly esteemed by all who know her, was selected as Woman of the Year at the Junior League of Indian River County Inaugural Woman of the Year Luncheon, presented by Stewart Evans Stewart & Emmons.
More than 200 guests attended Wednesday’s luncheon at The Moorings in support of the contributions of 26 influential women selected as finalists from nominations in four categories: Business/Professional, Civic/Non-Profit Professional, Volunteer, and Rising Star.
A committee led by Erin Grall, with Holly Mantle, Michelle Servos and Lindsey Smith, conceptualized the event as a way to honor some of the exceptional women who have helped shape the community.
To ensure impartiality, nominees were judged by members of the Junior League of South Brevard.
“They wanted an event to highlight and feature all of the wonderful things women do to support our community,” said Kelley Williams, executive director of Whole Child Indian River, the League’s current initiative and the event’s beneficiary.
“It tied in well with the League’s mission, and serves to raise funds for the project.”
Whole Child is a web-based program, connecting families to local providers of programs and services through a free and confidential assessment of their needs.
“We’re committed to making a difference in the community; not only through our Whole Child ground floor project, but also through individual community impact projects,” said League president elect Michelle Servos.
Individual projects are one-day operations, such as Habitat builds, Mother’s Day teas, the United for Families annual Christmas party and beach cleanups.
Initiatives are meant to spin off as lasting programs and have included the Youth Volunteer Corps, Sneaker Exchange, Valued Visits and the Non-Profit Forum.
“I truly believe in what the Junior League of Indian River does, and what the Whole Child project can achieve. We need to get the word out,” said Grall, before sharing the award presentations with her fellow committee members.
“Each of the women nominated is a Woman of the Year for Indian River County,” said Grall adding, “Thank these women for their hard work if you see them out in the community.”
Karly Krasnow, co-founder of Balls-Go-Round, a nonprofit committed to reusing and recycling tennis balls, was selected in the Rising Star category of nominees in the 17 to 25 year range.
Marta Schneider, a longtime advocate of the Children’s Home Society won the Volunteer category for her tireless efforts to beneficially impact the lives of children in the foster care system.
Meredith VanVeen of Runner’s Depot was selected in the Business/Professional category for helping organizations to organize 5K fundraising events; timing and managing more than 40 races of all distances this past year.
In addition to Woman of the Year, Cynthia Falardeau was selected in the Civic/Non-Profit Professional category. Under her leadership, the Education Foundation has seen remarkable grown in core programs and services as well as scholarships, enabling thousands of students to achieve their dreams.
“I love this community; this is girl power on steroids,” said Falardeau, adding that she had followed a career that allowed her to make a difference.
“What I do is really a calling. I’m very humbled and honored to be able to give back to this community.”
Other nominees included Amy Banov, Amy Brunjes, Jennifer Peshke, Joanne Quaile, Sandra Rennick, Joanne Sardella, Susan Schuyler Smith and Jane Schwiering for Business/Professional; Linda Downey, Julia Keenan, Michelle Malyn, Kelly Sartain, Leslie Swan and Dr. Heidi Turk for Civic/Non-Profit Professional; Linda Colontrelle, Ann Marie McCrystal, Burke Michael-Neely and Barbara Morgan for Volunteer; and Becca Cosgrove, Savannah Geary, Grace Heath Thomas, and Tristan Worthington for Rising Star.
