The Vero Beach Lifeguard Association was chosen by Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery’s owners Gary and Susan Roberts as the beneficiary of their Crush for Charity fundraising efforts last Sunday at their vineyard, located just over the county line in Fort Pierce.
The event featured music by the popular Florida bluegrass band Uproot Hootenanny and raised money for the Vero Beach lifeguards through ticket sales, raffles and a portion of the food sales.
“Every Sunday we have music and food out here and then do special events mostly in season,” said Gary Roberts. “We try to have a charity here every Sunday for our Crush for Charity program. We encourage people to donate and then add to that by raffling items we come up with like bottles of wine and such.”
To date the vineyard, which has been open for four years, has raised more than $45,000 to benefit local charities.
“We felt it was really important when we started this business to be one that could give back to the community, and in one way that was donating to the charities and non-profits,” he added.
Visitors danced to the lively toe-tapping music as they sampled barbecue, wines and boutique beers. Their children were kept entertained by playing with giant chess pieces, a four-foot Jenga game and swirling hula hoops on the lawn. The outdoor pavilion is set up next to the vineyard, a fish-filled lake, the plant nursery and the winery.
The VBLA was established to raise funds beyond those allocated in the city’s budget, to guard the safety of the public and to help youth in the community to stay fit and active through outdoor recreational activities.
In recent years Vero lifeguards have dealt with budgetary cuts by thinking outside the box to find unique ways to raise money toward the purchase of lifesaving equipment and to keep the beaches patrolled for longer hours. To date they have raised roughly $20,000 to offset city shortfalls.
They have also recently been collaborating with Zachary Productions to produce a video to teach the public about various safety issues, such as rip tides, the PEP (Pre-fabricated Erosion Prevention) reef along the shore, and how to stay safe in the water. The video will be distributed to hotels, schools and tourism organizations to promote education about Vero’s beaches.
Additionally, the organization is seeking funds to build a lifeguard tower at Humiston Park, in front of the current boardwalk pavilion, and is assisting the Vero Beach Skate Park Alliance to raise money for a 19,000-square-foot skate park.
Members of the organization donate their muscles and minds to these various efforts because of a passion for the community and to help make it a better place. It’s a mission that the Roberts understand wholeheartedly.
Gary Roberts worked four years as a lifeguard in St. Lucie County starting at age 17, and remembers working the beaches in the days when the only equipment they were given was a torpedo buoy to keep drowning victims afloat as they were brought back to shore.
“I have been in health care all along so it is natural for me to want to take care of people,” said VBLA lieutenant Dr. Tim McNamee, whose background is in emergency care. “Most of us all have kids, too, and we want to maximize their safety while they are enjoying the beach.”
Erik Toomsoo, the conscientious VBLA president, said the public has to be informed as well, and added that the video the association is funding is an important part of that aspect.
“Most tourists or people new to the area do not know about our beaches, so we want to get this video into the hotels, schools and on the chamber’s website to educate everyone coming here about how to stay safe,” said Toomsoo.
