Marie O’Brien, Barbara Hammond, Vicky DeMuth and Susan Oglesby. PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

A Caribbean vibe rolled through Riverside Park during an inaugural Island Daze Party for a Cause, hosted by the Rotary Club of Vero Beach Oceanside to benefit the Learning Alliance.

Families strolled through the park listening to the Tru Phonics perform and shopping at vendor stalls, and little ones frolicked in the Kids Zone, visited animals from LaPorte Farms, and enjoyed bookmaking at the Learning Alliance’s Moonshot Rocket.

Centerfield, those who had purchased wristbands sipped and nibbled their way through nine food truck and local brewery pairings, each offering quite substantial “samples.”

Keeping to the Caribbean theme, the food and brewery vendors had collaborated to create some tempting pairings, said Rick Gromis, whose vision resulted in the successful undertaking.

Sailfish Brewing Company paired with the Dignity Food Truck; Orchid Island Brewery with Pepper & Salt BBQ; American Icon Brewery paired with M’s Sweets n Treats; State of Sunshine Brewing with Off the Hook; Mash Monkey Brewing Co. with Smoked on the Water; Walking Tree Brewery with Dolly’s Table; Florida Keys Brewing Company with Aubrey Cakes Kitchen; Pierced Ciderworks with Wafflini’s; and Pareidolia Brewing Co. with Tavos Tacos.

The intent behind the event was to raise awareness and funds to support the Learning Alliance’s Moonshot goal to have 90 percent of Indian River County students reading at grade level by third grade.

The work of the Learning Alliance, a nonprofit that provides students with in-school and after-school tutoring, and teachers with professional development, aligns with the Rotarians’ efforts to create lasting change, explained Gromis.

“The goal of getting third-graders to read on grade level by the third grade dramatically increases the chances of them graduating high school and going on even further,” said Gromis.

“Until the third grade, you learn how to read. From the third grade on, you read to learn. If you can’t read, you’re not going to learn. We all felt that was a pretty important charity to get behind,” he added.

“We work with the public school system, providing interventionists for struggling readers and coaches to help teachers,” said Barbara Hammond, TLA CEO and co-founder.

“We can’t do it alone. The school district can’t do it alone. Parents can’t do it alone. That’s why we work with community leaders like the Rotary Club of Vero Beach Oceanside,” said Hammond, citing reading by third grade as the No. 1 determinant of a child’s success.

“When we reach the goal we will have dramatically improved community wellbeing, reduced social ills and healthcare costs, and created a more robust pipeline of talent for our businesses,” said Hammond.

“We need every elected official, every businessperson and every civic organization to ask, ‘What can I do to help build the literacy skills of our children, starting at birth?’”

Noting that as many as 50 percent of children enter kindergarten behind their peers, some up to two years behind, Hammond said, “Parents need support, and we’re here to help.”
Rotary Club of Vero Beach Oceanside meets Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. at BigShots Golf.

For more information, visit RotaryVBOceanside.org or TheLearningAlliance.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis