Candy Caldwell and Brian Leonard PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

Exchange Club of Vero Beach supporters, looking to raise funds for the nonprofit’s mission and programs, flocked this year to the United Against Poverty UP Center for the third annual Sangarita Challenge.

Attendees ate and drank their way through six different stations, where local restaurants competed for their drinks and dishes to earn awards for the Best Sangria, Margarita, and Small Plate, as well as Best Overall. In a room festooned with a flamboyance of flamingos, the top challenge was deciding which of the tasty offerings to sample first.

Competitors this year included the 21st Amendment Distillery, American Icon Brewery, Armani’s Cucina, Carrabba’s, Cobalt and Twisted Lime.

Armani’s Cucina took the top honor for the third year in a row, receiving the Best Overall and Small Plate awards. They had dished up a pear and gorgonzola fiocchi (pasta shaped into little packages) served in a creamy white sauce drizzled with truffle oil, alongside an Aperol margarita and a peach bourbon sangria.

Cobalt received the Best Margarita award for their ginger wasabi margarita and Carrabba’s Italian Grill won Best Sangria for their blackberry sangria.

Satiated with food and spirits, guests finished the evening with dancing, raffles and auctions to fund Exchange Club efforts to improve local and national communities through Americanism, community service, youth activities, and child abuse prevention.

“This event helps to fund the programs we support,” said Brian Leonard, event co-chair with Candy Caldwell.

“That way, we are able to give back to various sources throughout the year.”

The Sangarita Challenge, which has nearly tripled in size since its inception three years ago, was held this year at the United Against Poverty UP Center, which assists individuals and families who need a hand to lift themselves out of poverty and into self-sufficiency.

“UP is one of the programs we give back to,” said Leonard. He explained that holding the event there enabled more people to learn about UP programs and services.

The Exchange Club of Vero Beach is one of five clubs in Indian River County and has served the community for more than 60 years, working to make it a better place to live. The club annually distributes some $35,000 in scholarships to local high school students and participates in service projects such as packing and distributing bags of hygiene products to the homeless.

The club partners with the Vero Beach High School Band each year to sell Christmas trees near Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, and it also hosts an annual Valentine’s Dinner Dance. Meetings are held at noon every Tuesday at Vincent’s on Miracle Mile.

Photos by Joshua Kodis