The Grand Harbor Beach Club was a gorgeous setting for the 2025-26 Indian River Impact 100 Season Kickoff, with members enjoying delicious hors d’oeuvres and wines as they caught up with one another and looked forward to another season of transformational giving.
The Law Offices of Jennifer D. Peshke, P.A. and the Hill Group were this year’s Diamond Sponsors, and Hoosiers Home Listings was the Gold Sponsor.
In her welcome address, Peg Regan, the current Impact 100 president, spoke about the little stickers guests had been given as they arrived, which matched the colors of the Impact 100 logo.
“We’re really kicking off what we call the Colors of Transformation. And the Colors of Transformation capture that path that we all take on the journey with Impact 100,” said Regan.
She explained that purple represents inspiration and purpose, blue represents education and learning, teal represents engagement and connection, and gold represents transformation and impact.
Regan spoke of her own journey with Impact which began just four years ago. Having previously worked with larger organizations, she was intrigued by the idea of women pooling $1,000 donations to give $100,000 transformational grants to nonprofits.
“I loved the idea that it was big transformational grants and that it could really change the way nonprofits can impact our community. I also love the model, of course, that it’s women coming together collectively, basically crowdfunding, for a purpose and a cause,” said Regan.
“I guess I educated myself on Impact. I engaged to the limit and then I was transformed. So here I am. I expect everyone here to go through the same transformation,” said Regan.
“We don’t all have to become president, but you can lean in and get more involved and just see where it fits for you. So tonight we celebrate that engagement in action by recognizing the many women who have carried this mission forward,” said Regan.
Recognizing the leadership of past and present board and committee members, she thanked them for their diligence, discernment and devotion, before also welcoming new members and guests.
“To help us reflect on what transformation really means, both for Indian River County and for each of us, it’s my honor to introduce someone who embodies that spirit, attorney John E. Moore III. His talk today, ‘The Bridges of Vero Beach,’ is a whimsical look at the history of our lovely town and the growth and development of the philanthropic community, of which here at Impact, we are an integral part,” said Regan.
Moore proceeded to entertain the crowd with a humorous tale that began with Vero’s “founding” in 1492 when Columbus offloaded Waldo Sexton, Dan Richardson and Alex McWilliam on our shores, and “the seeds of our tourism, citrus and real estate industries were sown.” And his engaging talk only got better from there.
Taking a serious turn toward the end, he said sociologists recognize that communities develop through four stages: chaos, the construction of infrastructure, vision and growth, and a full-force mature community. However, they caution that communities can recede back into chaos if they lose sight of the need to take care of the neediest people in the community.
Despite this being a wonderful place to live, he said we face the unique demographic challenge of having some of the wealthiest people in the country living in close proximity to some of the poorest, including an estimated 900 homeless. As a result of recent budget cuts, he said those numbers are going to get dramatically worse very quickly.
“So chaos can return. All it takes is a creeping indifference to human needs to begin this decay.
We have a responsibility here to challenge ourselves, to continue to build bridges into our communities,” said Moore.
Last season, Impact had 464 voting members and awarded four $100,000 grants, and Regan hopes to enroll 500 members by March 31. Membership is $1,100; $1,000 is pooled for grants and $100 goes toward administrative costs.
For more information, visit Impact100IR.com.
Photos by Jessica Schmitt
