Saint Lucie County Award Recipients 2019

May

St. Lucie County - Marine Cleanup Initiative​


 In St. Lucie County, the mission of the nonprofit Marine Cleanup Initiative is similar to that of its Indian River County counterpart. Founded in 2001 to help remove debris from the waterways, the mission has grown to include other water-related projects, including the removal of litter and invasive species which throw the ecosystem out of balance. The group seeks to educate about the estuaries and oceans and participates in a variety of ecosystem restoration projects in the area, collecting over 750,000 pounds to date of marine debris and trash from local waterways. Like Coastal Connections, the Marine Cleanup Initiative works to rid the waterways of lionfish and educate the community. This year’s Treasure Coast Lionfish Safari, the sixth of its kind, will be held June 7 – 9th in Fort Pierce. The final goal of the event is to bring lionfish to the commercial market for people to eat. This event is an educational event where the public gets to see the fish, watch them being fileted, and even taste them!

Bryan Welling, LeRoy Davis, John Dyer, Mark Carver, Dyana Voss, Nyla Pipes, General Manager Jonathan Holmes.




June

St. Lucie County - Multicultural Resource Center for Children and Families


In St. Lucie County, the Multicultural Resource Center for Children and Families is a grassroots organization created to help provide academic literacy, mentoring, enrichment, and supportive services to children and families in St. Lucie County. The goal is to ensure academic success through year-round programing and hands-on learning activities, individual and family resources and services to help strengthen families and create a work-life balance. The Center’s arts and athletics programing help teach participants teamwork, organization, responsibility, and hard work, and since those are the same skills exhibited by members of the Dyer Chevrolet staff family, supporting the efforts of the Multicultural Resource Center for Children and Families was an easy choice for the April Dyer Difference Award in St. Lucie County.

Back row: Multicultural Resource Center for Children and Families representatives Mike James and Marcus Dixon celebrate with Dyer Chevrolet Fort Pierce General Manager Jonathan Holmes. In front: Shannon Kinnett, Yvette Cruz, Rockey Stone.




Fort Pierce City Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson with Main Street Fort Pierce’s Michelle Cavalcanti, Tatiana and Will Dyer, Jonathan Holmes, Charlie Hayek Sue Dannahower and Main Street Director Doris Tillman celebrate the June St Lucie Dyer Difference Award.

 
                                          Main Street Fort Pierce 



Dyer Difference Award Celebrates Family and Lights Up the Night!”

 

            One of the most wonderful perks to living on the water is the fabulous fireworks’ celebrations every Fourth of July. And one of the finest displays of fireworks and community every year is Stars Over St. Lucie, hosted by Main Street Fort Pierce, the nonprofit organization created to preserve, promote, and build on historic and natural treasures of the downtown waterfront community of Fort Pierce. Over 10,000 people will enjoy this year’s annual fireworks display and festival in downtown Fort Pierce at the City’s newly redesigned Riverwalk Center/Veterans Memorial Park. In addition to the fireworks, there will be food, crafts, music, and loads of family-fun activities with free admission for all. Family fun activities and celebrating the freedoms our country provides helped make this the perfect choice for the June Dyer Difference Award.

March

February

St. Lucie County - Turtle Box Inc.


  In St. Lucie County, 15 year-old Emily Ebner’s passion for saving the oceans is something she knows she can’t accomplish without help. The teen, currently a student at Harbor Branch Marine and Oceanographic Academy, is also a volunteer at the Loggerhead Research Center and wanted to do something to help raise funds for marine habitat awareness and rehabilitation. Volunteers for Turtle Box, the name of Ebner’s organization, build custom coolers, dock boxes, fish boxes, and live wells that they sell. The proceeds from the items sold help spread the word about the importance of saving our environment, cleaning up our oceans, and rebuilding our reefs and marine life. Impressed by the vision and enthusiasm of the teen and her dream, the Dyer Difference Selection Committee in St. Lucie County chose to award Turtle Box with the January Dyer Difference Award in St. Lucie County.


Front: John Lynch, Michael Ebner, Leana Turrell, Emily Ebner, Lori Ebner
Standing: Will Dyer, Jimmy Nehmeh, Angela Moabed, Will Peck, Tim Ditullio, Shannon Kinnett,  Rockey Stone, Jonathan Holmes, Ray Russell, Will Peck, Angela Moabed, Jimmy Nehmeh, Ilena Luts.

April

St. Lucie County - Ft. Pierce Police Department


Unity is a theme with St. Lucie County law enforcement officers and the Fort Pierce
Police Department’s upcoming Unity in Our Community event caught the attention of the Dyer
Difference Award Committee. Created two years ago, Unity in Our Community is an event designed for
Fort Pierce residents to learn about the vast array of nonprofit organizations which provide free services
to residents. This year’s event, which will be held at the Percy Peek Gymnasium in Indian River State
College’s Blackburn Educational Building on Avenue D, will feature more than 50 nonprofit
organizations and include HIV/STI testing, health screening, activities, games, music, information, door
prizes, and a free lunch for more than 1,000 individuals. The goal of the July 11th event is to help develop
a strong, cohesive community through relationship-building.


Left going up the stairs: Chief Diane Hobley-Burney, Deputy Chief Robert Ridle,
Sergeant John Schramm, Lieutenant James Grecco, Officer John Fasanello
Right up the stairs: Tatiana, Officer Daniela Dreizehnter, Officer Hayden Willis, Officer Julia Viciere,
Sergeant Christine Davis (standing next to Officer Fasanello) Officer Martin Ortiz (to the left of Officer
Viciere)




 Empowering our communities, accelerating the future. 

St. Lucie County - Boys & Girls Club of St. Lucie County


For nearly 25 years, children in St. Lucie County have had a place to go to feel welcomed, get help with their homework, and learn how to reach their full potential as caring, responsible citizens. Not coincidentally, that’s the mission of the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County, and it’s the reason why the staff at Dyer Chevrolet Fort Pierce selected the organization as the recipient of the Dyer Difference award this month. Every July, when summer on the Treasure Coast really sizzles, Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County hosts its annual Chili Cook-Off at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. A fun, family-oriented event, it’s a favorite for both the community to attend and the staff at Dyer Chevrolet Fort Pierce to participate in.​


Left: Cathy Wilson, Phil Soesbe and Will Dyer of Dyer Chevrolet welcome Dawn Knupp and Will Armstead from Boys & Girls Club of St. Lucie County as the recipients of the March Dyer Difference Award. Next to Armstead are Jonathan Holmes, Will Peck and Shannon Kinnett.




January