On Saturday, May 11, 2013, Vero Heritage, Inc. will honor the Kennedy family at its 14th Annual Pioneer Family Recognition Dinner at the Heritage Center.  Each year, Vero Heritage, Inc. honors a family who has contributed to the growth and progress of Indian River County.  Those previously honored include the Sexton, Schumann, Michael, MacWilliam, Graves, Helseth, Vocelle, Zeuch, Cox, Gifford, Holman, Carter, Schlitt, Loy and Guy families.

 Cocktails are at 6:00 PM, dinner is at 7:00 PM, a short program follows the dinner.  Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at the Heritage Center or by calling 772-770-2263 or e-mailing at veroheritage@bellsouth.net.  The Heritage Center is located at 2140 14th Avenue in historic downtown Vero Beach.

The Kennedys have been in Indian River County since 1909, John Alexander Kennedy came to the area while working for the Florida East Coast Railway.  He purchased a 40 acre parcel of land and began growing citrus, starting the Kennedy’s first grove.  The Kennedy family still owns a portion of that grove along with the house that John built for his growing family.  The Kennedys continue in the citrus business today and Thomas P. Kennedy is the current President and Chairman of the Board of the Indian River Citrus League.

Built in 1935 as the original Community Building, the Heritage Center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a vital link to the history of our community.  Although the Heritage Center is owned by the City of Vero Beach, it is the responsibility of the nonprofit Vero Heritage, Inc. to raise the necessary funds for the preservation of the building.  This is done through fundraising, special events, rentals of the building for private events, memberships and donations from supporters and friends.

Funds generated from this event assist in the conservation and preservation of this important landmark which continues to be a center of activity for the community.  Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Heritage Center and the Indian River Citrus Museum.

For more information on Vero Heritage Inc., the Indian River Citrus Museum and the Heritage Center, as well as information on rentals and events, please visit our website at http://www.veroheritage.org or email us at veroheritage@bellsouth.net.

Vero Heritage, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.