Page 1 - Martin Downs Bulletin - December '20

VOL. 22 NO. 12 www.seabreezepublications.com DECEMBER 2020

Elev8Hope’s Gift Of Thanksgiving

By Jackie Holfelder
Elev8Hope has grown to serve the community in ways no one could have imagined when
students Trevor Shpiruk, Devon Shpiruk, Mitchell Shpiruk and Myah Shpiruk founded it in 2012.
The program is run through Martin County school clubs, churches, homeschools and preschools,
giving youth a platform to lead and make positive changes in their hometown.
Elev8hope instills youth engagement and empowerment. Students are aware of the issues the
community is facing and get involved in finding solutions.
The boots-on-the-ground nonprofit’s Thanksgiving Sharing Event is but one example of what
happens when students, families, businesses, other nonprofits, civic organizations and religious
entities pitch in together – the guiding vision of the young Shpiruks when they were envisioning
their concept.
From the first Thanksgiving dinner distribution that took place in 2012, this year’s outpouring
of community support grew to help many impacted by the devastating effects of COVID-19 on
their household income.

Elev8Hope’s Gift on page 2 Redeemer Lutheran Church and School students
Little Smiles Expands Holiday Toy Drive

To Help More Local Children Than Ever Before

For The First Time Little Smiles Toy
Drive Will Benefit Local Children In

Need Year-Round

Little Smiles plans to bring big smiles to more children than ever
before this holiday season and beyond. For the first time this year,
to meet the rising demand, Little Smiles plans to use donations from
its annual toy drive to help local children all year long!
“Our role in the community is more important now than ever
before,” said Nicole Mercado, executive director of Little Smiles.
“With the global health crisis and kids quarantined for months, we
saw a huge increase in the number of families desperately needing
help and we want them to know we will be there for them during the
holidays and long after.”

Little Smiles on page 4
Shoot For The Moon Raises Funds For SHARE Foundation

By Jackie Holfelder The outdoor venue, following CDC guidelines and cooperation of all attendees ensured
On Friday, Oct. 9, the Mark Garwood SHARE Foundation hosted its fourth annual a safe but enjoyable experience for all.
Shoot for the Moon Sporting Clays Competition at the South Florida Shooting Club in Trophies were awarded for team competition and individual scores. Winning teams were from
Palm City. Cleveland Clinic/Martin Health, HBKS Wealth Management and Wilmington Trust, in that order.
The event raises funds for the foundation’s Phoenix Scholarship program, which
over the past six years has awarded more than $185,000 in educational grants to 32 Shoot For The Moon on page 3
local men and women who are battling back from the effects of substance use disorder.
The scholarships go to individuals working to get their lives back on track, actively
involved in structured recovery programs and wanting to initiate or resume their
education.
For the second year, Shoot for The Moon was presented and sponsored by Audi
Stuart, Infiniti Stuart, Maserati of Stuart and Alfa Romeo Stuart.
A total of more than 175 attendees, including 124 participants in the shoot, enjoyed
one of the first nonvirtual fundraising events since the onset of the pandemic.
U.S. Representative Brian Mast, Martin County Commissioner Ed Ciampi, State
Representative Toby Oberdorf, State Representative-elect John Snyder, Stuart
Commissioner Troy McDonald, Capt. John Budenseik of Martin County Sheriff’s
Department and past Mark Garwood SHARE Foundation Phoenix Scholarship recipients
were in attendance.

2021 scholarship winners: Kathryn Hovey, Dominique Bartko, Lorraine DeAmicis,
Niki Tartal, Karen Reese, Amber Scott and Russell Wetjen, Erica Garwood. Photo by
Melissa Fuller