A letter from the director,
After I had been working for Vero Heritage a mere 6 weeks, I got my first glimpse at how special a local building could be.
A close-knit family from all over the country, was coming together in Vero Beach to celebrate the 50th birthday of the “baby” of the family. The venue they had booked neglected to inform them that they were in the midst of hurricane repairs. The family was left without a venue.
Fortuitously, The Heritage Center was able to accommodate them and this family was able to make their own special memories, thanks to the mere existence of a local building called the Heritage Center. The sweetness of their memories was only heightened because for a brief moment the family didn't know what they might do.
Since then, I've been at the Heritage Center for just a little over 2 years. And stories similar to this play out all the time. Some, like a funeral repast, continue to be last minute. What an honor to be able to offer a little bit of comfort to those families. Some, like local nonprofits are on as tight of a budget as possible. What a pleasure to be able to offer them a discounted rate. Some, like weddings, are planned more than a year in advance. What a joy to be able to work with such loving excitement!
To be associated with a place where so many memories are made is an honor! And now, we are shut down. Being shutdown means we have already lost about $17,000 in potential income; it also means refunding just under $5,000 in cancellations. We are struggling.
There is so much hardship in the world right now. If you are able, please consider helping minimize the impact of COVID-19 on YOUR Heritage Center — so much more than JUST a building! You can visit our giving page.
Please know that no matter what, we can’t wait to open our doors once again to your meaningful events real soon! Thank you for your support for over 85 years!
Heather Stapleton,
Vero Heritage Executive Director