Council on Aging Honors 7 Martin County Seniors with Sage Awards
Stuart, FL – The Council on Aging Martin County honored seven Martin County seniors at the 9th annual Sage Awards Celebration in April, proving that age is not an indicator of impactful community involvement.
All seven honorees have an impressive record of accomplishments for all they did throughout their working lives. Each of them is also creating a legacy of service to the community in their senior years.
At the Sage Awards Celebration, Council on Aging CEO Karen Ripper noted that the honorees come from various walks of life but they share a remarkable demonstration of leadership, unwavering dedication, and deep compassion for others.
The 2025 Sage Awards Honorees are: Gert Rodgers, Chairman’s Award, an accomplished healthcare administrator with a passion for quality care for all and a tireless advocate for seniors and issues of aging; Tom Campenni, Charlie Kane Award, the founder and publisher of the community digital newsletter Friends & Neighbors; Nick Blount, Community Service, a long-time leader and volunteer for causes and projects that improve the life of the community; Tony Anderson, Education, a former teacher and school board member and an energetic champion of education; Kristal Wion Eckhardt, Arts & Culture, the founder of the highly successful drama department at Martin County High School and now an active member of the arts community; Jordan Bromberg, MD, Health Science & Medicine, a revered medical practitioner on the Treasure Coast and now the Medical Director for the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic; and John P. Glynn, Jr., Military & Veteran Support, a veteran himself who is driven to honor the men and women who have served their country.
“We honor all of our honorees for using the wisdom, talents and treasures they’ve cultivated over a lifetime to enrich the world around them,” Ripper said.
Dr. Reza Khatib, an internationally renowned neurosurgeon and resident of Palm City, was the Presenting Partner Sponsor for the Sage Awards Celebration. Honoree Sponsors include Betsy Herold, Craig and Elizabeth Price, Nearing & Dallas Wealth Management at RBC Wealth Management, Richard A. Zappala Family Foundation, and The Community Foundation Martin - St Lucie. Sage Sponsors include Dadko Wealth Management of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, HBK CPAs & Consultants, Nancy Goethel, CFP®, CIMA®, CRPC®- Vice President of Investments at Raymond James, N. Schoonover & Associates, Inc., Sandhill Cove Retirement Living, The Saelzer/Atlas Wealth Management Team of Raymond James, South Florida Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, and Water’s Edge Health Care. Rehabilitation. Assisted Living at Sandhill Cove.
“As we applaud the 2025 Sage honorees,” Ripper said, “we also pledge to continue our work to ensure that all of our seniors are able to maintain vibrant and purposeful lives, aging with dignity and a sense of belonging.”
For more information about the Council on Aging Martin County, visit www.coamartin.org or call 772-223-7800.
About the Council on Aging Martin County
For seniors, their families, and caregivers, the Council on Aging Martin County is their trusted and comprehensive hub for senior resources. We work with the community to reduce anxiety, depression, loneliness, and hunger. Together, we help seniors live a safer, healthier, and happier life.
From our Adult Day Club, Day Primary Care Center, case management, and memory enhancement programming, to our nutrition and exercise classes, games to improve memory, concerts and social events, the Council on Aging’s Kane Center on Salerno Road is a beehive of activities. Services also take to the road – like Meals on Wheels, providing a hot meal and a warm smile to more than 500 homebound and needy Martin County senior residents in their home each day, or Senior Dining Centers at locations throughout the county in Stuart, Jensen Beach, Indiantown and Hobe Sound. The Elder Care Mobile Outreach Bus brings knowledgeable and compassionate staff directly to seniors in local neighborhoods.
For 51 years, the Council on Aging Martin County has been working tirelessly to inspire a community that embraces, uplifts and encourages seniors to maintain lives of quality and purpose. Stay healthy. Be active. Eat well. Get help when you need it from the Council on Aging Martin County. Please visit us in person, online at coamartin.org, or on social media, and learn more about the many services of the Council on Aging Martin County. Our staff and volunteers are ready and eager to help.