Sixteen canisters representing every corner of Indian River County — its cities, towns, unincorporated communities and top local sponsors — are now sealed inside a single vault at the Heritage Center in downtown Vero Beach, where they'll stay buried for the next 50 years.
Vero Beach Councilman Aaron Vos led the committee behind the community-wide project, which he said was designed to include everyone who lives and works in the county, not just those within city limits.
"What I did is, I wanted a community event, and something that embraced the whole community, not just the city," Vos said. "So, I felt it was appropriate to include everyone."
Vos allocated one canister each to Indian River County's three cities — Fellsmere, Sebastian and Vero Beach — and its two towns, Orchid and Indian River Shores.
The unincorporated communities of Gifford and Winter Beach were also included, along with four canisters for the county itself so its constitutional officers could each take part.
Vos said he made a point of including local government and school staff in the effort as well.
"It's not just the people that live in the cities and towns in the county. It's also the people that work," Vos said. "They take care of your parks. They do all the maintenance within the city. They are a part of the city. They are a part of the county."
Several community sponsors that have long supported Vero Beach's Fourth of July fireworks were also given a canister, in recognition of their financial support: Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, Mulligans, Piper and the Dyer Auto Group.
The Heritage Center and Overlay Pros, which dug and sealed the vault and installed its capstone, each received a canister as well, as did the Rotary Clubs of Indian River County, of which there are eight in the area.
Each community and organization decided for itself what to include, and the results ranged from the practical to the sentimental.
The city of Vero Beach's clerk placed a set of the last pennies minted before production changes, while the town of Orchid contributed a small vial of honey harvested from one of its beehives — an item Vos said should hold up well over the decades.
Other items included organizational charts, city seals, and photographs of staff members labeled with their names and roles, including airport personnel.
Several communities also included write-ups on major local projects and events, such as the relocation of a wastewater treatment plant near the airport and ongoing overhauls of a local museum and theater.
"Who are we now? What were we doing?" Vos said, describing the guiding question behind many of the submissions. "They can reflect on what happened since the time that the capsule was buried."
A group photograph of everyone who took part in the ceremony was also printed and placed inside the vault before it was sealed.
The sealing ceremony was held Friday, July 3, at 10 a.m. at the Heritage Center Participants gathered to speak before walking to the flagpole in front of the center, where the individual canisters were placed into a secondary container, lowered into the vault and sealed beneath a capstone.
A marker is already in place, and identifying plaques are expected to follow.
About 80 people attended, according to Vos, including all of the county's commissioners. Commission Chair Deryl Loar spoke at the event, along with Indian River Shores Mayor Brian Foley, and Orchid's city representative and City Manager Cherry Stowe.
The capsule is set to be opened on July 4, 2076.
The ceremony also served as a lead-in to a colonial-themed ball held later that evening, hosted by the Heritage Center, complete with period dance lessons for attendees.