Community Matters to John DeRosa

The Annual Kiwanis Car Show in Marco Island is a “must see” event held on the Sunday before President’s Day in February and for 2023, it drew over 3,000 attendees. According to organizer John DeRosa, since its first event in 2005 the car show has raised between $300 - $400,000 for children related local charities.

John DeRosa and his wife Barbara retired full-time to Marco Island in 2004 and he immediately joined the Kiwanis Club and the San Marco Knights of Columbus. John recalled sitting at a meeting with then Commissioner Donna Fiala and twenty other members looking to raise money. He suggested, “why not a car show,” and everybody shook their heads and said NO! John replied, “I am going to try it anyway.” His wife Barbara encouraged him to go ahead adding that “we’ve been to car shows up North and people loved them.” 

The first Kiwanis Car Show in 2005 drew about 800 attendees and was held at the parking lot of the Marco Healthcare Center. “It was a sort of fruit basket of any cars you can think of.” Also a big part of the event, Barbara DeRosa was the yearly main gatekeeper.

John and Barbara DeRosa came from Oakdale, Long Island and John had an extensive 32-year background in law enforcement. He started as a Detective for the NYPD and then as Chief Investigator for the New York State Attorney General. It was a demanding schedule but when he moved to Marco Island, he wanted to get involved with the community and organizing the Kiwanis Car Show was a good start. 

John became a car show organizer extraordinaire from 2005 through 2023 and last year, the Kiwanis Car Show renamed the Best in Show Award - the John DeRosa Best in Show Award. It was a thank you to the heart and soul of the Marco Island Car Show making it into what it is today. 

According to John, “if you do it properly, they will come,” and they did. “A car show is about bringing people together to celebrate cars and having fun. Car owners are more than happy to share the history of their cars and attendees want to be involved – and with the People’s Choice Award, they take part in picking the best car! What’s there NOT to like.”

Coming up on November 4th is the Knights of Columbus Car Show. John started this car show in 2018 held at the San Marco Catholic Church parking lot. They get about 70-80 cars with volunteers from the Knights, San Marco Columbiettes and Marco Island Academy. Trophies are awarded with all monies raised used for the Knights’ charitable giving. If you want to add your car to the show, feel free to call John at 239-272-0816.

On April 15, 2017, DeRosa was one of five recipients of the 9th Annual Spirit of Marco Award made possible by The Noontime Rotary Club of Marco Island. The awards are presented each year to individuals, businesses and organizations that are involved in community causes through their time, talent and financial support and nominated by local and civic organizations.

But John’s other passion is playing senior softball. According to John, “I always played ball and the VERY FIRST thing I did when I retired to Marco in 2004 was join the Marco Island Senior Softball League. Pat Reese, then the first Senior Softball League Commissioner, put me on my first team, Cathy O’Clarke’s, playing centerfield. 

John shared, “if you’ve ever played ball, there is no feeling quite like it when you are in your 70s, 80s, to put on a team jersey, spike shoes, a bat and glove and go out in the field and play ball – you feel like you are 12 years old. You feel like living again.” Next year will be John’s 20th softball season!

Unless playing ball, you’ll most likely see John at a Knights of Columbus’ spaghetti dinner or fish fries, at a Marco Island Police Foundation rib cook-off, or helping out at the local Food Pantry. Pretty much sums up what John DeRosa is all about.