Van Horn Automotive Sponsored Plymouth Rotary Roast

PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Rotary Club, in Celebration of the club’s 45th Anniversary, held the 2012 Rotary Roast at The Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake on Tuesday, November 13 featuring Lou Gentine, Chairman & CEO of Sargento.

The event was attended by nearly 240 people and raised more than $10,000 for the Plymouth Rotary Club’s annual scholarships and community projects. Such projects have included support for Rotary Park, The Welcome Table, Plymouth School District, Plymouth Arts Foundation, Plymouth Intergenerational Center, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and may more organizations throughout the years.
In addition, the Plymouth Rotary Club supports several area high school students’ participation in the annual World Affairs Seminar. The week-long international seminar held each summer builds global leaders and citizens through an innovative and rigorous academic program.

According to Plymouth Rotary Club President, Chris Merklein, “We have also identified a need in the community to replace playground equipment at Rotary Park working in conjunction with the City of Plymouth Parks Committee.”

“We certainly thank Lou Gentine as the roastee, Mark Rhyan as the master of ceremonies along with Karri Neils, Jim Sartori, Gentine, Attorney David Andrews and Dr. Michael Jacquat as the roasters, for making this event such a wonderful success,” added Merklein.

The event featured many interesting and humorous stories about Gentine, skillfully communicated by employees, family and friends. This historic event was captured on video by SilverWater Productions of Plymouth and will be available for purchase in the near future from the Plymouth Rotary Club.

Corporate table sponsors for the event included: Sargento, Sartori Company, Van Horn Automotive Group, Masters Gallery and Veritas Financial Services. Additional support for the event came from many silent auction donors.

The Plymouth Rotary Club intends to make the Rotary Roast an annual event and is accepting nominations for a 2013 roastee.

In honor of Gentine’s support of the 2012 Rotary Roast and his overall contribution to the area community, Merklein presented Gentine with an Honorary Paul Harris Fellow framed commemorative certificate and medallion. Harris was the founder of Rotary. Paul Harris Fellows are recognized for a $1,000 or more contribution to the Rotary Annual Programs Fund, PolioPlus, or the Humanitarian Grants Program.

This honorary award to Gentine was made possible by funds donated to Rotary International by Karen White, Plymouth Rotary Club’s secretary and treasurer.

Written by SheboyganDaily.com Staff on December 3, 2012.