Laurelville to host breakfast in Sarasota, Florida
Posted by Brian Paff on Fri, Jan 06, 2012
MOUNT PLEASANT, PA (January 5, 2012)—Laurelville executive director John Denlinger will head down to Sarasota, Florida, this winter for a special breakfast with Association members and friends. The event will be held at 8:30 a.m. on February 14, 2012, at Troyer’s Dutch Heritage Restaurant.
This marks the tenth year that Laurelville has hosted such an event in order to connect with Association members who are either wintering in the area or who have relocated to Florida’s gulf coast.
Denlinger, in his third year as executive director of the camp and conference center, looks forward to the Florida gathering each year. “I have found [the breakfast meetings] to be a helpful time to get to know many of the people who have had such an impact on Laurelville’s growth,” he says. “It is always interesting to hear so many stories from an earlier time in our history.”
He believes Sarasota’s culture—in general a more casual, relaxed atmosphere—encourages this sort of event, which is typically characterized by storytelling and sharing.
Denlinger typically shares an update from Laurelville, highlighting different programs and community events scheduled for the coming year. He also plans to present a slideshow featuring images from the past year. Moreover, the events are an opportunity for him to build relationships with some of Laurelville’s most ardent supporters.
From its inception, the Sarasota breakfast has been coordinated by Katie Rutt, a longtime Laurelville Association member who lives year-round in Florida with her husband, Phares. Rutt recalls that twenty-one people attended the first such event in February 2002, hosted at what was then Der Dutchman (now Troyer’s Dutch Heritage Restaurant).
Two years later, the Laurelville board of directors held its annual mid-winter meeting in Sarasota, and Rutt was asked to organize a similar gathering to connect board members with Association households. The popularity of these events has now created demand for a yearly event.
If you are interested in attending, please RSVP at Laurelville.org/sarasota-breakfast or call 941.468.6607.
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