Once every spring evening, the fragrance of spring flowers at Bordines Nursery is intermingled with the aroma of some of the Rochester area’s favorite dishes. The Rochester Rotary Club holds its annual Wine and Beer Tasting at the Rochester Hills nursery. With the backdrop of hundreds of beautiful and fragrant flowers, the restaurants set up their tables throughout the nursery, next to the tables of wine, beer, and other refreshments. Each restaurant donated a sampling of their food to entice the 250 attendees. Even though the event is named after the wine and beer offered, the two dozen invited restaurants are the heart of the event and played an essential role in the evening’s success.
This year, the guests could vote for their favorite dish in the Best Taste Contest. There was a clear winner… Naked Burger! “Located at 6870 N Rochester Rd. in Rochester Hills, Naked Burger brought their A-game and served their famous Late Night Smash Burger with their special Naked Sauce,” said Rotarian Jeff Duperon. “We were happy to be able to support the community in this way. This community has been so supportive of us,” said Summer Sanchez, Naked Burger Manager.
The event succeeds with the generosity of so many - the participating restaurants, the wine and beer vendors, the bands, the silent auction item donators, our host, Bordines Nursery, the sponsors, and the guests that attend and enjoy the event. Although there were twenty-four sponsors, this year’s major sponsors were Merril Lynch, the Crawford Insurance Group, and the Rochester Community Foundation.
“Raising almost $30,000, this is one of the Rochester Rotary Club’s largest fundraisers,” said event Chair Kyle Johnson. Events like this allow the club to serve the local community with scholarships while supporting local charities like Neighborhood House, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Paint Creek Center for the Arts, etc. The local Club also supports Rotary International’s commitment to eradicating polio and ensuring clean drinking water across the globe.