Bob Rotanz named Outstanding Citizen of Year
SALEM – Bob Rotanz, a community supporter for youth sports and just about any cause that asks him, was named Outstanding Citizen of the Year today by the Salem Rotary Club.
The ebullient co-owner of Mac ‘n’ Bob’s Restaurant in Salem and All American Lacrosse player – who made the winning goal in the 1978 national championship – is known for helping bring lacrosse to schools in the Roanoke Valley, and for proudly supporting all sorts of Salem-area youth and college sports teams.
Bob Rotanz, holding plaque, accepts the Roy W. Henrickson Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award from the Salem Rotary Club, with his family. Photo by Meg Hibbert
Rotanz became the 46th recipient of the Roy W. Henrickson Outstanding Citizen Award at the Rotary club’s luncheon meeting April 15 at the Salem Civic Center. His name will be added to a large engraved plaque that hangs in the hallway of the civic center.
He accepted his individual framed award in front of more than 100 Rotarians and guests and his proud wife, Wendy, youngest daughter Maggie, 15, and his 81-year-old mother, Lorraine Augustine who, after two cancelled flights, was able to fly in from Long Island. Rotanz’ other two daughters, Katie and Ryan, were in classes at Virginia Tech where both play lacrosse, as does Maggie at Salem High School.
“Bob, like the Rotary Club, strives to do good in the world,” said Skip Lautenschlager in introducing the men who spoke about Rotanz. Mike Akers of Andrew Lewis Middle School, Andy Blanton of the Southwest Virginia Lacrosse Association, Mack Johnson of Roanoke College and Salem Assistant City Manager Jay Taliaferro told how fast-speaking Long Island native Rotanz had jumped wholeheartedly into life in his adopted city of Salem since he was a student at Roanoke College.
“Bob is one Yankee I sure am glad didn’t go back home,” quipped Akers, who is assistant principal at Andrew Lewis Middle School. “He has always helped out with whatever I needed for students and the school,” Akers said, pointing out that Rotanz has an especially soft heart for special needs students at ALMS. “He has opened his restaurant to allow special needs kids to come up there each week during the year to learn the restaurant business,” Akers pointed out.
The restaurant also hosts a banquet for the local Down Syndrome association, and donates food for all kind of local charitable and school events.
Blanton and Rotanz himself told how he became the volunteer coach for one of the first high school lacrosse teams in the Roanoke Valley, Patrick Henry High School, after their coach moved. Rotanz found a local businessman – Glenn O Thornhill Jr., who happens to be the 1997 Rotary Outstanding Citizen – who quietly gave money for uniforms when Salem High School kids wanted to start their own lacrosse team, and again afterwards, money for any kid who wanted to go to lacrosse camp.
Because of Rotanz’ early efforts, today almost 1,400 youth play lacrosse in the area, Blanton said. “He’s the catalyst and founding father of lacrosse in this area.”
Speakers also noted how much quiet good Rotanz does in the community. Johnson quoted Roanoke College President Mike Maxey about Rotanz: “If Bob Rotanz did not exist, we would need to invent him.”
For the complete story on Bob Rotanz and the Outstanding Citizen Award, see the April 22 issue of the Salem Times-Register.
