The Rotary Club of Fort Myers South is pleased to announce the Southwest Florida Rheem Team will serve as the overall $10,000 scholarship sponsor for the 31st Annual Rotary South Scholar Athlete Banquet. This is the 13th year the Southwest Florida Rheem Team has served as a major sponsor of the event and its eighth year as the overall Scholarship Sponsor. The scholarship program recognizes top athletes from area high schools based on athletic and academic achievement, along with strength of character.
Charlie Costa, secretary of Southwest Florida Rheem Team, said, “The Rheem Team is a dedicated group of air conditioning experts who consider ourselves philanthropists first. The Scholar Athlete program is one of the most exciting ways for us to give back to the community we love. To encourage the hard work, talent and dedication in our young people is a powerful investment in our future.”
Rotary Club of Fort Myers South will honor 36 students from 18 area high schools and will announce the recipients of several scholarships at its Scholar Athlete Awards banquet on Wednesday, May 10 at the Crowne Plaza in Fort Myers. The Southwest Florida Rheem Team will underwrite two $5,000 scholarships as the program’s Title Scholarship Sponsor.
The Southwest Florida Rheem Team was formed 17 years ago. In addition to maintaining the highest possible standard of technical expertise in their field, the six member HVAC contractors work together to contribute to the local and global community. The support of the Scholar-Athlete Awards is only one of many valuable contributions these philanthropic service professionals make in Southwest Florida. 
Eighteen Lee County-area high schools nominate one top male and female varsity letter winner who maintains a minimum 3.2 GPA, is involved in school and community activities and demonstrates leadership characteristics. A selection committee of Rotary South members interviews nominees and selects the winners.
Event sponsorship opportunities are still available for the May 10 banquet, starting at just $100 to sponsor a scholar-athlete. Scholarship sponsorships are also available, starting at $1,000 per student. For more information about the 31th Annual Rotary Club of Fort Myers South’s Scholar-Athlete Awards, contact Rob Scharlau at rob.scharlau@busey.com.
About the Southwest Florida Rheem Team
The Southwest Florida Rheem Team was formed 17 years ago with a desire to be of service to the community. These six Air Conditioning experts undergo extensive training and hold each other to the highest technical standards, yet consider themselves philanthropists first. Local charitable efforts include 13 years of sponsoring the Rotary South Scholar-Athlete Program and donating air conditioning systems to support The Calusa Nature Center’s state-of-the-art planetarium projector.
Rotary Club of Fort Myers South
Rotary Club of Fort Myers South has more than 125 members who are among the 1.3 million Rotarians worldwide. Service Above Self is the motto of Rotary International, which has contributed more than $1.2 billion and tens of thousands of volunteer hours toward polio eradication in addition to projects such as water quality, world peace and literacy. Rotary Club of Fort Myers South meetings are held each Monday at noonat the Crowne Plaza, 13051 Bell Tower Drive. For more information, visit www.rotarysouth.org.
