Joel and Melissa Engelhard are well-known as the owners of the local LaRosa’s Restaurant. With two rooms of tables for guests, the restaurant also has a nice-sized meeting room, known as the “Brave Cave” available for many varied groups, with evidence of their support of Talawanda sports on the walls of the room. The Engelhards will also bring the restaurant’s offerings to you at many off-site functions, as well.
The local LaRosa’s provides food for Talawanda sports teams and served as one of the initial corporate sponsors of the new THS football field and scoreboard.
In a nomination letter to the selection committee, Mayor Bill Snavely paid tribute to the Engelhards’ community focus as well as their versatility.
“Does your sports team need sponsorship? Call LaRosa’s. Does your non-profit need a place to meet? Call Joel. Does your political PAC need a place to meet? Call LaRosa’s. The list goes on. Our local Oxford LaRosa’s has a meeting room that is made available to all civic organizations that need a space. They make the space available to folks who just like to enjoy trivia contests. It is not overstating it to say that the Engelhards enable most of the service activities in Oxford to happen,” Snavely wrote.
The nomination went on to note the Engelhards support the Talawanda School District, Miami University and the Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions clubs.
“They help sponsor community events as well, including Kiwanis Pancake Day. And they provide excellent food, drink and service,” Snavely wrote.
He closed by noting, “The Kiwanis Club of Oxford recently invited Joel Engelhard to speak to the club’s noon luncheon so as Kiwanians, we know who Joel is and what LaRosa’s does for the community. I believe they are well deserving of recognition as Citizens of the Years.”
About the Author