Pub steps it up to help others

Published 5:06 pm Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Auburn Downtown Association would like to thank and recognize the staff and patrons at the Home Plate Pub for all they do for the community.

Owner Henry DeHoog is to be commended for many business improvements, including interior upgrades, new menu items, such as Pot Roast Fridays, and plans for a fenced, outside seating area.

What Auburn might not realize is the incredible amount of “good” produced by this small, corner pub for many years.

For DeHoog, it’s all about helping the kids. For 13 years, rain or shine, he has been the wizard passing out candy to all the kids each Halloween. For 13 years, DeHoog and the Home Plate Pub have had Secret Santa Fundraisers. Money collected is donated annually to the Auburn Optimist Club, sponsors of the downtown Santa House.

The Secret Santa Fund raised $158.35 the first year and grew every year, reaching its all-time high of $2,249.15 in 2011.

DeHoog would like to thank his many wonderful customers for their generous donations. The pub looks forward to these annual events and plans on working with the Optimist Club for many more years to come.

Furthermore, DeHoog would like to thank Bruce Goodrich and Quentin Bacon for their tireless efforts for this worthy cause.

A local pub helping a local charity is why folks should shop local and preserve Auburn’s history by supporting their downtown.

– Kathleen Keator, executive director, The Auburn Downtown Association