Out lesbian and Glee star Jane Lynch was in Manatee County last month to raise money for the Palmetto High Rowing Club.
There were no signs of the snarky and mean â┚¬Å”Sue Sylvesterâ┚¬Â character the Emmy-winner portrays on the Fox hit, as Lynch hosted a boisterous pep rally with hundreds of Palmetto High School students.
Lynch and her wife, Lara Embryâ┚¬â€Âa former Sarasota residentâ┚¬â€Âare friends with rowing coach Trish Jackson.
Besides raising spirit for the new rowing team, the couple donated $15,000 to Palmetto High back in February to cover the cost of boats, oars and rowing machines. Lynch also offered to match up to $5,000 in donations collected by the rowers.
The weekend following the pep rally, Lynch appeared on the Rive Isle Golf Course in Parrish, where the first annual â┚¬Å”Chopper Dropperâ┚¬Â event raised even more money for the team. There, a helicopter dropped 2,000 golf balls purchased at $50 a piece by donors. The person with the corresponding ball closest to the hole was to win $25,000.
However, a family and another individual split the $25,000 grand prize because both golf balls both landed in the hole.
Two $5,000 prizes were donated back to the rowing club by an anonymous donor and Katie Jones of Northwest Natural Products who bought $2,000 worth of tickets. Lynch also contributed signed Glee memorabilia for an auction. Development company Neal Communities also contributed $2,000 to the team.
Coach Jackson said the funds will go toward the purchase of another eight-person boat and a set of oars.
