Sargento Salutes Crew and Family of USS Ronald Reagan; With Cheese-Themed Activities Including SargentoBurger Lunch and 550-Pound Cheddar Cheese Replica of the Ship.

PLYMOUTH, Wis. -- Wisconsin-based Sargento Foods Inc. showcased its all-American pride and passion for cheese by saluting nearly 8,000 crew, family and friends of the USS Ronald Reagan with four Sargento cheese-themed activities during the ship's July 23, 2004, Homeporting at the North Island Naval Station in Coronado, Calif.

As the U.S. Navy's newest addition to the aircraft carrier fleet (and at the time of its christening, the first aircraft carrier named for a living former president), the USS Ronald Reagan was commissioned July 12, 2003, at the Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk, Va. The ship departed late spring to visit various foreign ports around South America, en route to its homeport.

USS Ronald Reagan crew and their families and friends received a patriotic pier-side Homeporting welcome with the following four Sargento "All-American" cheese activities (from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.):

--A complimentary SargentoBurger lunch

--A finished 550-pound Cheddar cheese-carved replica of the ship displaying Monterey Jack cheese accents

--A Sargento cheese wedge beanbag toss for children, with SargentoBurger-shaped beanbags

--A complimentary photo-ready display of the custom-designed Sargento 50th Anniversary Cheese Chopper

"As a family-owned company whose passion for providing the very best cheese has been our sole preoccupation for three generations, Sargento is proud to be honoring the crew of the USS Ronald Reagan and their families," says Lou Gentine, Sargento Foods Inc. chairman & CEO and son of the founder, Leonard Gentine Sr. "We salute these men and women for all that they do for our country. We offer them our sincere and humble thanks."

Details of the four Sargento activities include:

SargentoBurger Lunch

--4,500 complimentary SargentoBurgers -- comprised of the classic American cheeseburger topped with Sargento(R) Deli Style Sliced Natural Swiss and Cheddar cheeses -- were served to USS Ronald Reagan crewmembers, family and friends. In addition, guests also received a drink, cookie and new Sargento Cheese Dips!(TM) snacks.

USS Ronald Reagan Cheese Replica

--Carved by sculpture artist Sarah Baumann, the finished 550-pound yellow Cheddar cheese sculpture was originally carved from a 640-pound cheese block. Baumann spent more than 50 hours carving the replica of this ninth Nimitz-class carrier, which is 1/234 the size of the actual ship.

Sargento Cheese Wedge Beanbag Toss

--Children had the opportunity to toss SargentoBurger-designed beanbags into the holes of an inflatable 10-foot tall wedge of Sargento cheese for the following prizes: hamburger-shaped yo-yos, bubble pens and star-shaped sunglasses.

Sargento 50th Anniversary Cheese Chopper

--Custom-built to celebrate the Sargento 50th anniversary in 2003, the Sargento Cheese Chopper was on display for souvenir photo opportunities.

--The Sargento Cheese Chopper, complete with a unique, one-of-a-kind, cheese-wedge sidecar, is outfitted to resemble a chunk of Wisconsin cheese.

To complete the commemorative event, Sargento also presented two 60-pound Cheddar cheese-carved USS Ronald Reagan replicas for the Friday evening gala reception and dinner aboard the docked USS Midway.

Sargento Foods Inc., based in Plymouth, Wis., is a leading manufacturer, packager and marketer of natural shredded, sliced and snack cheeses, cheese appetizers, ingredients and sauces. Founded in 1953, Sargento has demonstrated its passion for providing the best in cheese with the introduction of many industry firsts including ready-to-use shredded cheeses, peg bar merchandising, vacuum packaging and resealable packaging featuring the Slide-Rite(R) Advanced Closure System. Still owned by the Gentine family, Sargento celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2003, and has net sales of more than $500 million.