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Medina hosts ‘Promise of Christmas’ visitors from North Carolina; organizers and council highlight community support
Summary
Mayor Hadwell and residents recapped the city’s Promise of Christmas event, saying roughly 272 visitors attended, organizers distributed cash gifts and organizers raised more than $100,000 in donations to help families affected by Hurricane Helene.
Mayor Hadwell recapped the city’s Promise of Christmas event during the Jan. 13 Medina City Council meeting, saying the program welcomed families from North Carolina who were affected by Hurricane Helene and that organizers provided direct assistance and local hospitality.
“About there a little more than 250 came up originally. There were 272,” Mayor Hadwell said, describing the turnout. He said volunteers and partner organizations — including Castle Noel, Main Street Medina, the Medina County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greater Medina Area Chamber of Commerce — helped host visitors and that organizers raised “over $100,000” in donations to fund activities and assistance.
The mayor described how organizers provided envelopes of cash to each visitor at the White Birch Barn, saying, “if a family had 5 children, it was the 5 children and the parent or 2 parents. They all opened them up and there was $250 in cash for each person, to to spend for holiday.”
Resident Tammy Kirby, who addressed council during the public-comment segment, echoed praise from visiting families and thanked Medina residents and businesses for supporting the event. Another public commenter said she spent the day with visitors and heard repeated expressions of gratitude and pride in how Medina welcomed the guests.
Council members and staff noted several operational details and community benefits: some visitors declined to travel because they feared leaving belongings behind, volunteers coordinated gift distribution, and local businesses and organizations provided venues and services. Mayor Hadwell thanked the volunteers and partner organizations for organizing the event in roughly two months.
The mayor also noted other community items during his report, including a free tax-preparation service offered by United Way of Summit and Medina Counties for households with incomes under $67,000 and the city’s Gold-level recognition in the Healthy Worksite Recognition Program from the Healthy Business Council of Ohio.
Organizers and council members said the event highlighted Medina’s volunteer network and local businesses, and they described plans to continue local partnerships for similar community outreach.
