Devoted to History
Every Signature Leadership class begins the year with Medina County History. It’s a time to celebrate the workers who devote themselves to sharing many community stories and bringing them to life. It’s a time to raise awareness in our leaders about the life of early settlers in Medina County and the people who had the tenacity to convert wilderness to civilization.
The Class of 2019 had a lot to say about the impact of the day. Read some of their comments below.
“I am a part of a community that has played a part in American History and my freedom as an American Citizen.” Kimberly L. Oliver
“It was fascinating to see how passionate each presenter was, and hear about the information, documents, pictures, that they’ve spent such much time gathering to showcase how rich Medina County’s history is. My favorite was Captain Wolf. Very interesting and engaging!” Pamela Crombie
“Listening to the stories of early settlers’ struggle to clear land and grow food in order to survive, then everyone jumping in their cars, driving to the square and using our smart phones to play a game. What an incredible contrast between then and now. Mind boggling.” Nancy Peacock
“I was really astounded when I heard that not one, but two of the presenters we met had read the Gazette newspapers cover to cover over a span of 100 years!” Jess Hazeltine
“It was amazing how all of the speakers have devoted so much of their time in preserving and documenting the history of Medina. They were all very passionate about the importance of their contributions. The knowledge these individuals have is incredible!” Carey Bates
“My favorite moment from History Day was hearing about the history of each store in the square. To think back in time at each of those storefronts is impressive.” Richie Muniak
“I enjoyed the information about how the area was settled. It was very eye opening to think about how far people have advanced in the past 200 years. It really made me think though about how those advances are both positive and negative.” Jenn Moore
“During the Old Mill visit my aha moment was when we were informed about the land and how long it took to work the land (300 hours and months) compared to when the tractor/combine was established.” Amber McClain
“Seeing the connectivity in small rural areas to their heritage and sense of community and the passion it takes to keep that spirit alive generation after generation.” Matt McKelvy
“Root Candle provided an informative presentation by Brad Root. He shared the history of the company and A. I. Root’s passion for innovation. Brad provided some very good business takeaways that really resonated. Being innovative and creative can be risky but necessary to grow business and meet challenges. Root Candle began in 1869 and they have expanded their product lines, opened new locations and changed their marketing message many times over the last 149 years. Brad shared when idea was not working as planned, they changed course. They were changing when needed and always asking what the customer needed. This has lead to their success!” Tara Haley
“I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day, but the “aha” moment was listening to Bob Hyde and his passion for the history of our county. He helped me connect the dots of people, historical sites, and the emergence of business and industry in the county. I also enjoyed Kathy Kraus’ presentation on the quilts and the Underground Railroad.” Robin Dillon