It’s been quite a year here at the Recorder. We celebrated our 75th anniversary of delivering the news to the residents of our wonderful city. Through our stories, we have documented the lives of our residents, and the progress our city and schools have made as our community grew and grew. We hope you have enjoyed reading about all the events that have transpired throughout the seven plus decades.
Although our village has grown to a modern city of more than 30,000 residents, some things have not changed. In many ways, we are still a close-knit community, a place where people care about each other and do what they can to help those in need. This has been demonstrated over and over again. Our residents always step up to help a family in need.
These days you see volunteers standing in the cold at Giant Eagle ringing the Salvation Army Bell, hoping for monetary donations that will remain right here in North Royalton. The volunteers will be ringing their bell and collecting until December 24.
Our food bank, now under the management of Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church, helps provide meals to our needy families. The volunteers work many long hours collecting, organizing and preparing the food boxes to be distributed during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday – and always with a smile on their face. The Kiwanis Club members also help out in this endeavor and have a charitable trust fund set up for monetary donations.
The Recorder office is a drop-off location for donations, and we have residents who, on a regular basis, stop by our office with grocery bags of staple food items to donate to the needy. They don’t come only during the holidays, but throughout the year. We admire them so much!
The Adoptive Family Program makes it possible for families to have a Merry Christmas because of the generosity of those that can afford to help. The family that is adopting receives a list of items that the adoptive children and family need. The items are purchased, wrapped and then distributed before the Christmas holiday. This program makes for good feelings all the way around.
If you aren’t able to adopt a family, maybe you can bring a plate of cookies to a senior neighbor you know. Maybe you can give a little of your time and pay a visit to someone you haven’t seen in a while. Help comes in all different ways, and what may seem like a small gesture actually means so much.
Our students have been busy during the past couple of months writing Christmas cards that were mailed to deployed veterans. Thanksgiving cards were also handmade and delivered to patients at Marymount Hospital.
Our churches continue with their outreach programs, including the community meals that bring together those who would like to share a meal in the company of others.
However you choose to share your kindness, be it helping someone less fortunate, or contributing to a worthy cause, you will come away with a feeling of joy. The saying, “it’s better to give than to receive” is especially truly this time of year.
We at the Recorder wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas, and we hope your new year is one that brings you good health and much happiness.
By: Maria Magnelli, Recorder Editor
Shown in photo: Joe Jastrzemski, Maria Magnelli, Gloria Pleva Kacik, Diane Sandor, Sharon Comanita. Missing from photo: Linda Kwarciany, Sara Macho Hill