Odd Fellows award $20,000 in scholarships to county seniors

The Medina Odd Fellows awarded a total of $20,000 in scholarships this year through the Jerry Gunner Community Betterment Scholarship program to graduating seniors throughout Medina County. Seven of the county’s eight high schools were represented among this year’s recipients, with Highland High School being the only school not represented in the applicant pool this year.

First place and a $3,500 scholarship went to Katelyn Schreiber of Medina. Second-place winners receiving $2,000 scholarships were Chloe Long of Brunswick, Caleb Burke of Cloverleaf, Julia Andrukat of Medina and Gabrielle Bright of Black River. Third-place winners receiving $1,500 scholarships were Luke Weinhauer of Brunswick, Jocelyn Draes of Buckeye and Hannah Hupek of Cloverleaf. At-large winners receiving $1,000 scholarships were Louis Strong of Medina, Jonathon Krak of Buckeye/MCCC, Maryn Biddle of Black River and Dawson Mendel of Wadsworth.

Now in just its fourth year, the scholarship program is still in its infancy, yet it has already seen tremendous growth, with the number of applications nearly quadrupling since the first year. What started as a small community effort has quickly grown into one of the Medina Odd Fellows’ most meaningful annual programs.

The scholarship was spearheaded by Medina Odd Fellows members Brother Dan Sutherland, a teacher at A.I. Root Middle School and coach for the Medina High School football team; Noble Grand Glenn Brant; Vice Grand Steve Davey; Treasurer Adam Feeks; and Secretary Paul Deka. Together, the group helped build a scholarship focused not simply on grades, but on character, volunteerism, leadership and community service.

Named in honor of longtime Medina community supporter and fellow Odd Fellow Jerry Gunner, the scholarship reflects the same spirit of service and dedication that Gunner has shown to Medina County youth and families for decades. In a full-circle moment, Gunner once coached Sutherland, Brant and Feeks when they were children. Gunner also coached alongside Sutherland’s late father years ago, making the scholarship especially personal and meaningful to the men who helped build it.

The Medina Odd Fellows continue to support numerous charitable efforts throughout the community. Every Christmas season, the lodge sells Christmas trees on the historic Medina Square, with proceeds helping provide Christmas shopping trips for underprivileged children who otherwise may not have much of a Christmas. The organization also hosts major fundraising events throughout the year, including its annual Reverse Raffle, golf outing and Halloween Bash. Funds raised from those events help support scholarships, local charities, youth programs, Special Olympics Medina County and many other community causes.

The Medina Odd Fellows also thanked the Medina Eagles organization and the Medina community for their continued support of fundraisers and charitable efforts. Members said that support helps make opportunities like the scholarship program possible while investing in the future of Medina County and recognizing the next generation of community leaders.