Provided photo: Jaye Sullivan, who co-chairs the Decorate Medina Committee with Eric Watson, fetches extension cords on Sunday for the lights, while committee members in back work at putting up the giant festive words donated by Takeform on the railing overlooking East Center Street.

MEDINA – Just in time for the Parade of Lights on Saturday evening, the Decorate Medina Committee, Medina Lions and village DPW have completed putting up the decorations which have made Medina famous.

It was more than 40 years ago when the late Rev. Burt Entrekin visited another village out of state and saw it ornately decorated for the Christmas holiday.

“He came home and said he wanted to see Medina look like that,” said Jaye Sullivan, who has been on the committee for most of those years and now chairs it with Eric Watson.

Entrekin formed a committee and spearheaded fundraising, and Decorate Medina has continued to spread Christmas cheer every year throughout the downtown.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Candy canes and lollipops line the walkways in Rotary Park, while reindeer and Santa’s sleigh are adorned with real evergreens, all thanks to the efforts of the Decorate Medina Committee, headed by Jaye Sullivan and Eric Watson. At left, the giant Christmas tree is ready and waiting for the lighting ceremony Saturday at 5 p.m., to kick off the Parade of Lights.

Over the years, decorations have been improved and added, with the village DPW responsible for installing the garland and lights over Main and Center streets and the lights on two giant trees in State Street Park; the Medina Lions took on setting up the Nativity scene across State Street Park; and the committee headed by Sullivan and Watson decorating Rotary Park.

Rotary Park has become the permanent location for the house which becomes Santa’s headquarters during holiday time. Every year the Decorate Medina Committee sets up a sleigh with reindeer, candy canes and lollipops along the walkways and a photo booth. Takeform provides and donates a sign with the current year each holiday season. They also made and donated giant letters on the railing facing East Center Street, which read “Peace, Joy, Love.”

“This year we put fresh greens on the sleigh and reindeer,” Sullivan said. “They look so nice.”

Other committee members are Mary Woodruff, publicity; David Sevenski, Sue and Kevin DeHollander, Lynn Woodruff, Jen Hill, Peter Kaiser, Jason Watts, Matt Kennedy, Barb Gorham, Mary Lewis and Maureen Sanderson.

Provided photo and information from VFW Auxiliary

MEDINA – The VFW Auxiliary to Lincoln Post 1483 in Medina presented the Calvary Cupboard Food Pantry at The Vine Church with a $500 check to assist the food pantry in purchasing food to help feed those in need.

Volunteers in the photo at the food pantry are from left Donna Poore, Missy Schening, Sheila and Dan Tabor, and Mike Yeager in the back. On the right is Dave Berry, president of the VFW Auxiliary 1483 in Medina. The VFW Auxiliary wishes to thank all the volunteers serving at the food pantry for their dedication and time they give to others in need.

The Calvary Cupboard Food Pantry has many more families coming to the pantry for assistance at this time. The food pantry is accepting donations of non-perishable items such as spaghetti sauce, soups, juices, canned fruit and vegetables, and canned diced tomatoes, as well as monetary donations used to purchase items when they run low.

The food pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at The Vine Church, 11031 Maple Ridge Rd., Medina. Anyone with any questions can contact Donna Poore at 585-798-3738 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Georgia Thomas of Medina has arranged her collection of 300 stuffed animals in a holiday exhibit at the Medina Historical Society, 406 West Ave. It will be open for visitors during Olde Tyme Christmas celebration on Saturday and again for Wine About Winter in February. Here, the dining room is set exquisitely set for a “Chris-moose” dinner. The stockings hung on the fireplace were crocheted by Thomas.

MEDINA – Christmas may come only once a year, but Georgia Thomas is a kid at heart all year long.

Thomas has a collection of more than 300 stuffed animals of all kinds, which she has spent four days arranging on display at the Medina Historical Society. On Saturday, she had help from Kathryn McKenney, a historian, historical preservation specialist and the newest member of the Historical Society board.

Thomas never intended to amass such a collection of stuffed animals when she bought the first handful as a teaching aide for her sign language students.

“It just sort of mushroomed,” she said. “I was teaching in Maryland when I bought the first ones. The children would pull an animal out of the bag and then sign what it was, what color it was, what it ate and if it was wild or tame.”

Georgia Thomas, right, is joined by Kathryn McKenney, a historian and historical preservation specialist, in setting up Thomas’ large collection of stuffed animals. McKenney has recently joined the board of the Historical Society. McKenney is holding a seal, while Thomas holds a possum puppet with its baby.

Every room, every counter, every space in the Historical Society is filled with stuffed animals. In the dining room, Thomas got out her Christmas poinsettia china, added a big red holiday candle centerpiece and set four large stuffed moose around the table. She calls is the “Chris-moose” room.

On the mantle is a collection of mink coat china Santas she bought in Canada, and hanging on the mantle is a row of crocheted stockings she made hang. They are for sale for $10 each.

Georgia Thomas, left, and Kathryn McKenney sit on the floor of the Medina Historical Society with a giant Burmese Mountain dog, the largest animal in Thomas’ collection of stuffed animals.

Her largest stuffed animal is a giant Burmese Mountain dog, which jokingly said she will name “Reinhard” in honor of the Medina Historical Society’s president Reinhard Rogowski.

Her collection includes a flamingo, chicken, seal, rare goat and one of each animal brought over on the Mayflower with the Pilgrims.

Her last purchase was an alligator from Bass Pro, who is selling the stuffed reptile as a fundraiser to save the endangered species.

“I wanted to support their cause, but that is the swan song,” Thomas said.

This alligator is the newest (and last) stuffed animal Georgia Thomas is going buy, she said. She bought it at Bass Pro because they were selling them to raise money to save the endangered species.