STOW: Phebe Stucker knew her photo was going to appear in her hometown newspaper, the Stow Sentry, in December showing the three medals she won in the state Special Olympics competition.
But what came in the mail the following week was a complete surprise: a laminated keepsake of the news article and congratulations from Mayor Sara Kline.
“I felt special that she sent that to me,” said Stucker, 24. “It’s still on my refrigerator at home.”
Annually, more than 100 residents receive such mementoes from City Hall, a tradition of Stow mayors for at least the past 13 years. The recognition is aimed at just about any Stow resident who is acknowledged in a local newspaper for accomplishments, milestones and special activities.
“Honestly, I think it’s meaningful to them that they were important enough to make the paper and we noticed,” Kline said. “City Hall noticed you did something noteworthy, and we want to acknowledge that.”
Kline’s administrative assistant, Vicki Huff, handles the details. It starts with perusing local newspapers on leisurely Sunday mornings, clipping photos of happy news.
Most of them are youngsters. A photo of a Brownie troop. Students showing off prom fashions. Kids riding the fire truck during the annual Fourth of July parade. She also looks for athletes who aren’t regularly in the news.
Older residents catch her eyes as well. Couples celebrating their 50th anniversary. Senior reaching their 100th birthday. A volunteer being acknowledged for charitable service.
“We need to have more positive influences for our residences,” Huff said.
Back at work, Huff prepares the photos, adding a personal note like “Keep up the good work!” or “We’re all rooting for you!”
After the mayor signs the note, Huff laminates it and the photo to create a keepsake worthy of a scrapbook or a refrigerator decoration.
Getting them to the right address can be a bit tricky, Huff said. Sometimes students don’t have the same last names as their parents. School staff helps with the hard ones; city and county databases help find others.
And even though Huff and Kline aren’t present when a recipient finds the surprise in their mailbox, they have gotten enough feedback to feel like it’s worth the effort.
“I get thank-you cards, and sometimes parents will stop me and tell me how excited their child was to receive one,” Kline said. “It’s nice to be recognized. That’s just a cool experience.”
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.