ORRVILLE — One of the greatest strengths of Orrville City Schools is the community that surrounds our students.
That spirit was on full display at the 2026 Hearts for Heartland event, held Friday, August 7, at Jarrett headquarters in Orrville. The evening brought together businesses, organizations, families, volunteers, and community members around a shared purpose: supporting Heartland Education Community and creating opportunities for young people.
Through the extraordinary generosity of the community, more than $102,000 was raised to support Heartland and its work with young people.
The evening included dinner, live and silent auctions, student recognition, and a concert by Yacht Rock Gold Experience. But for Orrville City Schools, the most important part of the story isn't the fundraising total.
It's what that total represents—a community that believes in its kids.
A Partnership Built Around Kids
For more than three decades, Heartland Education Community has worked to bring schools and the broader community together around the shared responsibility of helping young people succeed.
Heartland was founded on the belief that education is strengthened through collaboration among schools, families, businesses, nonprofit organizations, churches, and community members. Over the years, that partnership has supported mentoring, character education, innovative curriculum, wellness initiatives, and other educational opportunities for students.
That mission was especially evident during Hearts for Heartland as young people themselves took center stage. The event program included recognition of Heartland students from Orrville schools as “The Reason We're Here.”
And that simple phrase captures what this partnership is all about.
A Special Thank You
We sincerely appreciate Heartland Education Community and Jarrett for their leadership and continued commitment to the young people of our community.
We are especially grateful to Tim and Jenny Smucker for their longstanding commitment to Heartland, education, and Orrville. Tim's vision in helping establish Heartland more than three decades ago helped create a model of community involvement in education that continues to benefit young people today.
We also thank Mike Jarrett and the entire Jarrett team for their leadership, planning, and work to bring Hearts for Heartland to life.
And we know an event of this magnitude is never the work of just a few people.
To the many businesses, organizations, sponsors, donors, volunteers, families, attendees, and community members who contributed their resources, time, and talents to make the evening possible: thank you.
Rather than attempting to name every contributor and risk overlooking someone who played a role, we want everyone who supported Hearts for Heartland to know how much we appreciate your generosity.
Thank you for giving your time. Thank you for sharing your resources. Thank you for supporting organizations that create opportunities for young people.
And, most importantly, thank you for thinking of our kids.
It Takes a Village
Our schools cannot—and should not—do this work alone.
Students benefit tremendously when schools, families, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community members work together. Hearts for Heartland is another powerful example of what that partnership looks like in Orrville.
It truly takes a village to raise a child, and we are incredibly fortunate for the village surrounding the children of Orrville.
On behalf of Orrville City Schools and the students and families we serve, thank you to everyone who helped make Hearts for Heartland possible and to everyone who continues to invest in our kids and our community.
We are Orrville. We are Red Riders. And we are stronger together.