Health & Wellness
December 5, 2025 – At its core, Memorial Health has a heart for the communities and residents it serves. During the holidays, the healthcare organization takes the opportunity to celebrate the work of a local young artist, and in addition, contributes to charities making a difference in the region.
For seventeen years, Memorial has undertaken an annual holiday card design contest, rotating participation with local school districts. This year, the fifth grade students at Abraham Depp Elementary School and sixth grade students in Eversole Run Middle School’s Art Club were chosen for participation – in preparation for the opening of the Memorial Jerome Medical Center in April 2026.
The winner of this year’s Memorial Health Holiday Card Design Contest is Raelyn Sowards. Raelyn is a fifth grader at Abraham Depp Elementary School and received a $100 gift card from Memorial for her artistic endeavors. Pictured above at the award presentation, left to right, is Alisha Heifner, Raelyn’s homeroom teacher; Kendra Sowards, Raelyn’s mom; Raelyn, the Memorial Holiday Card Contest Winner; Anna Sowards, Raelyn’s sister; Brady Sowards, Raelyn’s dad; and Cari Hinkle, Memorial Health.
The Memorial Health Board of Trustees also recently voted to contribute to the holiday efforts of local community organizations who help Union, Champaign, and Logan County residents in need.
Melanie Ziegler, Memorial Health Vice President of Community Engagement, shares that eleven nonprofits will receive the holiday-time donations, including:
- Care Train of Union County
- Community Christmas in Urbana
- Give & Take Thrift Store & Pantry of West Mansfield
- Hope Center
- Lutheran Community Services of Bellefontaine
- Milford Center Food Pantry
- Oasis of Mercy Food Pantry of Mechanicsburg
- Plain City Daily Needs Assistance
- Richwood Personal Needs Pantry
- The Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner
- The Caring Kitchen of Urbana
“Memorial Health is honored to celebrate the holiday season by making these contributions,” says Ziegler. “We remain deeply thankful for the incredible work these non-profits carry out in the communities we jointly support. Their dedication offers invaluable assistance to our residents, and we wholeheartedly commend everything they do.”
