At 7:00 p.m., during the final Fourth Friday celebration of the year, community members joined hands down the middle of State Street in Westerville as a show of unity.
September 28 marked the final Fourth Friday event in Westerville for this calendar year. A highlight of the evening was the joining of hands among community members, who lined up in support of diversity on the yellow line running down State Street, as part of the sixth annual Community Culture Weekend. EL teacher Kristie Cameron, Westerville North, led the initiative through her teaching and International Club. She began work on Hands Across Westerville in 2016, as a member of the Community Culture Weekend planning committee. This marks the third year Cameron and her International Club students at North have worked hard to make Hands Across Westerville a success.
Jeff Hartnell, the beloved Executive Director of the Westerville Visitors and Convention Bureau, was remembered for revitalizing attendance at Fourth Fridays “from an 800-person afterthought to an 11,000-strong community ‘must see’ celebration.” His family, friends and colleagues turned out in droves to honor his memory and enthusiasm for this event. He passed away in August.