“Recovery Road”

In January 2019, the feature story focused on Jessica Hazeltine, her struggles with addiction, her recovery, and her work at Sérénité Restaurant and Recovery Center of Medina County.

At that time, Hazeltine was the administrative manager of the Recovery Center. Later that same year, Hazeltine phased out of her position as part of a plan to have the center and restaurant completely run by students of the facilities.

In 2019, Hazeltine also graduated from Leadership Medina County’s Signature Class, was assisting with Leadership’s marketing, and decided to run for political office.

She ran for the Medina City Council Ward 1 seat because she was frustrated by what was happening in the ward she lives in, the Recovery Center is located in, and where so many of those she helped through the center resided.

“I saw a lot of things happening that I couldn’t do anything about,” she said.

She saw the city council position as a way to create legislation and help direct city-funded projects to help her ward.

When she won the election, instead of taking office in 2020, as would normally have been the case, she had to take office that November because the person in the position had been appointed to the role, Hazeltine said.

While she continues her work with her company, J. Scribbs Custom Hand Lettering and Calligraphy, in addition to her council and committee duties, Hazeltine has been a part of the Family First Council, the Trauma Informed Care Committee, a United Way of Summit and Medina County Policy Committee member, and a member of the Medina County Career Center advisory board.

Over the last couple of years, Hazeltine joined the board of the Battered Women’s Shelter of Medina and Summit Counties and was working in partnership with Kathryn Hudson to launch The Little Fox Bakery and Café at 540 Blake Avenue, Medina.

Hazeltine says she became overloaded, and with the added stress of her and her husband separating, felt she needed to step back. She said she did not feel she could give everything the energy she wanted to and left the partnership with the bakery.

Leaving the bakery was amicable, and Hazeltine enjoys being able to see the bakery from her front door.

“I was glad I was there to put in the blood, sweat and tears,” she said, “I am proud of it.”

She said she has a very good feeling for helping to make it what it is.

‘I feel like I was a valuable part of the team.”