A patriotic welcome

ARCHBOLD — Seneca County resident Mircea Handru took the stage on the Fourth of July as the guest speaker at a special Naturalization Ceremony at Sauder Village in Archbold. Handru, who serves as the executive director of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board for Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot counties, was invited by the U.S. District Court for Northern Ohio to address the crowd. For him, the moment was deeply personal. Over a decade ago, he stood in the same position as the 75 individuals who became U.S. citizens at the event, having received his own citizenship. "It was an honor to speak at the Naturalization Ceremony," Handru shared. "Eleven years ago, I received Naturalization myself. I would like to thank the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, for inviting me to be the guest speaker." He reflected on his personal story and offered heartfelt advice to the new citizens: "My message was pretty simple: create your own American dream, get involved in your local community, embrace the electoral process and don't forget your culture and traditions." Handru also shared a quote from historian Oscar Handlin that captured the spirit of the day: "Once I thought to write a history of the immigrants in America. Then I discovered that the immigrants were American history." His journey from new citizen to community leader offered inspiration to others just beginning their own chapters as Americans. 75 people from around the world took the oath of citizenship during the ceremony, marking an emotional milestone in their lives - and a proud moment for Handru - now a voice of encouragement for others following in his footsteps.