GREENVILLE — On a night filled with warmth, gratitude, and spirited celebration, Spirit EMS brought together employees, families, and community partners for its annual Christmas gathering at the Darke County Fairgrounds community center.
On December 14, the owners of Spirit EMS welcomed employees and their families to their annual Christmas party—an evening filled with appreciation, celebration, and several memorable surprises.
Owners Brian K. Hathaway and Aaron L. Guthrie opened the event by reflecting on the past year and expressing heartfelt gratitude to every team member for their dedication.
“Our employees and their families are the reason Spirit continues to grow and thrive,” said President/CEO Brian K. Hathaway. “Their support for one another throughout the year is what makes this organization feel like family.”
As Spirit EMS approaches its nineteenth anniversary in February, Hathaway shared how the company has transformed from a small medical transport operation into a multifaceted EMS and transportation provider serving communities across western Ohio and eastern Indiana.
“We are no longer just a transport service—we are educators, first responders, community partners, and a trusted resource for schools and facilities across the region,” Hathaway said. “Seeing how far we’ve come is a testament to the people who show up here every day.”
The night featured the much-anticipated “Christmas Reveal,” a tradition now eight years strong. This year’s equipment investments were financed in partnership with Greenville Federal, which also assisted Spirit EMS in securing Buckeye Business Advantage Funding, enabling small businesses to grow with reduced-rate financing through the State of Ohio. Among the equipment revealed were two 2025 Ford E350 Crestline ambulances arriving after a parts recall; eight Ferno Power 2X cots, six with bariatric mattresses; a bariatric tarp mover; two Genis-powered stair chairs; fifty butterfly bag-valve masks; ten UE Video laryngoscopes; one Lifearm chest compression device; an Atlas 15,000 lb two-post lift—bringing the shop to two lifts; eighteen Kenwood portable radios for the MARCS 800 system; and a full-size refrigerator for CDST staff.
Festively, because a new ambulance was backordered, Hathaway coordinated with local horseman Jerry Marker to provide a sleigh. At the same time, PennCare salesman Mike Milo, dressed as Buddy the Elf, arrived in classic Spirit style—guided in by Santa and holding two sets of ambulance keys.
Another major highlight of the evening was the long-awaited announcement that Spirit EMS will break ground in early 2026 on a brand-new education and community center at its Greenville headquarters. The project, led by Brumbaugh Construction of Arcanum, will bring to life a 120-by-70-foot state-of-the-art barn-style complex, financed locally by Greenville National Bank. The facility—proudly named the John and Iris Hathaway Education and Community Center—is expected to open its doors by the summer of 2026. Designed with growth and community collaboration in mind, the new center will feature a full commercial kitchen, accommodations for gatherings of up to nearly 300 people, and the ability to host three or more educational classes simultaneously. The space will serve as a hub for EMS training, community events, public education, and organizational development, marking one of Spirit’s most ambitious expansion milestones to date.
“Investing in top-tier equipment and facilities is investing in our people and the communities we serve,” said Vice President Aaron L. Guthrie. “It ensures our crews have what they need to deliver exceptional care every single day.”
Spirit continues to build one of the region’s most substantial fleets, adding 57 new vehicles since 2018, with over 150 facilities currently on a waiting list for Spirit EMS service.
The company extended formal thanks to numerous supporters whose contributions helped make the Christmas event and annual improvements possible, including Greenville Federal – Lyndsay Huffman, Anette Ryan and the Bank Board; Ferno – Paul Haynes; Ohio Signs – Brian Reeser; Sunshine Awards – Jim Hackney; Mikesell Monograms – Mag Mikesell; Penn Care – Tara Savon and Mike Milo; Four U Office Products – Amber LaGuire; Ault, Henderson & Lewis – Dave Snider; Santa’s Helper – Ted Bruner; Bruner Advertising Specialties – Rick Bruner; DJ Opie – Josh Artin; Tim Clopp Photography; Jerry Marker; Advanced Auto of Greenville – Ron Daugherty and Clayton Jacobs; Brumbaugh Construction – Jessi Clark; ENVI Solutions – Tom Gillespie; Buckeye Apparatus Service, LLC – Scott Monroe; J\&K Communications – Adam Hurley; The Darke County Agricultural Society; Amanda Fore; Cynthia Bruner; Aaron Guthrie; Brian K. Hathaway; John Hathaway Jr.; Audrey & Naomi Hathaway; Carol Hathaway; Diane Zimmer; and Larissa Winchester.
Guests enjoyed a homemade meal prepared by Audrey and Naomi Hathaway with assistance from Larissa Winchester and served by the management team. Event planners Larissa Winchester and Amanda Fore were recognized for their exceptional coordination of the 2025 Christmas celebration. A touching memorial was led by Operations Manager Brian Brown and CDST Director Sarah Stump, honoring Deborah L. Hathaway and Douglas Wright for their years of dedicated service. Their photos now appear on the memorial medics 499 and 4920, with Deb’s picture also placed on 4910—often driven by her husband, John Hathaway Jr.
“Deb and Doug will forever remain part of the Spirit EMS story, and we honor the legacy they left behind,” Brown shared.
Major awards for the year were presented next. Employee of the Year went to Jeannie Lewis, and Supervisor of the Year was awarded to Captain Ashley Baker, as voted on by the employee base. Both ladies received 85-inch televisions, and their photos will appear on their chosen ambulances throughout 2026. Devoted Assistance Awards were presented to Audrey and Naomi Hathaway, Larissa Winchester, Carol Hathaway, and Diane Zimmer. For the outstanding upkeep of their current ambulances, two teams received word they were being awarded new ambulances for the upcoming year: the Van Wert station team of Ashley Crawford, Jordyn Fleming, Erika Miller, and Brandon Wilker and the Defiance station team of Alise and Adam Bartley, Destiny Eitniear, and Brandon Williams.
Additional recognitions included Bus Aide Bonnie Behee; Parade Ambassadors Cheryl Emmons and Ann Ditmer of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Greenville for representing Spirit EMS in their sign truck at 16 community parades; and community partners GNB Banking Centers – Sam Suter; Dr. Emily Kraft, MD; County Link; Miami Valley Today; Sidney Daily News; Houston, Lockington & Russia Fire Departments; Wayne HealthCare; Paulding County Hospital; Joint Township District Memorial Hospital; Mercer Health; Wilson Health; and Reid Health.
Recognition was also given for exceptional commitment in hours worked over the past year, including EMT Jeannie Lewis with 4,045 hours; Advanced EMT Jeremy Miller with 2,534 hours; Paramedic Karl Kleinekathoefer with 3,056 hours; Executive Administrative Assistant Amanda Fore with 2,165 hours; CDST Supervisor Jon Mehl with 2,269 hours; Driver Nick Minnix with 2,134 hours; Mechanic Steve Kellem with 1,956 hours; and Nurse Jaime Burton with 2,972 hours. In EMS transports, EMT John R. Hathaway Jr. led with 1,130 calls for the year, followed by EMT Jeannie Lewis with 768 and Paramedic Karl Kleinekathoefer with 721. Top drivers were Nick Minnix with 3,713 transports, Leon Rogers with 1,703, and Chris Bemis with 1,655.
The busiest EMS shifts of 2025 were Greenville 0800–2100 and 1400–0200 crews in first place, Celina 1000–0200 in second, and Defiance 1800–0700 in third. Perfect attendance honorees included Mawaheb “Hiba” Abdelrahman, Adam Bartley, Alise Bartley, Amanda Fore, Curt Garrison, Samantha Glover, Naomi Hathaway, Michelle Koontz, Lucinda Ledbetter, Levi Marcum, Jon Mehl, Julie Oliver, Leon Rogers, William Rohr, Larissa Winchester, Scott Wolf, and Ashlynn Zimmer. EMT class graduates from 2025 were recognized, including TreyVaughn Bryant, Tyler Comer, Daniel Cope, Chaise Dawson, Riley Eales, Kaila Haycox, Lydia Heeter, Alyssa Johnson, Zachary Koeller, Esther Kumith, Theoneste Makombe, Jeff Manning, Cheyanne Mills, Jessica Park, Payton Parsons, Ekaterina Rivera, Bryce Willhite, Shawn Wogoman, and Ashlynn Zimmer.
Management personnel recognized for their leadership included Brian K. Hathaway, Aaron L. Guthrie, Brian R. Brown, Ted Bruner, Sarah Stump, Amanda Fore, Anita Miller, Curt Garrison, Leah Poling, Julie Oliver, Tori Milby, Jon Mehl, Ashley Baker, Will Gardam, Ron Cruse, Noah Breece, Scott Wolf, Jeremy Miller, Heather Berg, Ashley Rhoades, and Ashlynn Zimmer. During the “12 Months of Christmas Appreciation” drawing, two winners received $6,000, paid as $500 monthly toward their largest bill. For Perfect Attendance, the winner was Naomi Hathaway, and Captain Ron Cruse was the lucky winner for overtime devotion in 2025.
Hathaway and Guthrie closed the evening by thanking all who stood firm throughout 2025, turning challenges into accomplishments and helping make the year one of resilience and growth for the year ahead.
“Spirit EMS exists because of the people who make this work their calling. Tonight reflects our gratitude for each of them,” Guthrie explained. “Our team embodies professionalism, compassion, and community spirit. This celebration was about honoring their incredible commitment.”
Employees were gifted embroidered jackets, holiday shirts, Agency of the Year challenge coins, Christmas ornaments, and treats from the owners’ trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Children leaving the celebration received a crisp $2 bill, a sentimental nod to a favorite childhood memory shared by both owners, and a small keepsake they hoped would make the night unforgettable.
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