By HANNAH SCHAEFER

Staff Writer

BRUNSWICK — A trip to Applebee’s could help feed a family you’ve never met.

On June 4 between 4 and 9 p.m., 15 percent of patrons’ bills at Applebee’s, 4115 Pearl Road, Medina Township, will be donated to Operation Feed, a food drive sponsored by the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Medina post to benefit county food pantries.

“We’re a part of the community, and we want to let people know we do care,” post commander Lt. Joshua Swindell said. “We’re not just out there issuing citations and arresting people. We try to assist people in need and educate the public any way we can.”

Customers must present a coupon, which is available at the Medina post, 1680 Industrial Parkway.

Fifth- and sixth-grade students at Westfield Elementary in Westfield Center raised more than 300 pounds of food for Operation Feed earlier this month. The class with the most donations was treated to pizza donated by Papa John’s of Medina, Swindell said.

Medina Auto Mall also is helping with the program, Swindell said. The dealership will donate $10 from every car sold during the month of May to Operation Feed.

Swindell noted 100 percent of all monetary donations to the fundraiser will benefit county food pantries.

In June, the patrol will be busy with another project — moving its office from the temporary location in Brunswick, which the patrol has used since April 2007, back to Medina Township.

The patrol’s 50-year-old building at the corner of Weymouth and Frantz roads was demolished last summer to make way for a new building. Swindell said the project is down to cosmetic details inside the building and asphalt and landscaping outside.

“The tentative move-in date is June 18,” he said.

The new post will feature heightened security in the dispatch area, handicap accessibility and the ability to adapt to modern technology, which the old building’s wiring had a hard time handling, Swindell said last year.

A public open house at the new post is slated for August.

The post also has a new Web site, statepatrol.ohio.gov/operationalunits/medina.html.

Schaefer may be reached at 330-721-4048 or hschaefer@ohio.net.