How America-250 celebrations in Ohio highlighted the power of community and connection
As the United States marked its milestone 250th anniversary this summer, Cenovus employees in Ohio helped bring those celebrations to life through the power of community and connection.
Through the America 250-Ohio Homecoming & Picnic events in Lima, Columbus and Toledo, employees volunteered, attended with their families and connected with neighbours in the communities where they live and work. As a Visionary Partner of America 250-Ohio and presenting sponsor of the Ohio Homecoming & Picnic events, Cenovus helped create opportunities for people across the state to come together in celebration of Ohio’s past, present and future.
For many employees, the events were more than community gatherings—they were a chance to build connections, highlight hometown pride and experience firsthand the impact of Cenovus’s community partnerships.
Employees share in Ohio’s milestone celebration
The Signature Homecoming & Picnic events reflected the character of each community, with programming shaped by local organizers and supported by Cenovus employees. Across the events, arts-focused experiences—including performances by the Lima Symphony Orchestra and Columbus Symphony, as well as activities at the Toledo Museum of Art—created opportunities for people to connect through celebration.
For Merideth Knapp, a mechanical engineering intern at the Lima Refinery who is not originally from Ohio, the events offered a unique perspective on the state’s communities and traditions.
“It was really cool to see how Cenovus supported the celebration,” said Knapp. “The company was clearly a part of making the day happen, but in a way that allowed the rest of the event to shine even more.”
Daniel Chang brought the energy at the people-powered photo booth.
Knapp said the experience reflected Cenovus’s values to protect what matters and do it together, giving employees the chance to strengthen relationships inside and outside the workplace while experiencing the pride Ohioans have in their communities.
For Daniel Chang, Campus Talent Acquisition Advisor, volunteering at the people-powered photo booth—an interactive activation featured at the Lima, Columbus and Toledo events—provided a firsthand look at how the celebrations brought people together.
“Cenovus has a profound impact on its surrounding communities, and involvement in events like this demonstrates the company’s commitment to elevating and energizing the shared human experience,” he said.
“Whether through the arts, community traditions or shared experiences at the photo booth, the celebrations showed that connection can bring people together despite their differences,” he continued. “There is strength in connection, and this experience allowed me to lean into that.”
Honouring Ohio’s past, present and future
Led by the America 250-Ohio Commission, the statewide initiative engages all 88 counties and focuses on bringing people together through opportunities for reflection, pride and community building. The Homecoming & Picnic events are just one part of Cenovus’s support; the company is also the presenting sponsor of Heritage Trees: Planting History, an initiative aimed at planting a white oak tree in all 88 counties through 2026.
Cenovus’s sponsorship reflects the company’s longstanding commitment to Ohio and the belief that strong communities are built through shared experiences. As a company with over 2,100 staff in Ohio, refineries in Toledo and Lima and a corporate office in Dublin, Cenovus is invested in the communities where its staff live, work and volunteer.
“Ohio has played a vital role in our nation's story, and it continues to play a vital role in ours,” said Eric Zimpfer, Head of Downstream. “These celebrations honour that history while bringing people together to look ahead—to the future of our communities and the role we each play in shaping it.”
Merideth Knapp, Ben Kerber and Stacy Knapp handed out cupcakes at the Lima picnic.