Medora

Years ago, Medora, Indiana was a booming rural community with prosperous farms, an automotive parts factory, a brick plant, and a thriving middle class. The factories have since closed, crippling Medora’s economy and its pride. The population has slowly dwindled to around 500 people. Drug use is common, the school faces consolidation, and as one resident put it, “This town’s on the ropes.”  The Medora Hornets were riding an epic losing streak in 2011, and the team’s struggle to compete bears eerie resonances with the town’s fight for survival. The team’s underdog story creates an in-depth, deeply personal look at small-town life, and an inspiring tale of a community refusing to give up hope despite the brutal odds stacked against them. On a grander scale, this shows all of America, and the thousands of small towns across the country facing the same fight. As one towns-person said, “Once we lose these small towns, we can’t get them back.”