It was Ada Night in Hardin County on Feb. 27.

Several persons, organizations and businesses with Ada and Ohio Northern University connections were recognized at the 14th annual dinner meeting and award presentation of the Hardin Chamber and Business Alliance held on the ONU campus. The list of awardees follows:

• Business of the year
Wilson Sporting Goods - Ada
For 165 years, Wilson Football has made Hardin County its home. Each year, over 700,000 footballs are handmade in Ada by Wilson’s talented workforce.

Wilson has built footballs for Super Bowl champs, MVPs and Hall of Famers by honing its craft and dedicating its livelihood to create a legacy of quality.

Every point scored in the NFL has been with a Wilson football, creating the longest official game ball relationship in American sports history.

• Citizen of the year
ONU grad Susan Bailey - Kenton
Ohio Northern University pharmacy graduate, Susan Bailey of Kenton, is a pharmacist at OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital. She and her husband are co-owners of Skinny’s Tavern, Kenton.

She donates much of her time to community projects including the to the Kenton Historical Courthouse District, here she helps coordinate volunteers to water downtown flowers . She is instrumental in the annual Mistletoe Ball raising funds for Hardin Memorial Hospital. These are just a few of the volunteer projects that involve her time.

• Community Service Award  
ONU HealthWise Mobile Health Clinic  
The clinic was established in 2015 to help support the extensive health needs of a rural community suffering from poverty and lack of access to care.

Through a grant provided by Health Resources and Services Administration, a 38-foot bus was developed to travel around Hardin County to provide medication therapy management, routine screenings and immunizations free of charge to community members.

HealthWise has built partnerships with the Kenton Community Health Center, Kenton-Hardin Health Department, Hardin Memorial Hospital and many county agencies.

• Emerging Business of the Year
Crimson Lane Venue (Mike and Jodi Willeke) - Ada 
Crimson Lane is a wedding venue that opened in early 2019. Since then it has become one of the most sought-after wedding venues in northwest Ohio. This is a family-owned and operated business built on 130 acres of farmland and woods along with a nine-acre lake. The family has dedicated their time to creating a space where many other families can celebrate special days.

Other recognitions
Women LEAD Professional Excellence Award – Julie Crowe, Kenton
Young Professional Leadership Award – Shannon Barnes, Forest
Ambassador of the year – Kolt Buchenroth, Kenton
Non-profit of the year – Harco Industries, Kenton