TASTE OF WAUSEON … 300 tickets were sold for the annual gala event which took place on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
GOOD EATS … El Jarro was one of 10 restaurants featured at the ninth annual Taste of Wauseon Gala on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
(PHOTOS BY SMANTHA N. STRIPE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
HEART BEAT AWARDS … Several businesses were recognized and honored with a Heart Beat Award at the annual Taste of Wauseon Gala.
By: Samantha N. Stripe
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
It was a night of fun, friends and food as the community came together at the ninth annual Taste of Wauseon Gala on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
Held at St. Caspar Parish of Life Center on Shoop Avenue, the event featured emcee Maxwell Smith of WMTR 96.1 and 94.3 The Buck, who ushered in the evening.
The doors opened at 6:00 p.m. and dinner was served at 6:30 p.m., with local band SoulTone kicking off the entertainment for the night, followed by the band Unfaltered.
Attendees had the opportunity to try two to three different smaller-portioned food selections from 10 Wauseon establishments.
From specialty coffee drinks and nachos supreme to chicken alfredo and cheesy potato soup, there was something for even the pickiest of palates. A variety of wines and beers were also available.
Participating business for the evening included: A Perfect Pair, American Winery & Brewery, Biggby Coffee, El Jarro, Habaneros, Pizza Hut, Reelwood Kitchen, Ramblin’ Red’s Brewing Co., Sullivan’s Restaurant and Warrior Wings.
Also contributing to the event were a grand total of 35 major sponsors and table sponsors, according to Susan Hanely of the Wauseon Chamber of Commerce. “We come together as a community,” Hanely said.
All 300 tickets were sold at $50 each. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Fulton County Heart Radioathon, which works to ensure county businesses have Automated External Defibrillators – known as AEDs – at their locations, in case of an emergency.
Also featured after dinner was the presentation of the Heart Beat Awards, named for Wauseon’s slogan, “The city you’ll take to heart.”
Eleven Wauseon business were recognized for either starting up a new business or refreshing the inside and/or outside of their establishment through renovations/remodeling in 2024.
The owners were given a crystal-style award to showcase their efforts. Recognized were Dennis Apartments, Edward Jones – Kim Baker, Fulton County Senior Center, Gear Heads Garage, LLC, Healthy Spot Wauseon, Infinite Kinetics, Nelson Lawn Concepts, Red Rambler Coffees & Ramblin’ Red’s Brewing Co., Renhill HR on Demand and Shalom Counseling and Mediation Center.
“It’s an amazing event,” said Gloria Kuntz, President of the Wauseon Chamber of Commerce. “Bill Drummer, the Executive Director of the Chamber…created this event and wanted to recognize businesses that put time and effort into either improving the way the businesses looked on the outside, starting a new business, opening a new business in the community – just giving back.”
The community also showed their support for Drummer at the event. Drummer, who organizes the annual gala, is dealing with an illness.
Larry Zimmerman, community member and owner of Continental Plaza Inc., led the room in prayer for his healing.
“We are all rallying around him and uplifting him in prayer,” Kuntz added. “It says a lot about our community and the tightness of our community.”
Additionally, Drummer received a standing ovation in recognition of his work at the Chamber and at the event.
The gala also marked the start of Wauseon Chamber Restaurant Week, which runs until Sunday, March 2, 2025.
During Restaurant Week, patrons are encouraged to pick up a Restaurant Week Card at a participating restaurant. They can then stop at one of 14 restaurants for either dine-in or carry-out and receive a sticker on their card.
Five stickers fill up one card, which diners will then fill out their name and contact information and give to any of the participating restaurants for entry in a drawing.
Prizes, sponsored by Walmart and the Wauseon Chamber of Commerce, include $25 gift certificates from the 14 restaurants involved in the week-long event as well as a grand prize, a 65-inch smart TV.
Restaurant participants include American Winery & Brewery, Brown Bag Market, El Jarro, Fortune Kitchen, Healthy Spot – Wauseon, Habaneros, Knotty Vines Farm & Winery, Little Ceasars, Marco’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, Red Rambler/Ramblin’ Reds, Reelwood Kitchen/Skye Cinema, Ryan’s Restaurant, Special Grounds Coffee, Sullivan’s Restaurant and Warrior Wings.
Winners of the Wauseon Chamber Restaurant Week prizes will be drawn on Thursday, March 6, 2025.