SHELBY — Small business of the year finalists weren’t the only local leaders recognized at the Kehoe Center Tuesday.
In addition to awarding K.E. McCartney & Associates and Bookwalter & Skulski Orthodontics Small Business of the Year awards, the Richland Area Chamber awarded the Entrepreneurial Spirit award and Non-profit of the Year awards Tuesday.
The Richland Area Chamber has recognized non-profits at the Small Business of the Year luncheon since 2018. This year’s small non-profit of the year winner is Rubies Women’s Group and the large non-profit winner is The Friendly House.
Allison Pence Art was awarded the Entrepreneurial Spirit award. The artist reflected on her business’ growth at Tuesday’s ceremony.
“What started as a hobby for me turned into something that I had to make work,” she said of starting her career as a muralist.
“I was stuck in a career in education that I was unhappy with, so I decided to take the leap and pursue my passion of making art.”
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Since that leap of faith, Pence has created murals and public art in Mansfield’s alleyways, on buildings, in store windows, businesses and more. This year, she completed a mural for Walmart and the two largest murals in Richland County.
“I realized the murals were really what ignited my fire,” she said. “I somehow was able to carve out this little niche job of traveling all over Ohio doing what I love.
“Anyone that has that entrepreneurial spirit, my two biggest pieces of advice are to follow your passion and face your fears. If you are stuck somewhere and you are faced with a choice, most often, the scariest choice is the right one … on the other side is where the magic is.”
Rubies Women’s Group
Rubies founder and executive director Candace Cole thanked her volunteers and board members for their dedication to the faith-based recovery program for women coming out of sex trafficking and/or addiction.
Cole recalled founding the organization with $5 in a bank account and a call to help women who shared her experiences.
“When I came out of prison, I didn’t have anywhere to go that was safe and really focused on healing,” she said. “Rubies is loving, caring, restoring and most of the individuals that volunteer or are employed at Rubies are also survivors.”
Rubies houses up to six women at a time, helping them find self-worth and faith in God through group Bible studies and counseling. Rubies also provides all housing, clothing, hygiene, food and transportation for its residents. Volunteers and employees are trained in compassionate and trauma-informed care.
“We helped them go from surviving to healing,” Cole said. “Rubies is all about the testimony of the women we serve. When it’s time for them to leave, it’s amazing how they transform and the restoration that happens in their families.”
The Friendly House
Friendly House executive director Terry Conard said his work is “not a job, but a lifestyle.”
The Friendly House — founded in 1913 as a settlement house to assist immigrants — provides preschool, after-school support, summer camps, fitness programs and senior citizen activities.
Conard said the community center serves thousands of people annually, from Richland County natives to Hidden Hollow campers from as far as California.
“Our after-school program is one of our largest programs,” he said. “We pick up elementary students from school in our own bus, take them to The Friendly House and make sure they get a hot, nutritious meal.”
After-school students are divided into groups by age and gender and have different programming each night from gym activities, to games and arts and crafts. Area non-profits and businesses also collaborate to educate and provide resources to Friendly House students.
“For the most part, Friendly House is the same as it was when I was a kid,” Conard said.
“I’m honored that Friendly House was able to be recognized in receiving this award when there’s so many other agencies out there — non-profits and for-profits that do so much good work in this community.
“I just want to make sure that kids today can still get the same activities and treatment that I was able to get when I was 6 years old and going to Hidden Hollow.”
Medical Mutual was the presenting sponsor of the 2024 Small Business of the Year awards and Mechanics Bank was the video sponsor.
Premier sponsors included Alumni Roofing Co, DRM Productions Inc, OhioHealth Mansfield and Shelby Hospitals, Park National Bank and Richland Source.
Non-Profit Semifinalists included: Malabar Foundation, NAMI Richland County, The Ohio State Reformatory, Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Richland Carrousel Park, Richland County Land Bank, Richland Outreach Center and Ultimate Veterans Adventures.
To learn more about the finalists for Small Business of the Year, visit the Richland Area Chamber’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
