Wayne County Historical Society presents annual awards

Awards recognize contributions to community and preservation

People exchanging documents during a community meeting.

Mike Plant accepted the 2025 Gault-Welty Business and Community Award on behalf of Wooster Weekly News at the Wayne County Historical Society annual meeting.

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Published April 27, 2026 - 3:17 p.m.

The Wayne County Historical Society held its annual meeting April 23 in the schoolhouse.

During the meeting, Wooster Weekly News received the Gault-Welty Business and Community Award for 2025. Mike Plant accepted the award.

Additional honors were presented to Mary S. Hetrick, who received the Alvin Rich Lifetime Achievement Award for 2025, and Dustin Sheppard, who was awarded the George J. Schwartz Distinguished Service Award for 2025.

Schwartz served as founder and curator from 1904 to 1924, followed by Alvin Rich, who served as curator from 1925 to 1955 at the museum. In 1954, the organization became the Wayne County Historical Society when it moved from the Carnegie Library to the Beall House.