LIMA — Bob Laman may be most well-known as the president and CEO of Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services, but it’s his volunteer work within the community that led him to be nominated a 2016 Jefferson Award for Public Service.
“I’m very honored to say the least,” Laman said. “I’ve always enjoyed volunteering for different organizations, and I just think the world is a better place when everybody helps out.”
Since 1980, Laman has been a member of the Lima Noon Optimist Club, whose mission is to serve the youth in the community. Through the service organization, Laman has been involved with Safety City, the home show, fishing derby, breakfast with Santa, and an annual trick-or-treating event that he chairs.
He is also active at First Baptist Church where he has served as a deacon, an usher, and on the board of trustees. In addition, Laman has been on various committees since joining the church as a young child in 1968, or since he was “knee high to a grasshopper,” as he describes it.
Nominating Laman was Tim Willoughby, a fellow Optimist Club and First Baptist Church member. Willoughby said he’s known Laman for about 25 years, and he was the first person he thought of for this award.
“I think Bob Laman is a very deserving person of this award for his all-around service to the community,” Willoughby said. “I can’t speak highly enough about what he has done for the people of Lima and Allen County.”
Through Safety City, Laman serves a liaison between the Lima Police Department and the Optimist Club. Young people learn about bike safety, protecting themselves from strangers, calling 911 during an emergency and what to do during a fire or tornado.
“I always figure if we can save one child from endangerment, that’s very important,” Laman said.
As chairman of the Lima Noon Optimist Club’s Trick or Treat, Laman serves between 4,000 and 5,000 children each year, giving them candy and trying to make sure they have a happy Halloween.
“Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, it makes it all worthwhile,” he said.
During the week of the home show, Laman uses his vacation time to volunteer at the event.
“If you take your vacation time to do some volunteer activities, that’s pretty special in my book,” Willoughby said.
For Laman, giving back to the community is something he doesn’t take lightly.
“The community has always been very good to me, so I just think that giving back is so important,” he said. “The world can be a tough place, so the more we can help each other out, the better it is for all of us.”
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