GREENVILLE — Honorable James J. Buchy was this year’s recipient of the Charles Wesley Peckman Award for Humanitarian Leadership.
The award was given to him this past Friday by John T. “Tim” Donnellan, president and CEO of Community Action Partnership (CAP) of the Greater Dayton Area, and Janey Christman, retired director of the local CPA, on behalf of the board of trustees of CAP of the Greater Dayton Area.
This award is presented each year at the annual CAP meeting on April 12, which Buchy was unable to attend because the Ohio House was in session.
Buchy never missed a vote [in the House] and in his words, “I don’t want to start now.” So, his reason for not attending was excused.
Christman accepted the award on Buchy’s behalf and, in the acceptance speech she gave, she said, “He has been there when Community Action needed him through the years.”
Donnellan added, “He has been in fact there for us and the communities and people we serve. We have always known that we had a friend and highly respected and influential leader in Columbus. We called upon him may times. We are all better because of his service.”
Buchy has served Darke County for many years, representing the 84th District in the Ohio House of Representatives. He is retiring at the end of his current term, having served for a total of 25 years. He began his public life as a member of Greenville Board of Education.
Rep. Buchy is currently serving as the assistant majority Whip in Ohio House and is the vice chairman of the House Policy and Legislative Oversight Committee, and he serves on the Agricultural and Natural Resources Committee and the Rules and Reference Committee.
In addition to his leadership and service in politics to Darke County and really all of Ohio, he was a successful businessman who founded and served as president and CEO of Buchy Provisions.
“It’s my need to help,” said Buchy as he accepted the plaque. “You take care of people. I work for 120,000 to 125,000 people in the House District.”
The humanitarian leadership award is CAP’s most prestigious award is presented annually to a person who is in a position of influence in the community and uses that influence to promote the betterment of persons affected by poverty.
Peckham, for whom the award is named, was an agency founder, the board chair for 15 years, a leader, a role model, a teacher, a Methodist minister, a senior executive to the Otterbein Home in Lebanon, Ohio, and a community leader.
“As pioneer of the mission and the idea of the Community Action Agency, Peckham was always dedicated to improving the lives of the members of the low-income communities in this service area and worked constantly for poverty alleviation,” Donnellan said. “He believed in sound fiscal management and insured board involvement in agency policy was always effective. He was always an excellent leader and a fine gentleman.”
