A Bluffton resident who “has worked tirelessly and mostly behind the scenes to make Bluffton a better place to live,” is the 2013 Bluffton Lions Club citizen of the year.

Richard Ramseyer, long-time community promoter, received the honor by the club this week. He will be recognized at a dinner on April 15 at First Mennonite Church.

Ramseyer’s involvement in Bluffton touches countless aspect of the community. The Illinois native came to Bluffton when he attended and graduated from Bluffton College in the mid-1950s.

He and his wife, Elfrieda, are parents of two grown children, Rick and Marty.

The Ramseyers lived and worked here from 1969 until 1983 when they moved to Colorado and later Iowa. Upon Richard’s retirement in 2001 the couple returned to Bluffton and have lived here since then.

Richard Ramseyer’s current community involvement:
• Bluffton Zoning Commission, member
• Bluffton Lions Club, member, board member and past president
• Festival of Wheels, volunteer
• Bluffton Lions Club Foundation, assisted in its founding
• Lions Corvette raffle program, major organizer
• Bluffton Bike and Pedestrian Pathway Committee, chair
• Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce, member
• First Mennonite Church, member

Ramseyer’s previous community involvement:
• Bluffton College, Chief Administrative Officer for Institutional Advancement
• Bluffton Industrial Growth Committee, member
• Bluffton Airpark Development Corp., member
• Bluffton Housing Corp., member
• Bluffton Expansion Corp., member
• Bluffton, Beaverdam, Richland Township United Way
   past president, vice-president, campaign chair
• Bluffton Business Men’s Association, member
• Bluffton Community Progress Corp., founding member and past president
  CPC developed Swiss Country Estates and kept Bluffton’s downtown theatre operating until the Rodabaugh family purchased it

The Lions’ citizen of the year recognition banquet is at 6 p.m. (hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 p.m.), Tuesday, April 15, with an awards ceremony to follow. The dinner is open to the public. Persons interested in attending may contact Bill Croft at 419-369-4908 for reservations.