LIMA, OhIO (WLIO) – The Lima Noon Optimist Safety City opened its doors Saturday for a special reunion event, welcoming the public and past graduates of DARE and the Safety City program, to celebrate decades of community safety education.
Over the years, Safety City has helped thousands of students learn vital lessons, including the dangers of drugs, fire safety, stranger danger and traffic rules. Many Lima-area adults fondly remember receiving those lessons from Bob Butler, affectionately known as “Officer Bob.”
Butler served as the DARE and Safety City officer for 16 years. In recognition of his longstanding dedication to helping children stay safe, Mayor Sharetta Smith officially proclaimed the week of April 11th as Officer Bob Butler Week in the City of Lima. Butler say he is glad to see the program still serving kids, and thriving.
“What they did here at Safety City, My buildings were all built by Boy Scout Eagle project, but this here is 1000 times better looking than it was before. So, I'm just proud of Eric (Mericle), and I'm still very proud of Safety city. My 16 years out here was the best part of my police career,” says Bob Butler, “Officer Bob.”
“So, Officer Bob has meant a lot to a lot of people and being my DARE officer, I'll never forget that. But you know, being able to have him out here to see what's going on since he left, and now that he's back, it means a lot just to honor him for everything he's done and all the lives he's touched. He's been a great influence on kids. He's helped countless amount of kids. I don't think we can ever put a number on how many kids he's helped in his life, and he's still helping. So, to honor him out here means a lot,” adds Eric Mericle, Lima Safety City/DARE officer.
Recently, the Optimist Club named the training center in Butler’s honor. The building is expected to stay busy in the coming months, with more than 50 classes from around the region scheduled to visit and learn critical safety skills.
