Mike Buckman voted 2018 Unsung Hero

WORLAND – Every year the Washakie County Homemakers select someone whom they feel is worthy of the name "Unsung Hero," someone who makes the Worland community a better place to live, a person who volunteers his or her time and talents without expecting recognition or praise in return. This year they have chosen Mike Buckman.

A plaque and certificate will be presented to Buckman during the Washakie County Homemakers fall council meeting.

Buckman humbly stated, "I don't do what I do for the sake of recognition, but it is nice to be recognized and appreciated for what you do do. I did not know I had even been nominated until Frances Larsen came to me and said, 'The Homemakers would like to honor you with our Unsung Hero Award.'"

To which Buckman said, "I'm no hero," Larsen said. "Mike is truly a hero in the eyes of the Homemakers," she added.

Not only does Buckman bring local and national news to the homes and car radios of community members every weekday morning from 6 – 9 a.m. through his job at The Big Horn Radio Network, he also uses his radio experience to help non-profit organizations by being a DJ (disc jockey) free of charge, or close to free, for their charity events. Larsen stated that Buckman has DJ'd for multiple local organizations such as the Gorgeous Gals Gala, Washakie Hospital Auxiliary Ice Cream Social, the annual Christmas celebration and parade, Culturefest and many more.

While working for the radio station, Buckman met a man who would forever change his life and impressed on him the need to give back to the community. "I met Bert Bresach through the radio station. He would come in and record commercials for the Boys and Girls Club and other non-profits and things. Over the course of a little while he would invite me to some of his DJ gigs that he would be doing and eventually I started to work alongside him. Then I eventually bought the business from him.

"But that's kind of where a lot of my connection to the community comes from through the DJ business, doing a lot of these nonprofit things for the Homemakers, for the Girl Scouts or for the community center or gosh you name it. Along the way you meet a lot of good people, there are a number of people that I have met through the years that bring a smile to your face every time you see them and many of these organizations, the cause is a worthy cause. Bert and I did the Relay for Life for a number of years together, that was always a challenge because it was a 12-hour thing Friday night through Saturday morning when I had just gotten off of work after working early on Friday. We enjoyed that very much being able to give back to the community," Buckman said.

"If the community needs help or needs something I am more than willing to try and step up," Buckman said.