Patty, Chris and Christopher Laughlin, of Foxfire, recently received the Bob Best Award for 2010 from National Alliance on Mental Illness-Moore County (NAMI-MC).

This award was established in 2005 by NAMI-MC to honor Bob Best, who was one of the founding members of NAMI-MC. He worked tirelessly, far beyond what was expected of him, to advocate for and to educate and support people who have a mental illness and their families, a news release said.

The Laughlin family received the award "because they exemplify this longstanding tradition of dedicated service and commitment to NAMI-MC and the people who rely on them," the release said.

Soon after the Laughlin family joined NAMI-MC, Patty became a member of the board, and they have all played a major role in the success of the many NAMI-MC programs, including Pathway to Awareness Weekends, NAMIWalks, winter and summer social events and anything else the board asks of them and more.

According to a news release, Patty has a unique ability to solicit donations from local businesses and became known in NAMI-MC circles as the "go-to gal" or the "NAMI-MC Hustler." Marianne Kernan said, "Patty was a tremendous asset to the five-member Pathway to Awareness 2006 Committee, aka, the 24/7 Gang."

Patty helped acquire free food items and hundreds of water bottles that would be used for Pathway to Awareness events. She continues to provide this kind of dedicated service to NAMI-MC, the organization said.

The 2007 Pathway to Awareness committee decided to have a silent auction to help raise funds. Months before, and without being asked, Patty and Chris acquired numerous expensive articles from area merchants to raise more than $4,000.

Ellen Airs has said, "Patty is so convincing that she could sell sand at the beach!"

While Patty is known as the "go-to gal" of the affiliate, then Chris and Christopher are the "count-on-us guys," a spokesman said They attend all NAMI-MC monthly meetings and events, helping in any way they can. For Pathway to Awareness weekends and NAMIWalks, they help set up and take down the various stations, including the Field of Hope flag display (50-some memorial and/or honorarium garden flags of irises).

They stay to the end of any activity, to make sure everything is put away and cleaned up, the news release said. Chris has also acquired numerous donations from Sanford, where he is employed as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.

The Laughlin family also voluntarily chairs and does all the preparation work for several annual events for NAMI-MC, including the summer picnic in July, the Christmas party in December and NAMIWalks at Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh in May.

Patty designed the NAMI-MC T-shirt that won the "Best Tee Shirt Award" for this year's NAMIWalks. Last year, NAMI-MC won the NAMIWalks "Best Team Spirit Award."

The Laughlins select a theme for the summer picnic each year. The first year was a Hawaiian luau; the following year was an Americana theme celebrating July Fourth. This year's theme will be a Mexican celebration. "Chris, Patty and Christopher have done all this and more without expecting recognition," the news release said. "They do it because of their love of NAMI-MC and their desire to help people with mental illnesses and their families.

"Since this award was given to the Laughlin family, Patty developed some very serious health problems, and the Laughlin family requests your prayers for her complete recovery."

The Laughlin family said they thank all of the businesses in and around Moore County that responded to their request for support.