United Way honored two OU employees for working with non-profit organizations and young adults Friday.
Bill Bauman and Kim Fairbanks received Volunteer of the Year awards at the United Way's annual luncheon held at the Postal Service Technical Training Center.
Bauman, associate professor of architecture, received the Civic award for his work with Food and Shelter for Friends and Health for Friends.
Fairbanks, Center for Student Life staff assistant, received the Service to Youth and Education award for her work with the Explorers program.
Five categories were awarded: Civic, Humanitarian, Senior Citizen, Service to Youth and Education and Young Citizen.
The awards were presented by Ed Copelin, owner and manager of Copelin's Office Center, and Sherri Coale, OU women's basketball head coach.
Bauman has worked on community service projects for non-profit organizations for several years, said Andy Paden, executive director of the United Way of Norman.
"Bill puts so much of his own personal time into these projects, so that's what qualifies him as the volunteer of the year," Paden said. "These agencies are able to have new and expanded facilities for a fraction of the cost than if they'd contracted it themselves."
Bauman won this award because of his dedication, Copelin said.
The projects are fun to work on, Bauman said. He said he enjoys working on the projects and was very honored by winning the award.
Bauman said he loves to work with students and clients to design and build projects.
Fairbanks was nominated by the Norman Police Department, with whom she coordinated the Explorers program, Coale said.
She said she was surprised she won the award.
"I couldn't believe I won," Fairbanks said.
Fairbanks said she enjoys working with students and enjoys working to coordinate the Explorers.
Each recipient received a $400 check to donate to the charity of his or her choice.
Bauman donated half to Food and Shelter for Friends and half to Health for Friends.
Fairbanks donated all of her check to the Mary Abbott Children's House.
Other winners included Danny Cossairt for Humanitarian, Sandy Hasty-Pratte for Senior Citizen and Michael Way for Young Citizen.
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