Kevin Cooper, Lead Technician with Water Production, dedicated 691 volunteer hours as assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 507 in Lake Mary.
OUC’s Board of Commissioners took a moment during its Nov. 8 meeting to honor employees Kevin Cooper, Lawrence Strawn and Gina Johnson as the leaders of OUC’s PROUD Volunteer program. The three contributed a combined 1,707 hours to their causes during fiscal 2022.
Cooper, Lead Technician with Water Production, led all volunteers with 691 hours, which he dedicated to Boy Scout Troop 507 in Lake Mary. Cooper serves as the troop’s assistant scoutmaster and a merit badge counselor. He also helps train its flag corps. Among the highlights of his volunteerism experiences in 2022 were camping trips to Molena, Ga., and Patten, Maine. On the Georgia outing, he accompanied Scouts on a 15-mile hike along the Flint River in 20-degree weather, and in Maine he joined a small group on a 55-mile canoe trip through lakes, rivers and streams.
Board President Britta Gross and Clint Bullock, General Manager & CEO, flank PROUD Volunteer leaders Lawrence Strawn (left, center) and Gina Johnson (right, center). (Kevin Cooper was unable to attend the ceremony.)
Strawn, Manager of Corporate Analytics & Planning, put in 522 volunteer hours as scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 23 in Orlando. The troop typically camps out eight weekends a year, attends a weeklong summer camp, and participates in service projects, including Scouting for Food, the single largest food drive in the country.
Johnson, Director, Financial Planning & Strategic Sourcing, contributed 494 hours to All About the Kidz. The nonprofit provides scholarships for education, sports and the arts to young men and women in Central Florida.
Collectively, 98 OUC employees donated 5,975 hours in fiscal 2022, a 78% increase in total volunteer hours over previous fiscal period. Volunteer service included more than 97 community organizations and events, including OUC-led volunteer events with Pathlight HOME, Christian Service Center, Clean the World and Aspire Mental Health Association.
All employees are encouraged to meet a Commission-wide goal of volunteering at least six hours a year.
