Ken and Carole Ebert and Joe, Clyde, and Jeanne Kieffer won the award, which was established by the Department of Athletics in 2006 to recognize people who have shown great support to athletics at Lawrence. The Eberts and Kieffers received the award before a recent basketball game.
The Eberts, who live in New London, Wis., have been a key part of the support group of parents and friends that surround Lawrence football. They are the parents of Craig Ebert, a first-team All-Midwest Conference running back for the Vikings.
The Kieffers, who live in Appleton, Wis., have been fixtures at Lawrence games for decades. It also is not unusual to see Joe and Clyde Kieffer at a myriad of Lawrence practices. Lawrence fans also know Joe Kieffer as one of the stars of the Special Olympics basketball games that take place at Lawrence.
The Wurdinger Award is named for Kaukauna, Wis., native Bob Wurdinger, better known as Dinger around the Lawrence campus. Wurdinger, who was given the inaugural award in 2006, was a long-time assistant football coach at Lawrence and still works with the football program today.
Chuck and Cinny Reff won the award in 2007.
Winners of the 2008 Bob Wurdinger Athletic Service Award are, from left, Joe Kieffer, Ken Ebert, Carole Ebert, and Clyde Kieffer. Not pictured is Jeanne Kieffer.