Photo submitted by Rotary Club of Homewood.
Bill (Bilbo) Crawford holds a plaque from the Rotary Club of Homewood celebrating its educational foundation being named in his honor.
The Rotary Club of Homewood recently recognized longtime member and retired business executive Bill (Bilbo) Crawford by naming its educational foundation in his honor.
The foundation, which since 1983 has awarded more than $220,000 in college scholarships to about 120 area high school seniors, will now be known as the Bill Crawford Educational Foundation of the Homewood Rotary Club.
Crawford, who turned 90 on April 5, received a plaque marking the honor during a special ceremony at the club’s April 6 meeting. An accompanying resolution noted the foundation’s commitment to the support of education and other community endeavors, and that Crawford “has served faithfully and selflessly to lead and guide the efforts of the foundation for over30 years.”
“Bill was instrumental in the creation of the educational foundation, served as its founding chairman and kept the club focused on the foundation’s primary goal of providing college scholarship assistance along with other good and worthy projects in the Homewood community,” said foundation chairmanMike O’Kelley.
Homewood Rotarians solicit community support of the nonprofit foundation at various fundraisers throughout the year.
A Rotarian since 1961, beginning with membership in the Shades Valley Rotary Club, Crawford has achieved 48 years of perfect attendance at weekly Rotary meetings. In 1982, he became a charter member and first president of the Homewood Rotary Club. He has since served a second term as president.
The longtime Birmingham businessman retired in 1995 when he sold his office supply and furniture business, Crawford, Inc., which he founded in 1961. A native of Vernon and a graduate of Lamar County High School, Crawford attended the University of Alabama, which he continues to loyally support. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard, Naval Reserve.
Through the years, Crawford has been active in the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, the Herman Miller Office Furniture Dealer Advisory Board, the Alabama School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation Board, the Lakeshore Foundation Board, Vestavia Country Club and The Club. He is a Mason and a Shriner and a member of Lakeside Baptist Church.
He and his wife, Helen, live in Vestavia Hills. They have three daughters, Carol, Ann and Kim; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
– Submitted by Rotary Club of Homewood.
