Bauer is easily recognizable as the owner of Luverne's Pizza Ranch.
Harrison said, "Lila has donated money toward Kids Teaching Kids. She is an ambassador of good will in our community. She is known for giving away free pizza coupons to anyone she discovers that has accomplished something that deserves recognition or reward."
Harrison said, "She has welcomed school children to come for a very special field trip experience where they make their own pizza, accompanied by the beverage of their choice and they leave with a free mini pizza coupon."
Harrison also pointed out that Bauer is a major employer of people with special needs.
Bauer said, "We hire a lot of kids with special needs to give them some kind of skill to use." She said some employees fold boxes and clean and aren't always seen by customers even though their work is valuable. Bauer said many of those workers take a real ownership in their duties and gain a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Marie Atkinson-Smeins said of Bauer in a nomination letter, "Lila is such a positive person. She is very supportive of the school. She has provided us with Student of the Week pizza coupons for the last few years. She has given the school a deal many times when we have ordered pizza."
Bauer said she enjoys the way her job connects her to the school, especially through the kindergarten tours. "It's their one big trip for the year," she said.
"This is just what we do. It's not an effort or anything," she said.
Friends of Education are nominated by LEA members and decided on by the past five Friends of Education.