“They become really invested in the place where they live,” said Sally Boswell, outreach coordinator. The Center for the Inland Bays (CIB) gave its Friend of the Bays Award to Ed Whereat, who coordinates a waterfowl-monitoring program with the University of Delaware (UD).

CIB Executive Director Ed Lewandowski called Whereat the mogul of harmful algae bloom. Joe Farrell, Whereat’s supervisor at UD, joked that his colleague had been lured to CIB’s Indian River headquarters with the promise of free beer.

Twelve other volunteers were honored, including Ron Wuslich, chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), and Harry Haon, CAC vice chairman. Volunteer Tom Greco was honored for his rain-or-shine dedication.

“Tom Greco is just one of those all-weather-volunteers. So is his wife, Cathy,” said Lewandowski. He said Greco could work for hours in the rain, taking a break only to run home for dry socks.

Boswell said the 12 were drawn from a pool of 35 active volunteers. CIB has at least 50 other workers just a phone call away, she said, dependable in a pinch.

Pat Drizd has been gathering and coordinating CIB’s volunteers for four years. In addition to managing the workers, Drizd is essential in running the center’s annual native plant sale, said Lewandowski.

Drizd said many volunteers are retired professionals who relocated to the Cape Region. Bringing backgrounds in public policy and science, CIB’s group of workers is multitalented and extremely capable, she said.

The 12 honored received pewter horseshoe crab pins and a copy of “Staying Home,” a book of photography by Elaine Rifkin, whose property backs up to the Little Assawoman Bay. “Staying Home” is a compilation of shots Rifkin took from her front or back yard.

Rifkin said she would donate $10 of every book sale to CIB.

“I’ve always been a huge supporter of CIB,” Rifkin said. “It just makes sense that they should benefit from this.”

Among those honored were Bob Collins, Barbara Jane, Karen Knight, Cheryl Rehrig, Jan Thompson, Martha Keller and Graham Purchase.

Boswell said CIB is always on the lookout for new volunteers.

“We’re always trying to bring people in and help them find their place in our organization,” she said.