Blackwater NWR Holds Volunteer Awards Dinner

On April 12, 2011, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge held its annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner, which was located at the American Legion Hall in Cambridge, Maryland.

During 2010, 91 volunteers contributed 11,607 hours of their time to the Refuge, equivalent to nearly 5.5 full-time staff! The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the 2010 Volunteers of the Year, Chuck Adams and Beth Burgess. Chuck and Beth each received a framed photo of refuge wildlife by Mary Konchar in appreciation for their service during 2010. Chuck Adams staffed the information desk and bookstore in the Visitor Center regularly twice a week, and more often when needed, frequently filling in when no one else was available. He also assisted with special events on the refuge. Beth Burgess played a significant role in the refuge's environmental education program, coordinating class field trips, developing programs and supporting materials, and serving as a teacher for the program. In addition, Beth staffed the Visitor Center regularly and assisted with special events, both on- and off-site. Congratulations Chuck and Beth!

See the volunteer newsletter (425K PDF file) for more information on the volunteer awards for 2010. And thanks to all those wonderful individuals who did so much in 2010 to make Blackwater NWR a great refuge!