For nearly seven years, a Bay area woman has dedicated her life to volunteering at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and helping guests who face different challenges enjoy their time at the facility.

  • Eileen Elphick recently named 'Volunteer of the Year'
  • Elphick works in Aquarium's 'Inspiration Program'
  • Elphick: "I try my very best to put a smile on their face."

Elphick's volunteer career with the Aquarium began seven years ago when she heard they were interviewing potential candidates.

"So I just came and went to the orientation, and I started not even a week later and I've been here ever since," Elphick explained.

Over the years she has worked in several departments, eventually earning a promotion to "Master Volunteer." Recently, she was named the Aquarium's "Volunteer of the Year." 

"Eileen really is very selfless," said Aquarium CEO David Yates. "She gives us many hours every week and she never says 'no,' always says 'yes,' which is probably a mistake because I'm always asking her to do more things. But she has a great heart for the work that we do here."

One of Elphick's many duties is being part of the Aquarium's 'Inspiration Program," where individuals facing different challenges spend the day here as very special V.I.P.'s. She tells us she enjoys speaking to guests daily, but for the Inspire V.I.P.'s, she's on a mission.

"I try my very best to put a smile on their face," Elphick explained. "If they leave with a smile on their face, even if it's just for five minutes or five hours, we spend a lot of time with them, I feel that my job is done."