Can you keep a secret? The lake staff at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District’s Lake Georgetown can, at least for two weeks. That’s how long they knew Stanley “Easy” Frerich had been selected as the 2024 USACE Volunteer of the Year. The trick was keeping it a secret until an appropriate ceremony could be planned.

“Keeping the secret from Easy was nothing short of a miracle since we have so many volunteers working around the office,” said Scott Blank, lake manager at Lake Georgetown. “On top of that, he is always around doing something.”

In 2024, USACE had more than 37,900 volunteers across the command supporting natural resource management. In total, the volunteers served 1,751,141 hours, equivalent to 842 full-time employees. The total estimated value of volunteer hours is $58.6 million.

According to USACE, the selfless commitment, diverse skills, and expertise of the volunteers enrich every project. The projects appreciate the invaluable contributions of their partners and volunteers to the USACE natural resource management program and look forward to expanding their collaboration in the years to come.

“Nominating Easy for this award was an easy decision,” said Blank. “He is the most outgoing and positive person with a heart of gold. You cannot be around him and not smile and catch his love of work and doing his part to make the world a better place.”

At 76, Easy has been volunteering at Lake Georgetown for more than three years. He has assisted in habitat restoration, interpretations, construction, species management, historic and cultural restoration improvements, clean-up and maintenance, as well as park host duties.

“I started volunteering for the enjoyment of meeting people,” said Easy. “I just enjoy being with the people who recreate at Lake Georgetown.”

Easy is the first volunteer from Fort Worth District in more than 10 years to be named the USACE Volunteer of the Year. It wasn’t hard for the district to choose him to be the representative for the USACE competition. In 2024, Easy accomplished 1,176 volunteer hours at Lake Georgetown. From electrical work to small engine repair, to working with partners like Texas Parks and Wildlife, no project was too big or too difficult for Easy to accomplish. Not only has he put his skills to good use at Lake Georgetown, but other lakes have requested his skillset as well.

“Words cannot explain how I feel about getting this recognition,” said Easy. “I want to give thanks to every one of my fellow volunteers and to anyone who helped me get to where I am today.”

The fact that Easy received this recognition isn’t a secret to anyone that knows him. And now the lake staff doesn’t have to worry about keeping it from him.

“They sure did surprise me,” said Easy.