BETHANY BEACH, Del. - The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce honored lifeguards from across the Quiet Resorts during its annual Lifeguard Awards ceremony Aug. 11 at Big Chill Beach Club.
The event recognizes members of the 10 beach patrols serving the area, with each patrol selecting a Lifeguard of the Year.
The 2026 honorees are James Degnan of the Bethany Beach Patrol; Duncan Proxmire of the Delaware State Beach Patrol; Scott Larson of the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol; Brooke Kenyon of the Middlesex Beach Patrol; Ocean Ruckdeschel of the North Bethany Beach Patrol; Helton Young of the Ocean Village Beach Patrol; Patrick O’Halloran of the Seabreak Beach Patrol; Ethan O’Kelly of the Sea Colony Beach Patrol; James Baffone of the South Bethany Beach Patrol; and Cooper Rhoades of the Sussex Shores Beach Patrol.
The honorees were selected by patrol captains and peers and received custom plaques and gift cards.
The chamber says the ceremony also recognized the Sussex County Lifesaving Association for winning the United States Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard Championship for the third consecutive year. The competition was held this year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The chamber sponsors the SCLA’s travel to the national competition and presented SCLA President Matt Farlow and members of the team with a $2,000 check.
