National Aquarium Volunteers Save $2.4M

 BALTIMORE (AP) -- Officials say volunteers have stepped up to help the National Aquarium, even with the economy slumping. 

The Baltimore Sun reports that 853 volunteers and interns worked at the aquarium in Baltimore in 2010. They worked the equivalent of 53 full-time jobs -- which saved the aquarium some $2.4 million. 

Nancy Hotchkiss, the senior director of visitor experiences at the aquarium, says 2010 was a record year. 

The oldest volunteer was 91, while the youngest volunteer was 14. 

The volunteers take on a range of tasks. Some are certified divers who go under water to help feed some of the creatures on display, while others help visitors find their way. 

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