Cyrus Buffum already receives praises from locals who are thankful for the work he does protecting our waterways as the Charleston Waterkeeper, but he may soon be receiving national acclaim from GQ Magazine. Cyrus is one of 122 men around the nation nominated for GQ’s Better Men Better World search.

The search seeks to find “a man who strives every day for the betterment of society through charitable work, volunteerism, and community involvement.” If he wins the grand prize, he’ll receive $10,000 for the charity of his choice, a trip to NYC where he’ll be honored at The Gentlemen’s Fund Ball, $2,000 cash and a Movado watch and a feature in GQ.

Charleston Inspired has written about the Charleston Waterkeeper before in a post titled, “Do you know the Charleston Waterkeeper?”

Here’s Cyrus’s nomination:

“The truest idealists are warriors of a sort”
–Samuel G. Freedman

Cyrus Buffum is not a superhero, one who is only heroic because of overtly gallant feats or flashy and extravagant efforts.

Cyrus Buffum is a champion. A champion for his cause, he is an idealist armed with creativity, excellence, courage, and leadership.

Motivated by his desire to follow a career path that allowed him “to contribute to the welfare of humankind and of our planet” and inspired by The Riverkeepers story, Cyrus Buffum founded Charleston Waterkeeper on September 16, 2008. On that date he joined the nearly 200 Waterkeeper Alliance programs worldwide in their devoted effort to protect and preserve our world’s waters. As a Waterkeeper, Cyrus works tirelessly to maintain a presence on our local waterways, defending the local watershed against polluters and enlisting the community to take part in protecting their own right to clean water. As the Executive Director of Charleston Waterkeeper, he leads by example, upholding the mission of “measurably improving the quality of Charleston’s waterways through hands-on community involvement, scientific monitoring and legal action.” In the 2 years since founding Charleston’s first organization solely dedicated to improving the health of our water system, Cyrus has brought an awareness to the community through education programs, beach and waterway clean ups, and direct involvement with government, local businesses, and the public.

However, Cyrus was a Waterkeeper long before receiving the official title. A sailor since he was young, he enjoyed the days on the water in his native Cape Cod before moving to Charleston, SC to attend college. His love of the water is evident in both his work and his desire to share this precious natural resource with us all, encouraging us to take an active role in its preservation.

And it is not only his love of the waterways or his dedication to protecting the public’s right to clean water that make Cyrus Buffum a Better Man. It is also his innate and selfless ability to make you feel like a Better Man, too.

“Ndakasimba kana makasimbawo”
I am strong, if you are strong.

This Shona saying is a principle Cyrus learned during his travels with The Elias Fund in Zimbabwe, Africa. It is a maxim that describes his unfaltering commitment to not only our water but his commitment to engaging the public to take pride, take responsibility, and to take action in the defense our basic human right to clean water for today and the days to come.