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Last Updated:
Sunday, November 20, 2005 10:39 AM
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News Release
| A Time-Consuming, Yet Rewarding Volunteer Endeavor |
Date:
Contact: Aux. Wayne Spivak |
By Victoria Hudson, DSO-PA 11NR
An inordinate amount of time, coordination and patience went into preparing and hosting the 10th annual kickoff of Boats ‘n’ Kids, the boating and water safety program offered through San Francisco Bay USCG Boats’n Kids Team 91. The morning-long extravaganza included lessons on basic boating and water safety and marine environmental pollution, as well as information on Coast Guard careers and the Academy. Riveting helicopter search-and-rescue demonstrations performed by Air Station San Francisco and Station San Francisco capped activities.
Home-ported at Coast Guard Island-Alameda, the 378-foot High Endurance Cutter Sherman teemed with children, their parents and siblings, about 220 people in all. More than 30 Coast Guard active-duty and auxiliary members worked smoothly and flawlessly together, volunteering time and talent this year as they have done each of the past 10 years for the event.
One example was in the ward room, where LTjg Adam Koziatek from the Cutter Morgenthau (WHEC-722) joined Flotilla 12-91 members Linda Haynes FSO-AN and Bob Coackley FSO-PE in leading a presentation on basic boating and navigation and the AIM -- Academy Introduction Mission -- Program.
Coackley explained how the right side of boats came to be called “starboard”, ruminating about the ancient mariners’ method of steering their ships using oars on one side of the ship. The word stere-bourde came from Old English (before the 10th century) steorbord: "side on which a vessel was steered". The word was formed from steor- "rudder, steering paddle" and bord "ship's side". He also discussed personal flotation devices; boat lights; safety/self-rescue/signaling devices: lights, whistles, chemical lights, flares, mirrors, and VHF radios.
Afterward, Coackley noted the relationship between doing something he enjoys while serving the greater good of the boating population. “I like giving back,” he answered when asked why he joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary. “I have had a lot of benefits over the year. The Auxiliary is an excellent way of making sure people are informed about boating and water safety. They can enjoy boating better and are safer boaters.”
John Gordon Flotilla Commander (Palo Alto & Mountain View Flotilla 4-3) voiced similar sentiments. “I enjoy boating and doing community service,” said Gordon who had been listening to the presentation along with his wife, Julie, and two sons, Andrew and Chris. “With the auxiliary, I get to do both. It’s fun and it’s public service. Auxiliary is fantastic for that reason.”
For active-duty Coast Guard personnel, public service comes naturally as part of the job. Still, there are other reasons why they would spend their off-duty time aboard a cutter swarming with children and their families. “I like it. I have a good time,” said LTjg Koziatek. This was his second time assisting with the event. “Kids get to learn something in the process. They learn about being safe on the water way and about what the Coast Guard does.”
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The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteer's who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation's waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education. The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and re-designated as the Auxiliary in 1941. Its 30,000 members donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions. For more information on the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, visit us at www.cgaux.org. ### |
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