Flotilla plans Sunday life jacket giveaway for children

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Clearlake Wal-Mart store manager presents check to Flotilla Commander Betty Strach. Pictured, from left to right, is DA Butts, Flotilla finance officer; Bill Hulse, Wal-Mart sports department manager; Jerry Collins, Flotilla project coordinator; Flotilla Commander Betty Strach; Coleen Lee, assistant store manager; Store Manager Mike Crowder; and Jack Gerhardt, assistant Flotilla project manager. Courtesy photo.

 



LAKE COUNTY – US Coast Guard Auxiliary Lake County Flotilla 88 has been awarded a $1,000 Community Grant from the Clearlake Wal-Mart store. The grant will be used for a “Children’s Life Jacket Giveaway Project.” This will be the fifth year that Wal-Mart has supported the life jacket project.


The grant – along with funds from the Flotilla special project fund and donors Pati and Jack Gerhardt, Richard Thomas, Disney Water Sports, Betty Strach and Verlyn Newell, Dane Hayward, DA and Leona Butts, and Jerry and Nita Collins – will be used to purchase children’s life jackets and give them out free of charge till supplies last.


On Sunday, May 18, which marks the beginning of “National Safe Boating Week,” Flotilla members will set up in the Clearlake Wal-Mart parking lot and hand out the children’s life jackets free starting at 10 a.m. and will continue until supplies run out.


Children under the age of 12 and under 90 pounds must be accompanied by a parent/guardian and will be fitted and educated in the proper use and care of the life jacket. There will be a limited supply for children under 12 and over 90 pounds.


The project coordinator is Flotilla member Jerry Collins.


“The project was created by my wife and former member and Flotilla Commander Nita Collins. She was moved to do so after the drowning of a child on Clear Lake six years ago,” he said.


Betty Strach, current Flotilla Commander said, “This is the perfect project for both Wal-Mart and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. At the national level Wal-Mart is a member of the National Recreational Boating Safety Committee and our core mission is recreational boating safety.”


This year the Flotilla will be joined by “Chipper” from the California Highway Patrol and Smokey from Cal Fire. The California Highway Patrol also will set up a courtesy children's car seat safety check booth. They will check and instruct on safe installation to ensure maximum safety for children.


“We will have a captive audience and we want to include our partner agencies that have vital public safety programs” said Collins.


Also, on hand this year will be the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s radio-controlled boat “Coastie,” programmed with boating safety messages.


“I would like to thank the staff at the Clearlake Wal-Mart, especially Assistant Manager and Community Grant Coordinator Coleen Lee and Sports Department Manager Bill Hulse for their awesome support of this worthy project,” said Collins. “Without them it would not happen.”


The US Coast Guard Auxiliary is the civilian volunteer arm of the US Coast Guard. The core mission of the Auxiliary is recreational boating safety and the motto of Team Coast Guard is “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready).


For more information on the Coast Guard Auxiliary contact Betty Strach at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-513-5122.


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