Foundation awards grants to 25 safety projects

Boat/US Magazine, May, 2004

Promoting safe boating habits has taken on added importance now that the number of fatalities from boating accidents took an unexpected upturn in 2002, after years of decline. To help spread the message to all comers of the country, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has awarded over $45,000 in grants to local nonprofit groups.

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This year, the BoatU.S. Foundation, a national nonprofit education and research organization, received 114 grant applications. Of these, 25 groups (see below) were selected during a competitive application process. These funds enable grassroots organizations to get their project ideas off the ground.

Following government studies of the hazard of carbon monoxide on boats, this year's grant focus was on the dangers of CO poisoning, and 12 of the 25 groups included this topic in their grant project.

"Regardless of what type of boating you enjoy or if you simply have a generator onboard, this problem could affect you," said Chris Edmonston, director of Boating Safety. "It is exciting to see local groups getting this message out to the public in as many ways and places as possible."

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Since 1988, the Foundation has awarded over $575,000 in boating safety grants to promote responsible boating at the local level. Funds are derived primarily from the voluntary contributions of the 550,000 members of BoatU.S. For information about this program and many others visit www.boatus.com/foundation.

RELATED ARTICLE: Grassroots Grants Recipients for 2004

Alaska Marine Safety Education Association, Sitka, AK. To purchase educational materials that will be used to teach children about cold water safety throughout Alaska.

USCG Auxiliary 8WR, White Hall, AR. To purchase 80 "Where Do We Stand" CO videos to be used to train educators about the danger of CO.

USCG Auxiliary 11SR-10, Phoenix, AZ. To produce 125 signs to be affixed to marina fuel pumps that describe proper fueling procedures and the danger of CO exposure.

USCG Auxiliary 11NR-3-9, Redding, CA. To install a VHF repeater system that will improve radio communication on Lake Shasta.

USCG Auxiliary 11NR-12-91, Lafayette, CA. To produce 10 CO displays and posters to be used at various local events.

Santa Clara Power Squadron, USPS of Santa Clara, CA. To promote awareness of CO danger by distributing information sheets and 500 temporary CO detectors.

USCG Auxiliary 7-9-5, Marco Island, FL. To print 1,500 "Hurricane Preparedness" booklets.

USCG Auxiliary 7-4-4, Daytona Beach, FL. To produce 24 signs that will be placed at local boat ramps promoting vessel safety checks.

Homasassa Safe Boating, Inc., Hernando, FL. To produce 32 "Responsible Boater" signs to be posted at local marinas, restaurants, dealers and other on-the-water locations in the Hernando area.

Iowa Great Lakes Water Safety Council, Spirit Lake, IA. To produce 15 CO signs to be placed at boat ramps in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

USCG Auxiliary 5-7-1, Rockville, MD. To purchase educational supplies to help promote safe and fun boating for children in the Smith Island area of Maryland.

USCG Auxiliary 5S-1-8, Annapolis, MD. To produce a CO hot topic program that will train educators about the hazards of CO.

USCG Auxiliary 9C-16-6, Sault Ste. Marie, MI. To upgrade their display booth.

Outdoor Heritage Education Center, Shakopee, MN. To produce 15,000 CO brochures, 100 posters and CO awareness press releases for the Minnesota and Wisconsin region.

Lake Wylie, Mountain Island Marine Commission & the Lighthouse Marine Service, Charlotte, NC. To promote the awareness of CO poisoning through a billboard and printed materials in the Charlotte region.

Lakes Region Sail & Power Squadron, Belmont, NH. To improve their display booth.

USCG Auxiliary 5NR-13-6, Palmyra, NJ. To promote awareness of CO hazards by distributing information sheets and 250 temporary CO detectors.

USCG Auxiliary 14-5-3, New York, NY. To produce 2,500 Spanish language "Safe Boating in New York Harbor" brochures.

USCG Auxiliary 1S-22, Northport, NY. To promote awareness of CO hazards with information sheets and 300 temporary CO detectors.

Coxsackie Yacht Club, Coxsackie, NY. To support their Open House education event with a focus topic on the dangers of CO.

USCG Auxiliary 1SR-10-13, Hewitt, NY. To produce 4,000 charts of the New York/New Jersey Greenwood Lake.

USCG Auxiliary 1NR-07-06, Warwick, RI. To support their boating safety children's education program.

Austin Power Squadron, Austin, TX. To produce 5,000 boating safety cards for the Lake Region of Texas.

USCG Auxiliary 5SR-6-64, Gloucester County, VA. To upgrade their visual display booth.

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Center, Tacoma, WA. To support their CO awareness campaign through the production of bumper stickers and brochures.