STUART — The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is supporting a local food bank while inviting residents to give the gift of a boating safety course today to themselves or to a family member or friend at the same time.

The Stuart Flotilla of the Coast Guard Auxiliary starts the next “About Boating Safely” program this evening at 7 p.m. The course is taught in four nights on Mondays and Thursdays, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., over two weeks at the auxiliary’s Operations Center, 3443 SE St. Lucie Blvd in Sandsprit Park in Stuart.

Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. tonight. Successful completion of this course will earn the participant the Florida Boating Safety Education ID card, required by anyone under the age of 22 operating a power boat.

The course cost is normally $36 per person for materials but the flotilla is offering a discount with conditions. For each person who brings in five non-perishable food items suitable for a Thanksgiving dinner, a discount of $6 will be given. The food will go to the Harvest Food Bank to be distributed free to families in need.

In partnership with Lambda Nu honor society at Keiser University, the flotilla will collect food that night as well as each night of class and at their next regular business meeting on Nov. 10. They ask that you do not leave food items outside the door in the heat, as they will only have to be thrown out.

For more information about the course contact Richard Johnson 772-873-8893 or email rjjvm@att.net.

Established by Act of Congress in 1939 as the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, the Coast Guard Auxiliary supports all missions of the U.S. Coast Guard except military and direct law enforcement actions.

For more information visit the national web site http://wwww.cgaux.org, the local web site http://a0700509.uscgaux.info, or call (772) 288-0509.

Staff report

Tags: boating safety, course, food bank, stuart flotilla, u.s. coast guard auxiliary

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