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President's Message--

Greetings Navy Leaguers,

The February meeting was a blast with great food and great friends as we recognized and honored the brave men and women of the US Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Talking to these brave "Guardians", we heard unbelievable stories of pride, selfless devotion to humanitarian relief and defenders of our shores and maritime safety.

Captain Blomme, the new Commander of Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, provided an overview of the state of the Coast Guard in Jacksonville. Despite antiquated equipment, limited resources and overextended missions, the men and women of this exemplary service have performed a multitude of missions flawlessly. He spoke of the heroic efforts as part of the initial response team to Haiti, from providing security, medical support and even delivering a baby or two. Additionally, he recounted the numerous inland

waterway rescues of distressed boaters often under hazardous conditions. Lastly, he could not thank the Coast Guard Auxiliary enough for all their support to "hold the torch" to assist when necessary. Our VP of Coast Guard Affairs, Don Mooers, did a superb job in organizing this special event. Don is a true patriot and the Navy League is honored to have him as one of us. Also, a special thanks goes out to Betty Howard who continues to dazzle us with her artistic excellence by providing table decorations that are such a big hit. I have never seen so much excitement at dinner meetings when it comes time to find the hidden ticket.

Our guest speaker in March is Mayport's own, Bill Reynolds, author of the Jettyman. He is an accomplished orator and he mixes humor, wit and adventure into the tales of old Mayport. When he is done, his story will dispel and solidify every rumor, superstition and belief about old Mayport. This is a must attend event, please join us in welcoming Bill to our Council.

Lastly, we are still looking for volunteers to assist with the various committees that were mentioned in the February newsletter; from Fund Raising to Correspondence, WE NEED YOU!!! We have to get the word out to the Jacksonville and Beaches communities about the great things the Mayport Council does for OUR maritime services. We also need your help with the National Convention that is coming to Jacksonville in Oct. The planning committee is tirelessly working to raise money to put on an the most comprehensive event heavy maritime demonstration the city has never seen. We are in dire need of volunteers to assist with correspondence, fund raising and other items. So if you have a few hours a month to help, we certainly can use your help and I promise, the personal gratification you will experience will be worth the effort.

I look forward to seeing you at our next board meeting at Queens Harbor (March 2nd, the mixer at Culhane's March 10th AND the dinner March 18th. No excuses, please join us.

Thanks.

John Vargo