Commander's Message
2016 - 2017

Cdr Linda Martin, JN
 

 

When Mike and I bought our used 21’ Bayliner in 1986 the only boaters we knew were my brother and Jane who were on their way to Hawaii on a Cross-the-Pacific-Ocean Adventure.  We took the Power Squadron class, went boating with seasoned boaters, taught classes and got involved. WE WERE HOOKED ON POWER SQUADRON. Mike and I have been in this squadron 30 years.  We are rich in memories, just ask us and we will tell you. 

As commander I want to go back to the past where we are rich in memories and bring those special things that worked into the present and look forward into the future.

We are Rich in memory…Looking forward…..

There are three areas that I want to focus on this year; Life Jackets, Phones and Maps.

  1. LIFE JACKETS— when I was growing up at the beach, mom and dad made us wear our life jackets when we were in the boat.  They were the ugliest life jackets you ever saw.

I want to put an emphasis on wearing your life jacket so you won’t drown. Did you know?  In 2013 77% of all fatal boating accidents victims drowned and of those who drowned, 84% were not wearing a life jacket.

  • The first thing we did to promote life jacket awareness was to have a life jacket WEAR IT CAMPAIGN MAY 21, at the Port of Everett. Sixteen participants, 2 dogs and an adorable Seagull came wearing their life jackets, we took a photo and sent it the National Safe Boating Council.

  • Each month in our Pike Pole Newsletter there will be a page devoted to Life Jacket Safety information, statistics and survivor stories,

  1. PHONES-- I want to get to know all the members personally. When I look in our roster I see many names of people that I do not know. To accomplish this we will bring back the printed roster, continue the phone committee, re-enact the Buddy System and have a dinner with the Commander once a month with members that we haven’t seen for a long time, if ever.

  1. MAP--I want to put Boating Safety for Kids on the map, the USA MAP— It is estimated that half of all drowning events among recreational boaters from 2000-2006 could have been prevented, if personal floatation devices were worn.  

  • We have taught hundreds of children Boating Safety for Kids in the last 20 years. We teach about life jackets and small boating accidents.  The kids walk away knowing what to do. We want to teach 200 kids this summer.

  • We are well on our way to get the 2-hour seminar “Boating Safety 4 Kids” approved by USPS and into the hands of squadrons all over the USA.  That is where the map comes in.

  • We want to get the new Puzzle Story Book about PFD Seagull in the hands of more children, stores and even on Amazon.

We welcome you to join us and experience the great friendships and adventures that are bound to happen as we strive to make each boater we meet, young and old, a safer person on the water.