Socially Speakingby Sandy Fahy
(from left) Charles Gilbert, Dick Bangs, Max Garrison and JoAnne Frey of United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-10 in Dunedin are happy to provide information on boating safety at the recent Senior Awareness Fair at the Dr. William E. Hale Activity Center. Garrison is a member of the team that took first place in the International Search and Rescue Competition which took place in Toronto a while back (more information below). Imagine rowing a 14-foot wooden boat across a pond to a sinking ship that has a large hole in its side. When you reach it, you use whatever materials you have on hand to make the repair. Then you activate a water pump and pump it dry before rowing back to the starting point, all in a matter of minutes. That's exactly what a team of United States Coast Guard Auxiliarists had to do in the first of eight events during the International Search and Rescue (ISAR) Competition which took place in Toronto, Canada, a while back. Kevin McConn, Don Hoge, Jim Ryder and Max Garrison represented Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 11, which covers the area from Clearwater to Hudson. They beat out the champions from other U.S. Coast Guard regions as well as the best four Canadian teams to take first place at the event. Hoge, Ryder and Garrison are members of Dunedin Flotilla 11-10. McConn is a member of Flotilla 11-09 in Tarpon Springs. The men had won the district championship in Punta Gorda, Fla., and the regional championship in Cape May, N.J., to be eligible for the Toronto event. It was the first time in the history of the international competition that an American team won first place. Congratulations to all! ... Applause, please, for Matthew Garner and Katelyn Garner on their awards at the annual 4-H Marine Ecology Event, which was held in Kissimmee not long ago. Matthew was first place winner in the intermediate division. Katelyn took second place in the junior division ... "Happy Birthday" wishes are in order today, February 21, for Karen Hutto, Beth Goodgame, Martha Wharton, Frank Thorne and Geraldine Reynolds ... Hope you remembered Katharine Tapp's birthday yesterday ... Bring out the cake and ice cream tomorrow for Carolyn Willey, Tyler Bartlett, Robert Hoag and Garrett Sykes. Garrett will be 13 ... The birthdays of Susan Johnson and Margaret Hyde are coming up on Saturday ... Kelli King, Sara Tomalesky, Florence Johnson, Mary Walthall, Kellen Scott, Beth Burton and Ed Michels are among those turning a year older on Sunday ... Monday brings the 25th day of the month and the birthdays of Rev. Barbara Brokoff, Irene Davis, William Goodwin, Sr., Eileen Urquhart, Marian Davis and Blake Masters ... Did you know Connie McGinnis and Maegan Hackett share the same birthdate? Their special day is Tuesday ... You still have time to get cards in the mail by Wednesday to Karen Brown, Fred Bickel, Jason Painter, Bill Ward, Dorothy Carmichael and Steven Howry ... "Happy Anniversary" to Clyde and Nancy Smith ... Have a great week, everyone!
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