TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 34, Number 25 Thursday, June 28, 2018 THE Page 2 June 28, 2018 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 %HDFKHU&RPSDQ\'LUHFWRU\ e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] 'RQDQG7RP0RQWJRPHU\ 2ZQHUV email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ $QGUHZ7DOODFNVRQ (GLWRU 'UHZ:KLWH 3ULQW6DOHVPDQ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by -DQHW%DLQHV ,QVLGH6DOHV&XVWRPHU6HUYLFH TM %HFN\:LUHEDXJK 7\SHVHWWHU'HVLJQHU Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS 5DQG\.D\VHU 3UHVVPDQ 'RUD.D\VHU %LQGHU\ Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also 0LNH%RUDZVNL+RSH&RVWHOOR&KHU\O-RSSHN 3URGXFWLRQ delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. -RKQ%DLQHV.DUHQ*HKU&KULV.D\VHU'HQQLV0D\EHUU\ 'HOLYHU\ Guardian of the Great Lakes by Connie Kuzydym Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer their time in helping patrol Lake Michigan. heir motto is Semper Paratus. Translated lished the Coast Guard Reserve, which allowed vol- as “Always Ready,” it is an appropriate unteer citizens who owned motorboats or yachts to description for the men and women of the help promote safety on the nation’s navigable wa- TCoast Guard Auxiliary who assist the U.S. ters. Congress amended the act in 1941, making the Coast Guard in protecting our country’s navigable reserve a military branch of the active service and waterways. renaming the civilian section Coast Guard Auxilia- Auxiliary members volunteer their time and tal- ry. During World War II, 50,000 auxiliary members ents at the USCG facility on the east side of Mich- were part of the war effort by helping secure har- igan City’s harbor. They assist in patrolling more bors along the coasts. than 600 square miles of Lake Michigan. The cov- By 1996, the Coast Guard Authorization Act was erage area is 18 miles east of the station to Cherry signed into law. It was the fi rst major legislation Beach in St. Joseph, Mich., and 15 miles west of the affecting the auxiliary since its establishment. Ac- station to Gary’s West Beach. Northern coverage cording to its website, the amendments expanded depends on the size of their boat and the height of the purpose and made the following major changes: the waves. “The purpose of the Auxiliary is to assist the Coast Prior to World War II, Congress initially estab- Guard as authorized by the Commandant in per- THE June 28, 2018 Page 3 forming any Coast Guard function, power, duty, role, mission or operation authorized by law. In ad- dition, the legislation expanded the Commandant’s /276($6<72%8,/'21 authority to use the Auxiliary to assist other Federal agencies, State authorities, and local governments ¶ IHHW RI ODNHIURQW EHDFK DW in areas in addition to recreational boating safety.” /DNHVKRUH 'ULYH :H ZLOO KHOS \RX OLQH Today, there are more than 30,000 auxiliary mem- XS DOO WKH SHUPLWV LQ 0LFKLJDQ ZLWK 0'(4 bers. Volunteers live across the U.S., in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam. 86$&( %HUULHQ &RXQW\ +HDOWK 'HSDUWPHQW The Coast Guard Auxiliary, according to its web- DQG 0LFKLDQD 9LOODJH :KLOH WKH URDG site, is under direct authority of the U.S. Depart- IURQWDJH LV LQ ,QGLDQD HYHU\WKLQJ EXW D ment of Homeland Security via the commandant of JDUDJHZLOOEHEXLOWLQ0LFKLJDQZKHUHWKHUH the U.S. Coast Guard. Its internal operating levels are broken down into four organizational levels: Na- DUHDORWRISHUPLWVEXWWKHSURFHVVLVFOHDU tional, District, Division and Flotilla. DQG WKH SHUPLWWLQJ DJHQFLHV UHDVRQDEOH The national staff are responsible for the admin- 1R PRUDWRULXP RQ VHSWLFV 1R IRRW istration and policy making. The district provides IURP WKH URDG OLPLWV 3ODQV DYDLODEOH IRU administrative and supervisory support to divi- sions, along with promoting policies of the district ODUJH PRGHUQLVW KRXVH VHW RQ SLOODUV ZLWK commander and national committee. ERXOGHUVWRSURWHFWWKHSLOODUVZLWKWKH¿UVW ÀRRU IHHW DERYH WKH FXUUHQW ODNH OHYHO GHJUHH ZDWHUIURQW YLHZV VR \RX FDQ HQMR\ XQREVWUXFWHG VXQVHWV \HDU URXQG 6SHFWDFXODU :DWHUIURQW 9LHZV DFURVV /DNHVKRUH 'ULYH DW /DNHVKRUH 7:2 EXLOGDEOHORWVERWKZLWKFOHDUYLHZV6HOOLQJ WRJHWKHU RQO\ DW IRU ERWK ORWV 3UHOLPLQDU\ZRUNRQ³&ULWLFDO'XQHV´GRQH :DWHU DYDLODEOH 3HUF 7HVW GRQH 7KH WZR KRXVHV FDQ EH VHSDUDWHG VR DV QRW WR VHH PXFKRIHDFKRWKHURU\RXFDQEXLOGDWZR KRXVHIDPLO\FRPSRXQG 'XQHODQG %HDFK 6WRS ,ULTXRLV $ JHQWO\ VORSLQJ ORW ZLWK D SHHN RI /DNH 0LFKLJDQ IURP WKH IURQW \DUG DQG WKHSRVVLELOLW\RIODNHYLHZVIURPDURRIWRS GHFN DW WKH WRS RI WKH KLOO 1R XQXVXDO UHTXLUHPHQWV7KHEHVWSDUWLVWKDWMXVW¶ IURPWKHORWLVRYHUIHHWRIRSHQEHDFK UHVHUYHGH[FOXVLYHO\IRUWKH'XQHODQG%HDFK KRPHRZQHUV $QG WKHUH UHDOO\ LV VDQG RQ WKLVEHDFKWRGD\GHVSLWHVRPHRIWKHZRUVW Michigan City’s Coast Guard Auxiliary is part of 9WR HURVLRQLQPHPRU\/D3RUWH&RXQW\EXLOGLQJ (West Region) Division 33. Photo by James Conlin SHUPLWV DQG 'XQHODQG %HDFK UHYLHZV DUH harbor country Flotillas in the same general geographic area are TXLFNDQGUHDVRQDEOH grouped into divisions that provide administrative, training and supervisory support to fl otillas and O: 269.469.5635 Ext. 302 promote district and national policy. The fl otilla C: 269.612.0505 Dan Coffey E: [email protected] is the auxiliary’s basic organizational unit. Quali- W: www.remaxhc.com Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 June 28, 2018 er of Michigan City Flotilla 33-2, notices when he is Guardian Continued from Page 3 on the lake patrolling is lack of boating knowledge. “You wouldn’t believe the number of people that fi ed members carry out the day-to-day missions of have no idea about the rules of the road on the wa- “Team Coast Guard.” ter,” Hershman said. “We offer boating safety class- Michigan City’s Coast Guard Auxiliary is part of es, which gives them basics of some of the rules. 9WR (West Region) Division 33. There are nine di- There are programs out there to assist people to un- visions throughout portions of Wisconsin, Illinois, derstand safe boating rules.” Indiana and Michigan. The division offi ce for this Auxiliarists like Hershman, who are private boat region is based in St. Joseph, Mich. Flotilla 33-2, owners, must fi rst pass a Vessel Safety Check and Michigan City, is the largest of the fi ve fl otillas in display a current VSC decal. They are assigned a this division, which include St. Joseph, South Ha- USCG radio call sign. In addition, a Coast Guard ven, Kalamazoo and Michiana. Auxiliary patrol ensign (fl ag) is fl own and pennants The Michigan signifying USCG City fl otilla has Auxiliary Patrol are approximately placed on the bow of 20 members who the boat. When pri- assist the Coast vate vessels are as- Guard in areas signed to duty, they such as safety and basically become security patrols, a USCG Auxiliary vessel safety ex- facility, which in aminations, as- turn makes them a sisting the USCG government vessel. with current quali- Even though they fi cation training, receive assistance search and rescue, with gas and some and recreational maintenance items, boating safety. many of the expens- The auxiliary es are borne by the is a unique orga- private owner. nization where Coast Guard Auxiliary members participate in a recent open house and vessel safety Although the volunteering also check at the Michigan City station. Photo by James Conlin Coast Guard Aux- is a commitment to serve our country. Auxiliarists iliary is based on a military structure, it is not as — men and women — come from all walks of life. strict. Because of its volunteer nature, everyone Some have served in other branches of the armed within the organization has equal say. services, but this is not a requirement. The number “In a nutshell, we are the volunteer uniformed of hours an auxiliary member commits is up to his/ component of the Coast Guard,” Baker said. “We are her discretion. part of Team Coast Guard. We are responsible for “There is a wide gamut of programs that you every mission besides direct law enforcement and wouldn’t believe,” Matthew Baker, fl otilla staff offi - direct military intervention. We do essentially ev- cer in charge of public education and public affairs, ery job the Coast Guard does, and we are held to the said. “When I fi rst started I was surprised at the same standard of training as the active and reserve amount of things you can do…in the Coast Guard Coast Guardsmen.” Auxiliary, you may fi nd something that you never When volunteering, auxiliarists do wear a mili- thought of doing.” tary uniform consisting of a pair of boots, trousers, Individuals who become members are looking for Coast Guard blue T-shirt, blouse (button-up jacket) a unique way to give back. During last year’s hurri- and hat. They also are issued a dress uniform. cane season, numerous auxiliarists were activated The auxiliarists are most often visible in the sum- and sent to Texas and Florida. mer, assisting the USCG with many of the larger They also donate their time in a variety of roles, events, such as the Grand Prix superboat races and including administrative work, standing watch, be- fi rework displays locally and in New Buffalo. ing a culinary specialist, assisting in training the Also commanding their attention are the multi- new active duties, doing private owner vessel exam- tude of individuals arriving at Lake Michigan, espe- inations, teaching educational boating and equip- cially when the waves are coming in from the north. ment safety classes. People love going into the lake. Unfortunately, most Safety, indeed, is a top priority for the auxiliary. do not understand the dangers lurking when Lake One of the most disconcerting things Dan Hersh- Michigan begins to churn.