National Safe Boating week is May 16 thru May 22.
West Marine will kick off National Safe Boating Week with an essay contest and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will have Boating Safety Public Information Booths at three area locations, according to Daniel Eaton, Flotilla Commander
of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary on Fort Myers Beach.
The essay contest will focus on the topic: “If you’re a boater whose life has been saved by a life jacket, share your survival story.”
The winning entry – essay or a recorded video- will receive a $1,000 shopping spree at West Marine. All eligible entrants will receive a NSBC boating safety item valued at approximately $5 and might have his or her entry included in a future edition of the book “Saved By the Jacket” or on a boating safety Web site.
Under the “Judges’ Criteria,” winning entries will have an easy-to-follow narrative that inspires boaters to make a habit of wearing a life jacket. Essays can be up to 1,000 words, while videos can be up to five minutes. Electronic files, tapes, and/or disks must be submitted in a standard consumer format.
You can either email your entry or fax it in at (703) 361-5294.