The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education and welfare of Coast Guard members and their families, announced today that its Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan community center program is nearing its goal and that the “Buy a Brick” program is a key component of that success. A top priority for the Coast Guard Foundation, the Sault Ste. Marie Community Center will give Coast Guard members and their families in the area an all-inclusive indoor recreation facility that will serve as a safe place for families to enjoy themselves and build a community during the long Michigan Upper Peninsula winters.
“Our ‘Buy a Brick’ program is instrumental in reaching our funding goals for the Sault Ste. Marie Community Center,” said Anne Brengle, president, Coast Guard Foundation. “We encourage everyone who wants to show their support for the Coast Guard to participate in this worthy cause. It gives you a chance to give back to these brave individuals by providing a much-needed resource for Coast Guard members and their families.”
Sault Ste. Marie is located in the far northern reaches of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; the area is home to eight different Coast Guard units that are responsible for search and rescue, law enforcement, aids to navigation, marine safety, and homeland security on Lake Superior and Northern Lakes Michigan and Huron, including surrounding navigable waterways. Approximately 600 active duty, reserve and civilian employees plus their families are based in the area.
“With harsh winters that average 13 feet of snow, Coast Guard deployments can be very challenging in this area, and community and recreation opportunities are tough to come by,” continued Brengle. “The Coast Guard Foundation is proud to support these brave individuals and their families. The center will inspire a strong feeling of community, build esprit-de-corps among the Coast Guard units, and represent a lasting testament to our support.”
For 45 years, the Coast Guard Foundation has been committed to inspiring leadership, learning and a proud legacy of service to our nation by supporting the men and women of the United States Coast Guard. The Foundation provides higher education scholarships to enlisted members and their children, support and scholarships for families of Coast Guard members lost in the line of duty, and support for morale programs, including funding recreation, exercise and family-oriented facilities. The Coast Guard Foundation is headquartered in Stonington, Connecticut, where it maintains a staff of 10, with regional offices in the New York City area; St. Petersburg, Florida; and Dallas, Texas. To learn more about the Coast Guard Foundation or to help support its work, please visit www.coastguardfoundation.org.
The Buy A Brick program’s engraved bricks are available for $100 for a 4-inch by 8-inch brick and $500 for an 8-inch by 8-inch brick. For more information on the Sault Ste. Marie Community Center, the Buy A Brick Campaign, the Coast Guard Foundation or its programs, please visit www.coastguardfoundation.org or call (860) 535-0786.
