2016 Grassroots Outreach Program

as part of the

North American Safe Boating Campaign

www.safeboatingcampaign.com

@Boat ingCampaign

Facebook.com/safeboatcampaign

Grassroots Outreach Program

The Grassroots Outreach Program is administered through the North American Safe Boating Campaign: Wear It!

Every year, the campaign designates resources to be used for Grassroots efforts around North America.

The recipients apply for resources and are chosen by a selection committee using a scoring rubric.

In 2016, 20 recipients were selected and while most of their efforts took place from May to September, some are ongoing. Read on and join us as we celebrate their successes!

To see some of the work from previous years, visit www.slideshare.net/OutreachNSBC. To learn more about the North American Safe Boating Campaign, visit www.safeboatingcampaign.com.

Franciscan Alliance FoundationResources Provided◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Infant Life Jackets

◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Child Life Jackets

◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Youth Life Jackets

Grassroots Highlight◦ During Safe Kids Day, the Franciscan Alliance Foundation,

along with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, spoke with nearly 70 children and adults.

◦ At the event, they performed life jacket demonstrations and distributed safety materials.

Franciscan Alliance Foundation

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 43, District 7Resources Provided◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Infant Life Jackets

◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Child Life Jackets

◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Youth Life Jackets

Grassroots Highlight◦ In the month of May alone, they helped spread the

Wear It! message to over 200 children.

◦ At one event, over 20 children were able to try on a life jacket. Instructions were provided for the parents regarding proper fit and size.

◦ They urged parents and children to always wear life jackets while on boats or docks.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 43, District 7

West Central Florida Council, Boy Scouts of AmericaResources Provided◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Child Life Jackets

West Central Florida Council, Boy Scouts of America

Grassroots Highlight◦ West Central Florida Council hosted eight different events, each of them

were five days long. The life jackets provided were able to accommodate a total of 40 days of water related activities.

◦ A grand total of 3,600 kids learned the importance of wearing a life jacket.

Bay Sea Scouts, Inc.Resources Provided◦ Wear It! Hitch Trailer Covers

Grassroots Highlight◦ The Bay Sea Scouts, Inc. handed out the Wear It! Trailer

Covers in Bay Village, Ohio and surrounding areas.

◦ This was a great way to spread the Wear It! message to those who may see it while driving.

◦ A boater who placed a Wear It! Hitch cover on his trailer commented: "Yes, the hitch cover did remind me to check our life jacket status before launching as I had to remove it to install my trailer ball."

Bay Sea Scouts, Inc.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 054-08-03 New River Valley, VA

Resources Provided◦ Boating Safety “Sidekicks” Go Boating books

◦ “Sidekicks” Group Banner

Grassroots Highlight◦ Promoted Wear It! at multiple events, many of

them occurring all year long, reaching over 6,000 people.

Dallas Sail & Power SquadronResources Provided◦ Wear It! and National Safe Boating Council whistles

◦ Saved by the Jacket DVD

◦ Wear It! Banner

◦ Boating Safety “Sidekicks” Color-A-Fish Booklets

◦ Boating Safety “Sidekicks” Tattoos

Grassroots Highlight◦ Utilized Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and passed around flyers to grab the attention of local

boaters at the largest inland marina in Texas.

Dallas Sail & Power Squadron

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 13-6-63Resources Provided◦ Wear It! Stickers

◦ $250 Dairy Queen Gift Cards

Grassroots Highlight◦ The Dairy Queen gift cards were distributed at four different events to reward children who

were already wearing their life jackets.

◦ “Many of the recipients were small children, however many of the adults commented that regardless of the Oregon law, they required everyone on the vessel to wear life jackets.”

Remembering Wyatt Dale Water SafetyResources Provided◦ Wear It! Decals

◦ Wear It! Patches

◦ Wear It! Banner

◦ Wear It! Whistles

◦ Wear It! Stickers

◦ Boating Safety “Sidekicks” Temporary Tattoos

Grassroots Highlight◦ Participated in Ready, Set, Wear It! Life Jacket World Record Day for the second year in a row

and the turn-out doubled in 2016 with 600 participants.

Remembering Wyatt Dale Water Safety

Individual Grassroots RecipientChrista WaiteResources Provided◦ Wear It! Whistles

◦ National Safe Boating Council Whistles

Grassroots Highlight◦ Christa distributed all of the whistles at three events.

◦ “I gave members several whistles. I saw them later tubing and the person riding the tube had fallen off. She did have her life jacket on! I thought it was interesting how she had secured her whistle to her wrist where she could use it while in the water!”

Individual Grassroots RecipientChrista Waite

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 3-10 Callao, VirginiaResources Provided◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Infant, Child, and Youth Life Jackets

◦ Wear It! Banner

◦ Wear It! Whistles

◦ Emergency Radio Call Procedures Decal, Almost a Perfect Day DVD, and Wear It! Posters

Grassroots Highlight◦ “We worked with four local county school systems and a total of five schools and 670

kids. We have already been approached by two other school systems including a home school system for the class.”

◦ In addition to the 670 kids who were exposed to the Wear It! message, an additional 300 people learned about the importance of life jacket safety at Rivahfest.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 054-26-01

Resources Provided◦ Mustang Survival M.I.T. Inflatable Life Jackets

with Wear It! patch

Grassroots Highlight◦ Participated in the Supra Wake-boarding

championships on Lake Norman promoting Wear It!

◦ They even had a news segment about their work on Lake Norman keeping boaters safe where the Wear It! logo made an appearance. The reporter inflated a life jacket on Fox 45, which reaches an average of 13,700 views per post. Watch here!

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 054-26-01

Rock River Trail InitiativeResources Provided◦ Wear It! Banners

◦ Wear It! Signs

Grassroots Highlight◦ Participated in three events to educate the public

through the Wear It! campaign, reaching a total of 60 people.

◦ “We found that most water recreationists are aware of state laws requiring PFDs/life jackets/buoyant cushions in watercraft. A few comments thanked us for the important reminders via signage.“

Rock River Trail Initiative

Forest Preserve District of Will CountyResources Provided◦ Adult Life Jackets from Absolute Outdoor, Inc.

◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Youth Life Jackets

◦ Color-A-Fish booklets

Grassroots Highlight◦ Reached over 300 people at just four events with the life-

saving message: Wear It!

◦ Forest Preserve District of Will County was able to collect 147 surveys based on life jacket behavior. They think the data will be of particular use when creating their safety programming for 2017.

◦ “When we made people aware of the chance to fill out a boating safety quiz for a chance to win a life jacket they were really excited and grateful for the opportunity.”

Forest Preserve District of Will County

Howard County Recreation and ParksWear It! Resources Provided◦ Adult Life Jackets from Coleman-Stearns

Grassroots Highlight◦ “The partnership between Howard County Recreation and

Parks and the NSBC is one that benefits all involved. We spread the word on the Wear It! Campaign on a daily basis, and you have provided us with excellent life jackets that will help keep our customers safe.”

◦ To date, they have seen an increase in the number of life jackets worn as well as the number of life jackets that are returned to the loaner board.

Lake SinissippiImprovement DistrictWear It! Campaign Resources Provided◦ Lil’ Legends Mustang Child Life Jackets

Grassroots Highlight◦ Learn To Fish Day, with help from Wisconsin DNR, was a huge

success by providing children and their families with key information regarding life jackets as well as showing how fun fishing can be.

◦ “Yes! We went boating that same day and Grace is being taught that she cannot go near the water without her new life jacket.”

◦ “First and foremost, THANK YOU! We are so grateful for this life jacket. As a family who likes to canoe & fish, we are now able to share our love of the water with our granddaughter at an early age.”

Lake Sinissippi Improvement District

Peoria Fire and Medical DepartmentWear It! Resources Provided◦ Wear It! logo wraps on the Peoria Fire Engine 199

Grassroots Highlight◦ The truck was sent out to community events at Lake Pleasant including the 50,000 people at

lake on the 4th of July and boat races occurring throughout the Fall of 2016 expect to draw 125,000 people.

◦ The truck drove across the country several times for wildfires. The wrapped truck acts as a rolling billboard reminder to wear a life jacket.

◦ The Peoria Fire Engine 199 was featured during a Halloween party at Lake Pleasant where 3,000 people saw the Wear It! message.

Peoria Fire and Medical Department

Grassroots Efforts Making a Difference!

- How many individual resources were provided? 1,051

- How much money was awarded? $5,000

- How many organizations or individuals were awarded grant money? 20

- How many events occurred in total? 93

◦ Some are still ongoing!

- How many people were reached? 65,195

- How many life jackets were provided? 91

Over 65,000 people reached with the Wear It! life jacket message!

Get Involved!

@Boat ingCampaign

Facebook.com/safeboatcampaign

Diane Corish, NSBC Communications Coordinator

dcorish@safeboatingcouncil.org | (703) 361-4294

www.safeboatingcampaign.com