by Fireman Loumania Stewart
ASTORIA, Ore — Sponsors are a major part of any team’s fan base, and provide funds and resources. Sponsors even help to create awareness through the community or across the world. The United States Coast Guard has a sponsor known as the Navy League of the United States. They cheer and support the interest of “Team Coast Guard.”
The Portland Council Navy League adopted Coast Guard Cutter Alert, Wednesday in Astoria, Ore. The Navy League’s main purpose for adopting the Alert is to broaden public awareness and to focus on developing and nurturing the relationship between a Navy League council and the officers and crew aboard the cutter.
“The spark of the crew and officers aboard the Alert is what really initiated the desire to adopt the ship,” Mike Hewlett, President of the Portland Council Navy League of the United States remarked. “The commanding officer of the Alert [Cmdr. Daniel Pickles] is a great person to work with and upon our introduction we began to discuss the adoption of the ship. The Navy League and Alert wouldn’t have this exciting relationship and partnership if it wasn’t for him.”
Cmdr. Daniel Pickles, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert, accepts a certificate of adoption presented by Mike Hewlett, President of the Portland Council Navy League of the United States, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012
Because of the adoption, the Navy League will maintain close communication by sharing outings, tours and cruises with the crew and their families. For example, the Navy League will host a ceremony in January to recognize the Enlisted Person of the Year aboard the Alert. The Navy League plans to make it an annual recognition event involving the local community.
“Even though the Navy League won’t be able to conduct the Coast Guard missions they will be with us in spirit when we are out at sea,” Cmdr. Daniel Pickles, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Alert commented. “It is important to educate the community of our missions and that is exactly what the Navy League does. They advertise and reach out by sponsoring events like the Rose Festival. We have a great appreciation for the Navy League and hope to strengthen our relationship.”
The Navy League has three missions they follow: enhancing the morale of active duty personnel and their families through joint activities, informing the public of the importance of the Coast Guard and involving the youth through programs exposing them to the missions of the sea services.
The Navy League was founded in 1902 with the encouragement of President Theodore Roosevelt and consists of 46,000 civilians in more than 250 councils around the world. For more information on the Portland Council Navy League, go to their website at www.navyleagueportland.org or contact Mike Hewlett at president.portland@gmail.com. Anyone is welcomed and encouraged to become a Navy League member and support the Coast Guard by simply filling out an application at http://www.nlussecure.org/membership/.
“It seems to me that all good Americans interested in the growth of their country and sensitive to its honor, should give hearty support to the policies which the Navy League is founded to further,” President Theodore Roosevelt stated. “For the building and maintaining in proper shape of the American Naval Sea Services, we must rely on nothing but the broad and farsighted patriotism of our people as a whole.”
