Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 25 is based at Station Boothbay Harbor and supports the station’s activities through operations, education and public outreach. Each year during Boothbay Harbor’s Windjammer Days, CG Station Boothbay Harbor hosts an Open House for visitors from around the country and the world.

Integral to the smooth running of the event is the support team from Flotilla 25; members serve as hosts, guides and security escorts as they shepherd the hundreds of annual guests through the station’s facilities and boats.

Unlike most of the station personnel whose tenure in the Boothbay area is limited, many flotilla members have decades of experience in the area with an accompanying trove of information regarding the station’s history and its significance to the community.

After an introduction to the Coast Guard, the station and the CG Auxiliary, groups of 10-15 guests are escorted through the various displays set up by station personnel and flotilla members. The visitors get hands-on exposure to the Personal Protective Equipment required for boat crews, receive expert advice on paddle craft safety, have an opportunity to try their hands at “passing a heaving line”, and the favorite for kids and adults, a top to bottom tour of the CG 47-foot Motor Life Boats and the CG 29-foot Response Boat.

None of this happens without a lot of work by a dedicated team of volunteers, and at the recent CG Auxiliary Division 2 “Change of Watch” in Portland, 12 members of the Open House Support Team received the Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation award.

The award recognizes exemplary effort in support of Coast Guard Station Boothbay Harbor and its missions; over the 9 year period addressed by the award, Flotilla 25 team volunteers contributed over 750 hours of station support while hosting over 3000 visitors.

The award citation reads in part: “The tireless contributions exemplified servant leadership and personified our core values of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty. The dedication, pride and professionalism displayed by Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 25 Station Boothbay Harbor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.” Signed: Captain Brian. J. Lefebvre, Commander, USCG Sector Northern New England.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit www.cgaux.org

CG Auxiliary Fl 25 meets at 1900 on the 2nd Thursday of each month at CG Station Boothbay Harbor on McKown Pt. Rd. Guests are always welcome. For additional information visit www.flotilla25.org