VILLAS – The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary partnered June 5 with the Bayshore Sportsman’s Club in Villas to create a fun day for members, families and guests at their annual picnic and festival.
The auxiliary provided boating safety information at its booth while hundreds of families watched a K-9 demonstration from the Cape May County Sheriff’s Department, as well as a static display from the county S.W.A.T team.
Club Board Chairperson Joseph R. Breson explained that in prior years, the picnic was attended only by club members, but that this year the goal was to open up the festival to families and children as well as relatives and guests. “We wanted to see more women and children out having fun this year” he explained.
Other events included a display from the Villas Heavy Rescue Unit depicting a serious auto accident; while elsewhere Villas Fire Department demonstrated how its fire hoses are manned, and gave pint-sized future firefighters a taste of firefighting by allowing them to help hold the hose while spraying water on an imaginary fire.
Later, as the sun appeared behind the cloudy haze that seemed to threaten the event, a Coast Guard H-65D helicopter appeared just above the trees to the wonderment of children and adults.
The “helo” swerved back and forth and performed several “fly-bys” just above tree top altitude before making a dramatic and windy landing on a remote area designated by the Auxiliary, which maintained radio communications with the pilot.
Lt. Adam Frye, the aircraft commander from Air Station Atlantic City, led co-pilot Lt.j.g. Kyle Burke and air crewmen Petty Officer 3rd Class Ben Moremen and Petty Officer 1st Class Chris Razoyk during the flight demonstration.
Frye is from Cape Cod and graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 2007 before going to flight school. He explained that air crews typically log over 250 hours of training time per year after their initial qualification to be sure that they are “always ready” (Semper Paratus) to fulfill their mission.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.
