2009 National Marina Day Resources
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In addition to the materials included in this year's National Marina Day Resource Kit, a number of affiliated organizations have made available to National Marina Day participants a variety of resources to enhance their facility's events. For more information on the various additional resources available to you in support of your National Marina Day event, contact AMI directly at 866-367-6622.
Preserve America's Waterways
Preserve America’s Waterways is a national project to help every marina operator host a youth service project at their facility to keep our waterways clean. Kids across the country have fun in, on, and under the water. They swim, paddle, fish, sail, dive, enjoy water sports and boating, and connect with the environment. No matter where a child lives, a lake, stream, river or stretch of shoreline is waiting nearby to be enjoyed and explored. In almost every case, there is a marina close by!
The process to sign up is easy and costs you nothing but the time to offer a date and project. You simply pick a day/weekend at your marina and a local youth group will adopt the project. The program is lead by the Boy Scouts of America and the National Youth Marine Alliance. Every activity is covered by the BSA insurance and the scouts will come and cleanup your site along with their adult leader and supervisor. This is an excellent way to be a good community partner and show that your marina practices good stewardship.
Preserve America's Waterways is an official part of National Marina Day, but you may plan to have your clean up day at any time from March through December in preparation for your National Marina Day events. Every participating marina will be recognized with the Youth Stewardship Partner Award. 
We need your help to make National Marina Day 2009 a very special event. Please contact Tom Griffin, project coordinator of National Youth Marine Alliance, captkid@cox.net, 401/935-6248.
Boating Safety & Homeland Security
Marina operators are the U
S Coast Guard's and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary's links to the recreational boaters, conveying recreational boating safety messages, public-education courses, vessel-safety checks, and assistance with the Maritime Homeland Security mission. The Coast Guard Auxiliary has a volunteer in almost every area where there is a marina. This person is the Auxiliary Recreational Boating Safety Program Visitor (PV). The PV's job is to provide you with information/material and to coordinate the many Coast Guard and Auxiliary programs to assure effective implementation. One of the programs to support this mission is 'America's Waterway Watch,' the national awareness program that asks those who work, live, or recreate on or near the water to be aware of suspicious activity that might indicate threats to our country's homeland security. Your PV can provide you with information and materials (signs, brochure, and window stickers) on how you can assist in keeping America's waterways safe and secure. For more information, contact John Potts, USCG Auxiliary, Department Chief, Boating at 410-923-2904 or by email, jpotts38@msn.com.
Promote Your Event on www.takemefishing.org
The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) invites you to promote your National Marina Day event on the RBFF's website, www.takemefishing.org. Over 30,000 unique visitors visit www.takemefishing.org each month looking for information on where to go fishing and boating in their area. By registering your National Marina Day event on this website, you will be publicizing your marina's festivities to thousands of potential patrons and visitors in your area and beyond! In addition, RBFF and AMI will be promoting www.takemefishing.org to the media as a source for locating a National Marina Day event in their area. Registering is free, its easy, and its instant! Just visit www.takemefishing.org and click on the 'Events' section. For more information about registering your event on the www.takemefishing.org website, contact AMI at 866-367-6622 or via email at info@MarinaAssociation.org.
BoatU.S. Foundation 'Help Stop the Drops' Program
The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water's 'Help Stop the Drops' Program aims to equip marinas and boaters with the knowledge and tools to prevent the drips and drops that can accidentally escape from boats and fuel-pump nozzles during refueling. Check out the new Help Stop the Drops clean fueling website at www.helpstopthedrops.com. The website provides a series of free educational materials. Marina operators can get free dock signage and a clean fueling product guide, while kids can even get in on the program with a free activity sheet.
The BoatU.S. Foundation also provides marinas a monofilament recycling program. If you are a marina with active fishing populations and interested in installing and maintaining a PVC fishing line recycling bin at your facility, please click here to get started: http://www.boatus.com/foundation/Monofilament/
Passport to Fishing and Boating Program
Passport to Fishing and Boating Program is a hands-on, interactive program designed to teach families the basic skills needed to begin fishing and boating. The Program includes teaching materials designed with the lay volunteer in mind, featuring background information, teaching tips, and scripts detailing what to say and do. The Passport Program materials include color posters, scripts, activity cards, a boat mat layout, and other teaching tools. By using the Passport Program, event participants have fun while learning the basics of fishing and boating in their communities. To download Passport materials free of charge go to www.rbff.org and click on the 'Programs' button at the top of the page.
Environmental Stewardship - The Ocean Conservancy
Ocean Conservancy's Good Mate program is designed to promote environmentally responsible boating and marina operations. Ocean Conservancy will provide a series of free brochures and a CD packed with educational information, helpful links, and other resources for boaters to learn more about boating clean and green. Even small day-to-day changes in the way we maintain and operate our boats make a big difference to our aquatic environments. Please contact 727-369-6617 to order your free materials.
Visit www.marinaeconomics.com
Letting your local and state governments, as well as your community know the economic impact that your marina has on the local area can be part of the information you share on National Marina Day. Use the marina economic impact calculator on this site www.wmnatmarinaday.com to easily determine how much you contribute to your neighborhood and even your state. Money talks and the more people who know your true value the better support you will be able to gain.