Year-end gift to BoatUS Foundation benefits recreational boating

by D. Scott Croft/BoatUS on 14 Dec 2012 Boaters can assist themselves this holiday season by making a tax-deductible, year-end gift to the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit education and outreach organization operating more than a dozen programs benefitting targeting boaters. Donations are utilized year-round to help those on the water stay safe and to help keep our waterways clean.

A donation as little as $5 can help:

• $5 covers the cost of a set of informational decals for a monofilament fishing line recycling bin (BoatUS.com/foundation/monofilament).

• $10 buys a life jacket for the Kid's Life Jacket Loaner Program, which offers right-sized life jackets for the afternoon or weekend at no cost to mom and dad at over 500 loaner sites across the nation (BoatUS.com/foundation/LJLP).

• $25 helps defray the cost of the free BoatUS Foundation Online Boating Safety Course, which is loaded with interactive animations, videos and photos to give boaters an education that goes well beyond the basics of boating - all from the comfort of home. The NASBLA-approved course also fulfills the boating safety education requirement in 33 states and can earn a discount on insurance (BoatUS.org/onlinecourse).

• $100 replenishes supplies for oil spill response kits at marinas helping them respond to small spills (BoatUS.com/foundation/brochure/ProductDirectory.pdf).

• $250 will pay for a new battery for an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) that can be affordably rented for the occasional race, rally or crossing (BoatUS.com/foundation/epirb).

To make a donation, go to BoatUS.com/foundation/donate.htm, or you may send a check by mail to: BoatUS Foundation, 880 South Pickett Street, Alexandria, VA 22304. For more information on giving, you can also call 800-245-2628.