OXNARD : Boat Club Dinner to Honor Coast Guard

Members of an Oxnard yacht club have invited the entire U.S. Coast Guard contingent stationed at Channel Islands Harbor to attend a dinner Sunday night in their honor.

U.S. Coast Guard Appreciation Night was the brainchild of Channel Islands Yacht Club member Skip Harkson.

“This is a way for us to say thanks for saving all those lives,” Harkson said. “It’s also a good morale booster for them and it gives us all a chance to meet them.”

Aside from the meal, members of the Yacht Club plan to put on a USO-type performance for the Coast Guard members who attend, Harkson said.

Petty Officer Margaret Jones estimated that at least 30 Coast Guard personnel would attend the event, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the yacht club’s headquarters on Harbor Boulevard in Oxnard.

“Everybody thinks this is a pretty good idea,” Jones said. “It gives us an opportunity to socialize with the boating public, who we usually only run into when they need assistance.”