ALCOAST 145/08
COMDTNOTE 5760
SUBJ: COAST GUARD MUTUAL ASSISTANCE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
1.  BEGINNING APRIL 1ST, MEMBERS OF THE COAST GUARD COMMUNITY WILL
BE ENCOURAGED TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO COAST GUARD MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
(CGMA) THROUGH ITS ANNUAL FUND-RAISING CAMPAIGN.
2.  CGMA IS THE COAST GUARDS OWN FINANCIAL RELIEF ORGANIZATION.
WITH A LEGACY DATING BACK TO 1924, CGMA PROVIDES US ALL (MILITARY,
CIVILIAN AND AUXILIARY) A PRACTICAL WAY TO HELP ONE ANOTHER IN
TIMES OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL NEED.  WHETHER RESPONDING TO AN
UNPRECEDENTED NATURAL DISASTER LIKE HURRICANE KATRINA OR TO THE
THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARISE EACH YEAR, CGMA
HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN GETTING TIMELY AND PRACTICAL
FINANCIAL HELP TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.
3.  THE CAMPAIGN THEME THIS YEAR IS "YOUR CONTRIBUTION COUNTS!"
EVERY DOLLAR YOU GIVE HELPS ENSURE THAT CGMA WILL CONTINUE TO BE
THERE TO HELP A SHIPMATE OR COWORKER THROUGH DIFFICULT FINANCIAL
STRAITS.  THANKS TO YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, MORE THAN 5,600 COAST GUARD
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES RECEIVED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOTALING
OVER 4.1 MILLION DOLLARS IN INTEREST-FREE LOANS AND FINANCIAL
GRANTS DURING THE PAST YEAR.
4.  I ENCOURAGE BROAD SUPPORT FOR THIS YEARS CAMPAIGN. OUR GOAL IS
TWOFOLD: (1) TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE COAST GUARD COMMUNITY
IS AWARE OF CGMA AND THE ASSISTANCE IT CAN PROVIDE FOR THOSE WHO
NEED IT AND (2) TO PRESENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS
WORTHWHILE ORGANIZATION.  DURING THE COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN, UNIT
KEY WORKERS WILL CONTACT MILITARY MEMBERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
LOCALLY.  SELECTED RESERVE MEMBERS, RETIRED MILITARY MEMBERS AND
MEMBERS OF THE COAST GUARD AUXILIARY WILL BE CONTACTED SEPARATELY
BY DIRECT MAIL.
5. ADMIRAL ALLEN MADE THE STATEMENT RECENTLY THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY
MARITIME GUARDIANS.  WE ARE EACH OTHERS GUARDIANS.  CGMA HAS PROVEN
ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN HELPING US LOOK AFTER OUR OWN.  PLEASE JOIN ME
IN HELPING ENSURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO PERFORM ITS VITAL ROLE
WITHIN THE COAST GUARD COMMUNITY.
6.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CGMA, TALK WITH YOUR CAMPAIGN KEY
WORKER, CONTACT A LOCAL CGMA REPRESENTATIVE OR VISIT THE CGMA WEB
SITE: WWW.CGMAHQ.ORG.
7.  RADM CLIFFORD I. PEARSON, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR HUMAN
RESOURCES, SENDS.
8.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.