City of Florence Coast Guard City Designation Celebration Video

On August 16, 2017, the City of Florence celebrated our Coast Guard City Designation. You can watch the full ceremony and celebration here!

In October 2016, Mayor Henry and a group of dedicated community volunteers submitted an application for designation as a Coast Guard City to the US Coast Guard on behalf of the City of Florence. Mayor Henry has received notice that from Rear Admiral David Throop that our application was successful. Rear Admiral Throop serves as the Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District and is located in Seattle, Washington.

"This distinguished designation came after a long application process and a lot of hard work," said Mayor Henry. "According to Admiral Throop, our application package was one of the best that has been submitted and we feel fortunate to have been selected."

“Over the past 100 years, the community has rallied around and accepted the men and women of the Coast Guard as their own,” said Rear Admiral David Throop. “The support of communities like Florence is essential in helping our crews and families to be ready at all times. We are happy to be able to highlight these local efforts by designating Florence a Coast Guard City.”

The Coast Guard City designation is a special one that recognizes the relationship between a local Coast Guard station and the community they are located within. The City of Florence is honored to join the twenty-three other communities across the nation that have also earned this designation as a Coast Guard City. The Coast Guard explains this designation as follows:

"The very nature of the Coast Guard's mission creates a need for understanding between the Coast Guard and the local community. Coast Guard commands everywhere are urged to develop the kinds of relationships that enable unit commanders to sense public attitudes and interests.

"In turn, many cities have made special efforts to acknowledge the professional work of the Coast Guard men and women assigned to their area. Making Coast Guard men and women and their families feel at home in their home away from home is an invaluable contribution to morale and service excellence. The Coast Guard is pleased to recognize Coast Guard Cities - those cities that have extended so many considerations to the Coast Guard family and their dependents."

"We are especially thankful for the employees and their families at Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River and for what they do for our community," said Mayor Henry. "Not only do they keep our river and the adjoining miles of coastline safe for boaters, they are an integral part of our community, an important partner to our City, and they contribute greatly to what makes Florence Oregon's Premier Coastal Community."

This milestone is especially significant to have received in 2017 as this year marks the 100-year anniversary that the Florence community has been served by the local US Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River!

Mayor Henry also extends a special thank you to Deborah Heldt Cordone, one of our local US Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River Auxiliary members, for her help in preparing the application package.
More info at ci.florence.or.us/council/coast-guard-city-celebration-august-16th.