Local Businesses Step Up to Help Coast Guard

Coast Guard members at the station on Fort Myers Beach, Fla., and around the country are not being paid during the partial government shutdown.

The Coast Guard is the only branch of the U.S. Military not receiving paychecks, because the Coast Guard funding comes from the Department of Homeland Security, instead of the Department of Defense. To help guardsmen and guardswoman at the duty station on Fort Myers Beach, BoatUS has teamed up with Sea Tow to take donations.

Among the donations needed are non-perishable foods, baby and infant items, gas cards, toiletries, laundry detergent, grocery gift cards and Visa gift cards.