Cape May Throwing Weekend-Long Party For US Coast Guard
By David Madden
CAPE MAY, N.J. (CBS) - A three-day party starts today in Cape May to honor the city's and the county's long history with the US Coast Guard, and all are invited to take part.
The Coast Guard has grown over the last century or so to become Cape May County's largest employer. Vicki Clark with the county Chamber of Commerce says that means a lot to the bottom line:
"The total economic impact from a study that we did puts the Coast Guard base at about $173-million dollar impact on Cape May County."
Last year, the county was named one of only two "Coast Guard Community" counties across America.
The weekend celebration starts with an official ceremony this evening marking the designation, then a day of events Saturday at the base.
"It will be a unique opportunity for the public to come on base, take a trolley tour of the base, take some boat tours. There'll also be harbor tours available," says Clark.
All this will be followed by a "Kegs and Eggs" Mothers Day brunch on Sunday.
Eighty-percent of all Coast Guard recruits train in Cape May.