Hundreds of thousands of men and women have served in our country’s armed forces. For those of us who’ve always wanted to say thank you but weren’t exactly sure how, Branden deBuhr has your answer. Take a soldier out for a day on your boat. deBuhr, who served in the army during the first Gulf War (1990 to 1991), became moved while reading a thread on the Bayliner Owner’s Club Forum. In it one member described the gifts of gratitude bestowed upon his daughter in recognition of her military service. From free coffee to first-class airline upgrades, people just wanted to say thanks. deBuhr and others on the forum did too–with their boats.The result is Boaters of America Say Thank You (www.boasty.org). Boasty aims to enlist regular boaters to take soldiers and veterans out on the water for a day. The service starts on Memorial Day and runs every weekend through Labor Day. Interested in saying thanks? Go to the Web site to find out how to donate time or register your boat.
