Cheboygan wants to become Michigan's third Coast Guard City. What it means for crews, community.

CHEBOYGAN — For the past two years, the Cheboygan Coast Guard Connections Committee has been working to bring more community outreach programs to the city to make military personnel stationed there feel more welcomed.

Sherry Nelson and Joanne Cromley are co-chairs of this committee and have been working on other issues with the city's application to become designated as a Coast Guard City, first filed in 2019.

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"We had problems with the application, we submitted additional information, but we were finally denied in March 2021," said Nelson. "The explanation was because we needed sustained initiatives for Coast Guard members, to make them feel part of the community."

In order to receive the designation, the city must recognize Coast Guard members at patriotic events. Other suggestions were offering the military members discounts at sporting events and entertainment venues.

"Some of these things we do, or did and weren't given credit for, but we do more than that," said Nelson. "We've been meeting since September of last year, and our committee has 14 members."

There are a number of initiatives in place, including welcome bags the Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce has been providing to new Coast Guard members. These bags offer discounts at local retail establishments and information about the city and its amenities. This is done yearly, as each year, one-third of the crew of the cutter Mackinaw are transferred to another location and new crew members come to Cheboygan.

The connections committee has also been hosting quarterly potlucks for the Coast Guard crew, at local businesses. These dinners allow members of the Coast Guard crew to come in, have a meal, and spend time with members of the community.

Emily Clare, program director of the Cheboygan Area Public Library, has also put together a detailed display, highlighting the Coast Guard during August. Aug. 4 is National Coast Guard Day, as the Coast Guard was first formed on that day in 1790. The library also featured an author who is a member of the Coast Guard and has written several books featuring the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw stationed in Cheboygan.

"You may know about the Children's Trail display also, which features Coast Guard artwork and there's a new Coast Guard display there with a floatation device," said Nelson. "You've heard about all of these things and they have been publicized, so we are trying to do things consistently."

The connections committee also produced Coast Guard ornaments and these were given to all of the crew members of the Mackinaw, so they had something to remember their time in Cheboygan. This project was privately funded by a committee members and some of these ornaments are available for members of the community to purchase as well.

"But it was very successful and the Coasties were most appreciative," said Nelson. "We want to do that again this year, because it was a successful promotion and we have some suggested artwork and we've been getting prices on ornaments to have this year."

The members of the committee also recognized the children of the Coast Guard crew, noting they travel with their military parents. These children were all given personalized greetings with gift certificates from Dairy Queen in them.

As the committee moves forward, the group would like to do fundraising to help pay for outreach programs. The city may also be able to apply on behalf of the committee, to potentially receive grant funding for their programs.

Once the city is showing a consistent pattern of outreach, the committee will fill out the application again and submit it, in hopes of attaining the designation of Coast Guard City. With the Coast Guard being in Cheboygan for more than 70 years, it is the goal to establish a warm and welcoming place. There are only about 30 other Coast Guard Cities in the country.

"The other two in Michigan are Grand Haven and Traverse City. Grand Haven is the mother of all Coast Guard cities," said Nelson. "Designation as a Coast Guard City is a benefit to both the military and the city in which the Coast Guard is stationed. The service members have the understanding that they are welcomed in the area, and that the city illustrates special considerations for member of the Coast Guard family."

Members of the Coast Guard who have retired have returned to Cheboygan because they love the city, including several former police officers with the city's police department, Nelson said.

"This is a valuable population to welcome back," said Nelson. "Coast Guard members act as strong role models for youth in the city. Young people have the benefit of interacting with professional service members, whether it's taking a tour of the ship, seeing them march in a parade, or doing a service project, such as painting a picnic table for the park, or donating artwork for the Children's Trail."

Contact Features Writer Kortny Hahn at khahn1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @khahnCDT.

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan working to earn Coast Guard City designation