The Portland chapter of the International Order of the Blue Gavel announced today that it has provided over 200 life jackets to the Portland District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This donation will resupply worn and lost life jackets at 19 life jacket loaner stations located along the Columbia River and in the Willamette Valley at Corps-managed parks and boat ramps. Visitors recreating on the water can borrow life jackets and return them to the kiosk before leaving. “Blue Gavel leadership is very excited to partner with the Corps of Engineers on this project. Our members are all past leaders of boating groups throughout the Portland metro area and we understand that drowning is preventable. Nine out of ten people who drown were not wearing life jackets, which is why this program is so important,” said Mike Kondrat, vice president of IOBG District 5. “Anything we can do to promote water safety is very good for our community.” “Partnering with organizations like the Blue Gavel enables the Army Corps of Engineers to support a variety of water sport activities at the numerous recreational parks we manage along the Columbia and Willamette watersheds,” said Amber Tilton, park ranger and member of the Columbia River Gorge Safe Kids Coalition. “Providing these much-needed life jackets for our kiosks enables a safer water experience for a wide variety of people enjoying our parks.”