OCEANSIDE —— HireMarines.com, a Web site to help Marines find part-time jobs, has become full-time work for founders Mark and Tori Baird of Oceanside.

The Web site was launched earlier this year as a charitable hobby by the Bairds, owners of Future Tech Carpet Cleaning. But their carpet-cleaning business has been slow, and traffic at the Web site has soared, Mark Baird said.

"This has become a full-time job, seven days a week and 10 to 12 hours a day," Baird said.

Within two days of a March 15 North County Times article about the site, it had been visited by more than 1,000 North County residents and Marines, Baird said.

The site is being expanded now to offer full-time jobs to honorably discharged Marines, funded by a $25,000 home loan, Baird said. He added that he intends to turn the Web site into a business but not to get rich on it.

"We just want to be able to pay our bills," Baird said.

The money will come from banner ads and fees to large companies advertising for workers, Baird said. As is the case now, Marines seeking work and individuals hiring for odd jobs will not be charged.

The Web site began as a gesture to allow North County residents to show their gratitude to Marines in a way that didn't smack of a handout. Young Marines tend to be lacking in cash, especially if they have families. Baird figured they'd leap at the chance to earn extra money —— and the community would be eager to hire them. In the bargain, residents would get people trained with a good work ethic.

"It's a good tool for active-duty Marines looking to earn some extra money in their time off," said Staff Sgt. Adan Moreno, an aircraft rescue firefighter section leader at Camp Pendleton. "One of the Marines in our group used it to find work," Moreno said in a Monday interview.

In a March 11 e-mail to the Bairds, Moreno wrote, "It is people like you who make Marines like me want to serve."

Other flattering e-mails have come from employers like Peggy Reiber, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Vista.

"I want to thank you for this great opportunity," Reiber wrote on March 19. "I just returned from interviewing a great young Marine who will be perfect to allow me to open my club on weekends to get more youth off the street."

Contacted Monday, Reiber said the Marine hired will start work this Saturday, allowing the club to be open to members on weekends.

"As a retired Marine, of course I think it's a great idea," Reiber said. "You know they (Marines) have a certain amount of discipline, and the background work has already been done on them so you know who you're getting."

The site listed 55 jobs as of Monday afternoon. They include yard work, ranch hand —— "experience with horses required," welder, and data entry clerk. Pay can be hourly, between $7.50 to $18 hourly, or a flat fee.

Marines seeking jobs or those wishing to hire them can call the Bairds at (760) 231-5089, e-mail them at hiremarines@cox.net or visit the Web site at http://www.hiremarines.com (no hyphen in e-mail or Web address).

North County Times staff writer Bradley J. Fikes wrote this article. He can be reached at bfikes@nctimes.com or (760) 739-6641.

Marines seeking jobs or those wishing to hire them can call the Bairds at (760) 231-5089, send e-mail to hiremarines@cox.net or visit www.hiremarines.com.