Coastguard Otago gets new rescue vessel
28 Mar 2013
The Otago Community Trust recognises the importance of organisations staffed by volunteers whose job it is to save lives.
In 2012, the Trust helped Coastguard Otago to buy a larger rescue vessel more suited to bigger seas, the $20,000 donation invaluable, according to Coastguard Regional Manager Cheryl Moffat. "The Trust came to our rescue. Our volunteers needed a safer vessel to put to sea in, and their donation towards this made it happen, helping us fulfil our promise to save lives at sea. Their support has made a big difference to our operation."
Not only has the Trust helped with the new rescue vehicle, the coastguard service in Dunedin, Wanaka, Queenstown and Clyde also relies on on-going support. "We are staffed by volunteers giving their time, so we also need money for basic operating costs such as fuel; this would also be very hard to manage without the Trust's on-going donations."