Coastguard urgently needs volunteer radio operators

As everyone else comes slowly out of lockdown, Coast Guard have started to train again and have meetings on a reduced scale.

Just like a business, many of our costs have not reduced even though our primary source of income from donations and raffles did stop.

However, in brighter news, we have recently started to sell raffle tickets at the Tin Can Bay Markets, and hope that our Friday night raffles at the Country Club can resume soon.

Our “Homemaker Raffle” that started before Covid-19 was able to start again, and was drawn in June, with the lucky winner of over $900 of prizes being Garry B of Cooloola Cove.

Keep an eye out shortly for our raffle prize of a day out on a BBQ boat valued at $350, you could win it for just $2.

Fortunately, there are also some grants still available to help keep our equipment up to date, and we were recently notified that the Gympie Regional Council has approved our application for $2000 to buy some additional personal EPIRBS that are worn on our life jackets whenever we cross the bar on training, or live search and rescue missions.

If you have found yourself bored at home during lockdown, we urge you to think about joining our volunteers and learn some valuable skills. You don’t need to go to sea, we are urgently in need of radio operators, and you will receive full training, a marine radio licence if you do not already have one, as well as free CPR and First Aid certificates.

Absolutely no previous experience is needed, just some of your spare time and enthusiasm. Helping to keep people safe is a very rewarding way to volunteer, so if you think you might be interested, please call the base on 5486 4290 and we will arrange a meeting to give you more details.