Oak Bay Sea Rescue and its many volunteers celebrated a secure and safe new boathouse – still bearing a fresh-wood smell, last Friday. Rescue staff with the volunteer organization ferried guests around the Oak Bay Marina to the boathouse where they could lean over the mezzanine rail and watch the vessel lift in action.
But before the water tours, Oak Bay Marine Group had a surprise announcement for the society that supports Oak Bay’s Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 33.
“This is a great day for the community. They work tirelessly and they give their energy and their time their volunteer hours to making our world and our waters this recreational playground, a much safer place for us to be part of and enjoy,” said Peter Ciceri, CEO of OBMG. “We’re very, very grateful to the contribution you make to us, and to the community as a whole.”
To resounding cheers and applause, he handed the giant cheque made out for $30,000 to Oak Bay Sea Rescue society president Terry Calveley.
“I’m not usually speechless but today I am,” she said. “This support from the Oak Bay Marine Group has gone way beyond our expectations and we truly are humbled and grateful.”
Ciceri said the marine group is grateful for the partnership.
The rescue organization, which started in 1977, was out to celebrate replacing the old boathouse after a major fundraising push for the shiny new building now gracing the marina.
“We simply outgrew our last boathouse,” said Calveley. “Between break and enters and thefts, equipment being stored off site at members’ homes – mine – and our training meetings being held away from where our vessels are, it was just not sustainable to carry on operations with our old facility.”
The Oak Bay Sea Rescue Society supports RCMSAR 33, one of more than 45 RCMSAR stations in the province, their mandate includes promoting boating safety and education. They were the first Marine SAR station to develop and maintain a junior program and they also support the Kids Don’t Float initiative.
Visit obsr.ca to learn more about the Oak Bay Sea Rescue Society.