Sponsorship needed for award winners

Sea Rescue – National – Monday, 11 October, 2010. NSRI volunteer coxswain to attend an awards ceremony in London to receive commendations from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in recognition of Meritorius Services Rendered on behalf of himself and his two crew members.The Secretary-General of the IMO, in his letter to Dr. Zola Skweyiya, South Africa’s High Commissioner to London, and referring to the crew of the NSRI rescue vessel, said, “I have the honour to refer to the nomination submitted on behalf of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, of coxswain Myck Jubber, crewman Kobus Meyer and crewman Kim Germishuys, of the rescue boat Spirit of Rotary – Blouberg, Station 18, Melkbosstrand, National Sea Rescue Institute of South Africa, for the 2010 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.He went on to say, “I am pleased to advise you that the IMO Council, at its 104th session (7 to 11 June), having decided on the winner of the award (exceptional bravery at sea), also decided that the above nominees should receive Certificates of Commendation, in recognition of their actions in evacuating the 25 crew members of the stricken bulk carrier Seli 1 to safety, operating in sea and weather conditions close to the operating limits of their craft.”In March of 2010 South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute were invited by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to nominate one or more persons for the 2010 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.The NSRI Awards Committee put forward the names of the crew of NSRI Melkbosstrands 5.5 metre rigid inflatable rescue craft Spirit of Rotary – Blouberg which went out to the assistance of the crew of the foundering ship Seli 1 which ran aground at Dolphin Beach, Bloubergstrand, in stormy seas on the night of the 7th of November, 2009.At their meeting, on the 7th of June, 2010, the IMO Council resolved that Certificates of Commendation in recognition of meritorius services rendered should be awarded to four nominees for the Bravery Award, including Coxswain Myck Jubber, Crewman Kobus Meyer and Crewman Kim Germishuys of the rescue boat Spirit of Rotary – Blouberg, station 18, Melkbosstrand, nominated by the National Sea Rescue Institute of South Africa.The IMO Council have been informed that NSRI coxswain Mr. Myck Jubber will attend the IMO Awards Gala in London on the 24th November, 2010 and the South African High Commissioner to London has also been informed.“The NSRI has raised only enough sponsorship to get only one of the three nominated crew to London to accept this award and we are proud to announce that Mr. Myck Jubber, coxswain of NSRI Station 18, Melkbosstrand, will attend the IMO awards ceremony in London on the 24th of November, 2010 to accept the Certificates of Commendation on behalf of himself and his two crew,” said Ian Wienburg, CEO NSRI South Africa.Ian Wienberg, CEO NSRI South Africa, went on to say, “Receiving such an award and being recognised in this way showcases the dedication of our 920 sea rescue volunteers who represent the South African Maritime Rescue capability which ensures that ships visiting South African waters, tourists from all over the world who visit our country and all South Africans can be extremely proud to have such a dedicated and efficient group of volunteers looking after their safety on South Africa’s waters and shows once again that we are amongst the best by international standards.”Rhine Barnes, Sea Rescue Melkbosstrand station commander, said, “The NSRI are very excited about this award. I believe that this is a first for South Africa and certainly a first for the NSRI.“The award came as a surprise to our three nominated crewmembers and to the volunteers of our rescue base in Melkbosstrand as we had not been informed that the NSRI Awards Committee had submitted the nomination to the IMO Council until recently when we received notification from the South African High Commissioner in London.“Since then we have been trying desperately to raise the necessary funds to get all three crewmen to London to receive the award, (at the IMO Gala Event in London on the 24th of November), but so far we have only been able to raise enough to send the coxswain, Myck Jubber, and unless we can come up with enough funds to send his two crew members he will have to collect the award on behalf of himself and his two crew members, Kobus Meyer and Kim Germishuys.Rhine Barnes, Sea Rescue Melkbosstrand station commander, went on to say, “No NSRI volunteer joins the organisation with the idea of receiving awards. We volunteer our time to render a service to our fellow man and we each do this to the best of our ability. These three crewmembers will be the first to tell you that although they went out on the night of Seli 1’s grounding they were motivated only for the safety of the Seli 1 crew. Conditions may have forced them to put their skills to the test and they may have operated the rescue craft to its limit, in those sea and weather conditions, but I’m confident that they will be quick to tell you that it could have been any one of a number of NSRI crew members who would have done exactly the same that night.“This is the nature of the 920 volunteer crew members we have in the NSRI.“The whole of the NSRI organisation is waiting anxiously for the day these three crew members receive this award. It is a mementos occasion for not only just these three crew members but for all of our 920 volunteers who time and time again put their lives on the line for those in peril on our seas.”If anyone would like to help to get all three of these crew members to London for this huge occasion, they can call Rhine Barnes at 0829905958 or NSRI Head Office at 021-4344011.