The Beachlands community has turned out in numbers at the Formosa Golf Resort to support the Maraetai Coastguard.
Ray White has been the main sponsor of the annual charity event for several years and company principal Rex Bignal says they are proud to stand behind a service that means so much to it.
"These are volunteers who give up their time to keep an eye on what is happening on the water and to ensure our safety."
Franklin Local Board members Malcolm Bell and Amanda Hopkins were at Formosa to offer support to the Coastguard organisers.
"The board gives $40,000 to Maraetai Coastguard each year, and we are only too aware of the fabulous work the volunteers do. At the end of the day, these people can be the difference between things going badly at sea and them turning to utter catastrophe," Malcolm says.
Amanda says she has nothing but admiration for the men and women of the Coastguard.
"We can all be guilty at times of taking people for granted, but the service Coastguard provides could save your life one day and given how cheap it is to be a member, anyone who goes to sea shouldn’t be without a membership."
Maraetai Coastguard president Al Penny says the group’s 40 volunteers put in almost 6300 hours last year, responding to 160 callouts.
Membership is $115 a year, but non-members are charged $280 an hour for any callout.
"If you are an hour off and the weather cuts up and we have to rescue you the bill can get up pretty quickly, so $115 for peace of mind seems pretty sensible to me."
Coastguard membership is not just about rescue though, with the organisation offering a range of services from boating courses to advice on safe boating.
To join or learn more email Al at president@coastguardmaraetai.org
