Roadside collection bags bounty
A STAGGERING $14,350 was raised by Tin Can Bay Coast Guard volunteers during their annual roadside collection held on the Easter long weekend.
Collection points manned by volunteers over four days were fully supported by locals and visitors, whose donations will help Coast Guard, continue to carry out its activities.
This year's collection began at 8am on Wednesday, April 4, and ran until mid-afternoon on Easter Saturday, with collection points at the Rainbow Beach turn-off (which raised $10,817.80), Tin Can Bay Road near the Dolphin Shopping Centre ($2,64.00) and at the Coast Guard base ($928.30).
The Rainbow Beach collection point was manned 24 hours a day for the duration of the collection. The donations will be "recycled" back into the local community by the continuing provision of their vital maritime safety and rescue service to the boating public.
Over the Easter weekend, Coast Guard volunteers were also busy on the water.
Cooloola Rescue II crossed the Wide Bay Bar in wild conditions twice to rendezvous with vessels. At 5am they arranged for a seriously ill crewmember to be removed from a fishing vessel and later that day CRII escorted a vessel experiencing fuel problems back to Tin Can Bay.
Coast Guard members thanked everyone who made a donation for keeping them on the water.
