18th IVS Golf Day: Putt for a Cause

Join the Richards Bay crew for the Island View Shipping Annual Golf Day, which has been raising funds for the NSRI since 2006.

Teeing off with a swing of philanthropy and a drive for a worthy cause, the upcoming 18th Island View Shipping (IVS) Annual Golf Day on 17 August in Richards Bay promises to be a hole-in-one opportunity for both avid golfers and generous hearts, where every stroke counts towards saving lives on South African Waters.

Since its inception in 2006, this annual fundraiser has become a pinnacle event for Station 19 Richards Bay and has steadily grown in significance.

Initially, the proceeds from the event helped in covering some of Station 19’s annual expenses, but swelled to the extent that they covered the station’s annual fuel bill. Yet the generosity didn't end there: they were also able to fund the acquisition of a much-needed small semi-rigid inflatable vessel, “Grindrod Rescue”.

Around 2016, the NSRI was in the final stages of negotiating the introduction of a new large fleet development in South Africa. The IVS Golf Day played a vital role towards funding the replacement of the Spirit of Richards Bay with a state-of-the-art 14m Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC), and on 6 June, an NSRI crew lead by National Training Manager Graeme Harding embarked on an epic five-day, 1060 nautical mile journey to deliver the ORC Ocean Guardian to Richards Bay from Cape Town, which was received with much gratitude and celebration.

Beyond its success as a fundraiser, the day is a joyous celebration that unites the local shipping community in a display of camaraderie and sportsmanship. In the midst of the unforeseen events of 2020, it became clear that it was not possible for this cherished golf day to proceed as planned. Far from admitting defeat, IVS valiantly reached out to sponsors for their support. The response was truly inspiring, with both industry and individuals stepping up to contribute a total of R185 000. Martyn Wade, then CEO of Island View Shipping and a staunch supporter of the NSRI, decided to bolster IVS' contribution, resulting in a record-breaking sum of R500 000 being received by the NSRI. All this for an event that never took place!

Happily, 17 August marks the second IVS Annual Golf Day since the pandemic, and it is heart-warming to note that the day inspires as much generosity as ever. Last year, the Day raised R617 500 with IVS’s donation – and it is hoped that this year’s event will break all preceding records.

So – if you’re in the Richards Bay area, why not attend?

For a fee of R2750, you and three teammates can tee off for a day of birdies, bogeys, and charitable camaraderie (two scores to count), as well as dinner after the event. Each of the 18 holes are up for sponsorship at R2500, and dinner tickets are also available.

To book, send an email to golf@rbcc.co.za, or call Alan Schultz on 035 753 1230.

As a station and as an organisation, we thank Island View Shipping and the Shipping Industry at large for their ongoing support.