Giving something back…

Whilst the Rally is organised for the yachties safety and enjoyment, we aim to support the local community and each year the Rally has taken  many items to donate to local schools and local clinics. Trading for items is also very popular and by Rally’s end most yachts have exhausted their trading supplies (but had their fill of fruits and lobster and returned with great carvings and handicrafts).

In each year we have taken many goods to donate (as well as trade goods), spent over $15,000 on the events, food, handicrafts and fuel etc., raised over $10,000 in donations to clinics and the government has spent over $15,000 on supporting the Misima event. All support that would otherwise not reach this remote and largely forgotten community.

In 2011..

The support for the local community from the 2011 Rally participants was amazing and continues. Past Rally folk gave many thousands of dollars and 2011 Rally folk made major direct donations and commitment to further funding in future years. This has allowed an ongoing commitment to supporting the Nimowa Marine Ambulance, Nimowa clinic and Paneati clinic. Nimowa clinic recieved many donated medical items and PNG Kina 10,000. Paneati clinic received PGK 5,000.

In addition, further support has also been offered for water tanks. Water is an major issue at many islands. Small “iron” roofs are made and collect rainwater for modest tanks. In 2011 Greg and Ally on the yacht Rex 1 offered a water tank for little Panasia. This new tank, guttering and roofing materials will allow the small community (three families) to be more self sufficient in water and not have to sail 12 nautical miles to windward to get water from Brooker island. The Rally visited Tandeyai village on Sabara Island and “opened” the water tank which had just been installed (from funds provided during the 2010 Rally).

After sailing around after the Rally, Rex also offered funds for a further water tank and Hemenanhine village on Sabara. The tank is awaiting collection and installation at Misima.

One of the great aspects of 2011 was that the motor yacht Eendracht was travelling up to the Louisiades just after the rally returned. This allowed us to send donated good up to various sites and as soon as we got back to Cairns we bought a whole lot of gear to go up on Eendracht… sent up alternator for the Ambulance, medical supplies including drip stands, foetal heartbeat monitor, vaccine fridge, battery and solar panel and other stuff.  Eendracht had a good trip around the islands… met up with many of the folk we know and also made new friends (they went to Ebora a few times).  

2010 Rally Community Contribution

In 2010, the Rally made various contributions to the Louisiades community:

• One of our Doctors gained tens of thousands of dollars worth of medial supplies… all carried up by yachts and given to Paneati, Misima and Nimowa clinic/hospitals.
• We were asked by Sister Sera of Nimowa for a blood glucose monitor, heamometer and oxy-pulsemeter… expensive items for an impoverished clinic..these were given to Nimowa clinic.
• By commissioning two beautiful model sailaus (lakatois) which we then auctioned, we raised K4,000 for the Paneati Clinic…this will be used for zoom (outboard fuel) for the clinic… it will pay for mother/child health clinic on Panapompom Island and emergency evacuations to Misima Hospital..things that otherwise the meager funds provided to the clinic would not allow.
• One of our yachties obtained six solar lighting systems… these are now established at Panasia, Little Panasia, Panapompom, Bagaman, Kamataal and Nimowa to provide light for family houses or community centres.
• We have fines, bribes and auctions to raise money for Nimowa clinic and their ambulance. In 2010 this exceeded $5,000 AUD!
• We have took up up over a tonne of educational materials and clothes and given these to various elementary schools and communities. …
• For two days there were 15 yachts in beautiful Sabara… we all put in $50-100 per yacht and have now the funds for a water tank and collection roof, gutter etc…for Tandeyai village…a village which has been there for over 100 years but has needed to sail 5 miles across to another island for water.
• Hoba Bay (Pananumara) asked for a whipper-snipper… we brought a new one for them…this beautiful and very neat and tidy village will now have the best lawns in the Louisiades….

The above is our donations and aid for the community… we also pay our way and the Rally spends over $10,000 paying for events..cash that goes directly to the community. Yachties would have spent well over $5,000 on handicrafts and other items. Further the local member of parliament sponsors the Misima festival, injecting $10,000 into the economy there. The Panapompom canoe regatta has established a hopefully ongoing event to celebrate the sailing canoes of the Louisiades.

 To date, the direct contribution to the local economy must be well over AUD $100,000.

 This doesn’t happen without a huge effort by me… I am trying to find others to help out but many are frightened off as they don’t have the time, the money to bring their boat back each year or the confidence to work with the local people.

 As I flew across the Coral Sea in December 2010… I wondered if I had the energy and the money to run the event again. Peter Vincent offered PNGTPA’s ongoing support and indeed cash sponsorship. I almost committed to run the Rally for 2011… then I was in Alotau and saw Nimowa Clinic’s Marine Ambulance. When delivering some parts they outlined how the cash we had given them after the 2010 Rally was being used to replace the broken rudder and slip the boat and would allow fuel for a series of antenatal clinics…I realized I must do it!

Guy Chester is seriously looking for folk to help run this years event and get involved or indeed take over for future years. Perhaps an association could be formed to run the event into the long term?

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