Honouring our water heroes – NSRI, Life Guards and Nippers
Who are the people that lay their lives on the line so that a stranger can live?
On Sunday, 17th May 2015, St Thomas Methodist Church invited the NSRI, Life Guards and Nippers to attend the 9:30am service, which was dedicated to honouring them and showing appreciation for their selfless services.
Reverend John Gilmer spoke these words in appreciation:
Members of NSRI, Life Guards and Nippers. We have invited you here today because we have designated today as an appreciation and recognition day for you.
We are highly privileged to live in beautiful Plettenberg Bay. Holiday makers and visitors flock to our town which bolsters our economy and creates work for our Plett heroes.
You all play a critical role in marketing our lovely beaches and stunning coast. You make it safe for our residents and for those who visit us to enjoy the pleasures to the full.
Today we are most grateful for the opportunity to personally thank you for all you do on behalf of our town.
We have witnessed your remarkable contributions and service. You give of yourselves; you give time; you train hard and you stand ready and available to respond in a matter of minutes. You put yourselves at risk.
We recognise too that not only do you make the sacrifices for us, but that your families also do so. We want you to know that it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Thank you to the parents of Nippers, who allow their children to be a part of the team. We thank the coaches who train and give skills and confidence to the children to conquer and to not fear the sea.
We thank the Nippers themselves for going on to be life guards and NSRI members.
We all owe you a huge debt of gratitude. We celebrate you and are deeply proud of you.
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These voluntary members of NSRI are the ones who are called out and put themselves right in the midst of danger. This is a highly trained rescue team. They are the ones who give strangers in danger, a second chance at life.
The Nippers team, are up and coming heroes – they show the great potential to be rescue swimmers for the NSRI, and these youngsters are an inspiration to the upcoming generation.
A hero is somebody who is selfless, who is generous in spirit, who just tries to give back as much as possible and help people. A hero to me is someone who saves people and who really deeply cares. – Debi Mazar