Marine Industry Urged to Support the Bahamas

Contender Boats, Maverick Boat Group and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) sent a letter to the recreational marine community urging support for the Bahamian community ravaged by Hurricane Dorian.

Miami commissioner Ken Russell, whose district includes Virginia Key (home to the Miami International Boat Show), has been active in spearheading numerous relief efforts. He pointed the industry toward a Miami-based organization, Third Wave Volunteers, which is doing work on the ground in the Bahamas.

Third Wave is a registered 501c3. It has deployed medical personnel and supplies via boat to the Abacos and have a C130 transport plane going back and forth from Miami with supplies. Supplies it needs of at this point are tents for people to sleep in, cleaning supplies, chainsaws and clearing equipment, work gloves and generators.

Contender Boats, Maverick Boat Group, along with NMMA, are encouraging the industry to contribute and reach a minimum combined donation of $250,000 to relief efforts. Contender, Maverick and NMMA have each pledged $10,000.

There are several ways to send money:

1) Via credit card at this link. Please include “NMMA” next to your name or your company name so we can track our industry’s collective donations. Donations are tax-deductible.

2) For large monetary, tax-deductible donations (tax Id is 82-3731839), please send to: Third Wave Volunteers Inc., 3566 Vista Court, Miami, FL 33133 — c/o Citibank ABA/Routing number 266086554. Third Wave Account #9145817339. Please note on Wire Instruction: For Bahamas Dorian Relief — NMMA.

For incoming foreign wire transfers on the account, please use Citibank ABA/Routing Number: 266086554 and SWIFT code: CITI US 33

3) Shipping supplies. Non-palletized supplies can be delivered to: Third Wave Volunteers, 537 NW 24th Street, Miami, FL 33127. Palletized supplies can be delivered to: Fountainbleu Aviation, C/O Third Wave Volunteers, 14200 NW 42nd Avenue, Opa-Locka, FL 33054.

In a week or so when the Bahamian government is ready to receive vessels, Third Wave is organizing a flotilla of private boats to travel to the Abaco area including Green Turtle, Guana Cay, and Hope Town.

For more information please contact NMMA President, Thom Dammrich, at tdammrich@nmma.org.