On March 24, CIMarE St Lawrence Branch presented a $500.00 cheque to Mariners House in Montreal. This donation supports the valuable work they provide seafarers which is especially required during the time of COVID 19.
Carolyn Osborne accepted the cheque on behalf of Mariners House while Zack Papchristou ( Branch Treasurer and Chris King (Branch Chairman) made the presentation on behalf of the St Lawrence Branch.
The work done by Mariners House during COVID-19 is described by Carolyn below:
MARINERS’ HOUSE STILL OPERATING THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC
Since the start of the pandemic, Transport Canada has authorised seafarers to come ashore to either go straight to a centre for their use solely – such as Mariners’ House of Montreal – or to a pharmacy for essential items. However, very few maritime companies permit their workers to disembark. Nevertheless, a few have been able to come to Mariners’ House, which is still open five days a week and, as always, free transport is available to and from their ships.
While activities, including fundraising events, have been severely limited over the past year, Mariners’ House and the chaplains from their colleagues, the Ministry to Seafarers, have continued to operate. Among the services offered to seafarers are SIM cards to access the internet on board vessels which do not provide this service for free, wired money transactions as well as personal purchases on behalf of the crew.
Seafarers have particularly suffered during COVID and Mariners’ House is relieved it has been able to ‘carry on’ assisting and raising the spirits of these essential workers.