7th Annual Tug Valour Memorial Golf Tournament Putts for Mariners

On the early morning of January 18th, 2006, ocean tugboat, Tug Valour, sank in open sea about 40 miles off the coast of Wilmington, NC after a torrential storm threw 15-20 foot waves and winds exceeding 70 knots at the vessel. 

The Chief Mate, Chief Engineer, and one able-bodied Tankerman were taken down with the ship and lost their lives during the descent of the 125-foot tugboat into the depths of the sea.  The Tug Valour Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization that is looking to turn tragedy into opportunity, one golf tournament at a time. On April 27th they will be hosting ther 7th Annual golf tournament at Lake Jovita Country Club in Dade City, Florida. 

The fund itself was established by OSG Ship Management—one of the world’s largest tanker companies—and John MacKenzie, the Purchasing Manager for OSG Ship Management, Inc., and trailblazer of the Tug Valour Memorial Fund Golf Tournament.  The tournament is designed to provide education scholarships to budding merchant mariners after high school to the big five state-run maritime academies, California Maritime, Maine Maritime, Massachusetts Maritime, SUNY Maritime, and Texas Maritime.  It also supports scholarships for the Harry Lundberg School of Seamanship at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education.

The golf tournament for charity is now running on its seventh year - preserving the memory of the lost family, friends, and fellow mariners, as well as supporting mariners for the future.  MarEx caught up with John MacKenzie to learn more about this worthy cause and to help spread support for this cause.

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MarEx: What was your motivation for creating the Tug Valour Memorial Fund?  Did you have any personal affiliation to the tragedy?

John MacKenzie: On January 18, 2006, when I first heard word that one of our tugs had sunk off the coast of North Carolina, I went numb and started calling around for information.  A few hours into the day, I learned that we lost three crew members.  Chief Mate, Fred Brenner, AB, Ron Emory and Chief Engineer, Richard Smoot.  It hit me pretty hard; I knew Fred and Ron for over twenty years.  I knew I had to do something to help out after this terrible tragedy.

MarEx: How did the Tug Valour Golf Tournament come to be a charity event for your cause? 

JM: My first thought was that we needed to help the families that had just lost their loved ones.  How could we do that? I talked to my girlfriend Patty and mentioned a golf tournament.  She told me to bring it up with my coworkers, which I did the next day.  They encouraged me to make it happen.  We had 144 participants and countless sponsors that first year, and we raised $36,000, which was given to the families of Fred, Ron, and Richard.  The tournament has grown every year since then.  Last year, we had 225 participants.

MarEx: Since the Memorial Fund wasn’t incorporated until 2009, and this is the seventh year of the tournament, did you host this yourself before the fund was made official?

JM: The Tournament was originally hosted by Maritrans, which later merged with OSG. Thankfully, OSG has continued the support the Tournament and its cause. Employees are granted leave to volunteer for and participate in the event.

MarEx: How many scholarships do you award per year, on average?

JM: To date, we have awarded scholarships of $1,500 each to 14 individuals to attend the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship located in Piney Point Maryland where the recipients obtain training as unlicensed U.S. Merchant Mariners, i.e. Able Bodied Seaman, through participation in the school’s Unlicensed Apprenticeship Program. 

The Harry Lundeberg School does not charge tuition, but the students must cover the cost of a school union, physical exams, drug tests, benzene test, their U.S. Merchant Mariner’s Credential and their Transportation Workers Identification Card. Our scholarship pays for all that. We have also awarded annual scholarships to students attending the license programs ateach of the five state-run maritime academies (California Maritime, Texas Maritime, SUNY Maritime, Maine Maritime, and Massachusetts Maritime).

Last year, we gave out $40,000 to the state academies for scholarships, and we hope to increase it this year.  The state academies select the recipients according to our criteria, which are meant to honor the memory of Chief Mate, Fred Brenner, AB, Ron Emory and Chief Engineer, Richard Smoot.

MarEx: What is the most rewarding aspect of being involved with the Memorial Fund?

JM: Seeing it grow and seeing all of the support that it receives throughout the entire maritime industry.  Knowing that my simple little idea of hosting a golf tournament has evolved into something so large and well respected. Now, I take a deep breath, and I think of all the good that has come out of this tournament.  Who would have thought that it would have helped future seafarers obtain vocational training or college education as unlicensed and licensed US Merchant Mariners, thus following in the footsteps of Fred, Ron and Richard.  I wear my heart on my sleeve, and this has truly been a humbling, heartwarming event for me.  It goes without saying that I have not done this alone.  Without the countless hours of help from my committee of event volunteers (Patty, Teresa and Amy) and numerous others including the Fund’s Directors, and the event’s participants and sponsors, we would not be here today.

MarEx: Do you host any other charity events for the cause?

JM: We hold no other events for this cause. We are a small charity with a simple purpose. We have no employees. Everyone donates their time. Everything we raise through the event goes toward the scholarships.

MarEx: Tell our readers why this Memorial Fund is an event that should be on their social calendars.

I think that anyone involved in the maritime industry should attend the tournament because, in the long run, they are supporting the future of the industry. The money raised helps produce future mariners to carry on the seafaring tradition and to do it with the necessary training and education to do it safely. This tournament has grown beyond my belief.  I would have never thought that seven years later I would be the Chairman of the 7th Annual Tug Valour Memorial Tournament.  So now you also have the opportunity to come out and make a difference.  Be a part of something special; come join me at Lake Jovita in Dade City FL on April 27th 2012.

--MarEx

To learn more, and to register, please click here.

For Lake Jovita Villa Information, Please contact Sharon Gebart @ 866-588-3149 ext 300. Local Hotel Information: Dade City Hampton Inn 352-567-5277.