Jenny Drenkhahn and Ian Whiter each received Unit Life Memberships for their significant contributions to Eden and the boating community.

Jean Whiter, Jenny and Ian's mother, originally started a radio watch for Eden port from her home in Cocora Street, which overlooked the port.

Over time, the Whiter family became the instigators for the formation of the Eden branch of the Volunteer Coastal Patrol and this wonderful effort contributed to the formation of Marine Rescue NSW.

Jenny said it was lovely to be recognised last Tuesday, February 24, and spoke of her family's strong connection to the important roles played by marine-based volunteers.

"Our mum was part of the establishment of the station and it was a part of our lives," she said.

"We have always been involved in boating in Eden, always watching what was happening in the bay, and my husband was a commercial fisherman for many years.

"It is all about safety at sea and concern for people's safety," Jenny said.

Jenny's award was presented by zone manager Mike Hammond and Ian was presented with his award by unit commander Stuart Manson, who said both Jenny and Ian were "really chuffed".

"They are both humble and hardworking people who don't do what they do for the recognition," Stuart said.

"It was an absolutely fabulous day, the sun shone and there was a good gathering of people."

Reflecting on her years of involvement and the positive impact of having a dedicated station monitoring the radio for safety calls, Jenny said the base for recruiting members had diminished, along with the number of professional fishing boats in the fleet.

"There are only six trawlers here now, there were 26 back then, and wives and girlfriends had a vested interest in keeping them all safe at sea," Jenny said.

"We started with 45 members and the number was at about 23 when I finished, which is a huge difference when you are manning something seven days per week, broadcasting weather forecasts and trying to keep people safe."

Although the Sydney to Hobart yacht races added an extra load to the work done by the unit for many years, Jenny believes the efforts made to look after the fleet had helped foster a strong relationship with Cruising Yacht Club (CYC), not just for the unit, but also with Eden Marine High School (EMHS).

"The high school kids were then able to build a relationship with CYC and go every year to sail on Sydney Harbour," Jenny said.

"It was always exciting - as a family, we used to watch the race like hawks and listen to the position reports long before Coastal Patrol was opened," Jenny said,

"In my mum's diaries there are entries about cooking Christmas cakes for crew who had had to pull out and offering her commiserations to them.

"With Marine Rescue, it was very much a part of what we did - we would meet them and bring them home for a shower, but the number of entries kept increasing."

Jenny said when the Sydney to Hobart disaster and rescues happened South of Green Cape in Bass Strait in 1998, it was overwhelming.

"A lot of the fleet came in to Eden, it was extreme and horrific, absolute mayhem," she recalled.

"After that CYC installed a duplication of our radios downstairs as an emergency set-up for the race and would stay there until the whole fleet was past Green Cape."

Looking forward, Jenny is glad plans for the attenuator in Snug Cove are going ahead.

"Having a safe harbour for boats to come in will be really good, and hopefully a private marina can built after that," she said.

Stuart said Marine Rescue Eden would make several more Unit Life Member presentations in the second quarter of the year to give further recognition to members.

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