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Far South Coast Branch of Surf Life Saving 2020 Awards of Excellence announced

Writer's picture: The BeagleThe Beagle

The Far South Coast Branch of Surf Life Saving branch congratulates all the nominees and winners listed below in the 2020 Awards of Excellence after what was a very challenging season with bushfires, and COVID-19. ***Services Team of the Year: AWARDED TO:

Batemans Bay SLSC – Anthony Bellette, Kate Fetterplace, Pete Fetterplace, Ali Ryan, Jess Guthrie, Tayla Wallace, Karen Wallace, Lexus Knight

The team at Batemans Bay SLSC stepped up in a big way to assist their community during the New Year’s Eve bushfire emergency. With Malua Bay cut off and under direct threat the team sheltered people, provided food and first aid support to over 1,500 people. The clubhouse continued to be used as a community hub for the next 10 days.



Broulee Surfers SLSC – Andrew Edmunds, Stan Wall, Natalie Browning, John Edmunds, Steve Moore, Ollie Sumner-Potts, Keegan Spellacy, Jackson Maloney, Dave Hogden, Jeff Dunne, Claire Forbes, Ted Pettigrove, Gab Smith, Rob Wildman, Skye Wildman, Matt Hammond, Michael Chew, Arusha Chew, Sierra Chew, Helen O’Dell, Jason Domeny and Julianne Domeny

When the New Year’s Eve bushfire hit the town of Broulee, members of the surf club joined police and lifeguards in helping to keep their community members safe. They drove the streets and door- knocked to evacuate residents and provided first aid and other support to the 1,000 plus people who took to the beach at Broulee for safety.


Pambula SLSC – Andrew Love, Christopher Love, Miep Krechting, Miep, Andrew and Christopher embody the volunteer ethos of serving their community. Their nomination by Pambula SLSC recognises their contributions not only to surf life saving but for also giving their time and expertise to the NSW Rural Fire Service as volunteers. In an extraordinary

season, Pambula applauds the efforts these three have made in volunteering for not one, but two, emergency service organisations.

***Myril Bunt – Administrator of the Year AWARDED TO: Marcela Vitochova – Pambula

About Marcela and her roles and achievements:

 Club Director of Member Administration

 Streamlined the club registration process

 Serves as a Patroller

 Assists with Nippers

Helen Smith – Batemans Bay

About Helen and her roles and achievements:

 Club Secretary

 Always has a positive attitude

 Serves as a Patroller

 Assists with Nippers

Lynda McKay- Broulee Surfers

About Lynda and her roles and achievements:

 Club Treasurer

 Life Member

 Member of the Building Subcommittee and helped secure almost $1million in funding

 Serves as a Patroller

 Assisted with Bushfire Response

Maureen Croft – Bermagui

About Maureen and her roles and achievements:

 Club Treasurer

 Streamlined the approach to Club finances

 Bar volunteer at functions

 Assisted with Bushfire Response

 Volunteered on behalf of Surf Club for 2 community functions in the fire ravaged town of

Cobargo

*** Coach of the Year: AWARDED TO: Rob Pollock – Broulee Surfers

About Rob and his roles and achievements:

 Crew is comprised of members from Broulee and Pambula clubs

 Won Open Women at Interbranch

 Brought new members/crew to Broulee SLSC

 Assisted with the bushfire response and a first aid emergency during the George bass

marathon

Neil Innes – Batemans Bay

About Neil and his roles and achievements:

 Coach of several Surfboat teams

 Gold Medal in Open Men at NSW Championships

 Changed program due to external impacts such as the bushfire emergency

 Built and rebuilt teams

 Assists with nippers



*** Trainer of the Year AWARDED TO:

Emma Prowse – Pambula

About Emma and her roles and achievements:

 Club Chief Training Officer

 Encourages new active members and is a positive role model

 Ran a multi club Bronze medallion course

 Patrol Captain

 FSC Duty Officer


James Flick – Broulee Surfers

About James and his roles and achievements:

 Canberra based trainer

 Innovative – working on virtual training

 Ran two Bronze Medallion courses this season as a probationary trainer

 Achieved endorsement as a trainer


*** Team of the Year AWARDED TO:

180 Yrs. Phoenix – Batemans Bay

About the Phoenix and their roles and achievements:

 Gold medallist at State Titles and 2 nd Place in Ocean Thunder

 Assist with other duties in the club including assisting with Nippers

 Continued to train despite adversity through bushfires and other distractions


George Bass Crews Bermagui Evacuation Centre – Pambula/Mixed Clubs

About the George Bass Crews and their roles and achievements:

 Competing in Surfboat marathon which was abandoned early

 Became essential workers in Evacuation Centre

 Showed the Surf Life Saving ideals to save lives, create great Australians and build better

communities

The Wombats – Broulee Surfers

About The Wombats and their roles and achievements:

 1 st NSW Interbranch and South Coast Boat Series

 In third position when George Bass Marathon was cut short

 Assisted with bushfire recovery effort at Bermagui SLSC

 Assisted with first aid emergency during Rooster River Run

**** Fergus Thomson Young Person Award AWARDED TO: Ryley Spoelder-Hanlon – Moruya

About Ryley and his roles and achievements:

 Patrolling Member 52 Hrs

 Gained Silver Medallion Beach Management award

 Training for IRB Driver – on hold due to Covid-19

 Assists with water Safety and Special Nippers



Anna Hosking – Broulee Surfers

About Anna and her roles and achievements:

 Serves as a patroller with 34.5 hrs

 Assists with Nipper age managers and water safety

 Assisted with bushfire response passing on vital community messages and unloading

donated goods

 Has responsibility for managing the patrol app when on patrol


Hannah Buchli – Bermagui

About Hannah and her roles and achievements:

 Has completed 50 hours on patrol this season having only received her Bronze at end of

November

 Helped at Bermagui evacuation centre during bushfires

 Assists with Nippers water safety

 Sets a great example for her peers while on patrol



*** Rookie Young Lifesaver AWARDED TO: Ruby Bichard – Pambula

About Ruby and her roles and achievements:

 Patrolling Member 42.5 Hours

 Provides Water Safety for Nippers and Same Wave program

 Looking to do more training in 20/21 after this season was cut short

 Mentor for Cadet members

Elli Beecham

About Elli and her roles and achievements:

 Won U/17 and Open Women’s Flags

 Patrolling Member – 59 Hrs

 Role Model for Nippers and other young people in the club

 Assists with Water Safety

Kyarna Boulton – Tathra

About Kyarna and her roles and achievements:

 Patrolling Member 53.25 Hrs

 Provides Water Safety for Nippers

 Assists with coaching in swimming and board skills

 Inspiration to younger female nippers

Sierra Chew – Broulee Surfers

About Sierra and her roles and achievements:

 Patrolling Member 44.5 hrs

 Assists with Water Safety

 Selected to attend SLSNSW Youth Opportunity Makers (postponed in 2020)

 Assisted with recording evacuees at Broulee Surf Club during the New Year’s Eve bushfire emergency


**** Lifesaver of the Year AWARDED TO:

Andrew Curven – Bermagui

About Andrew and his roles and achievements:

 Bermagui SLSC Club Captain

 FSC Branch Powercraft Co-ordinator

 Over 94hrs on Patrol in 2019/20 Season

 Support Operations member as RWC Operator and Drone Pilot

 Slept in clubhouse for 7 nights during bushfire emergency to ensure safety of the club

 Assists with Nippers and Same Wave doing water safety


Andrew Love – Pambula

About Andrew and his roles and achievements:

 Club Power Craft captain

 Patrolling Member – 36 Hrs

 Competitor in George Bass Marathon and other events

 Dual member of both Pambula SLSC and Eden Rural Fire Service

 Spent 3 months at the ‘end of a hose’ during the bushfire emergency

Jess Guthrie – Batemans Bay

About Jess and her roles and achievements:

 Patrolling Member – 20 Hrs

 1 st year at Batemans Bay SLSC but a SLSNSW member for 13 years

 Very enthusiastic member of the BBSLSC Surfboat fraternity

 Assisted with bushfire emergency at Batemans Bay/ Malua Bay

 Prepared meals and offered a hand wherever she could

Jon Carruthers – Narooma

About Jon and his roles and achievements:

 Club President

 Patrolling Member 62 hrs

 Assists with Nippers

 Worked with Red Cross and Narooma members during bushfire emergency

 Attends working bees, events and steps in to assist where needed


Natalie Browning – Broulee Surfers

About Nat and her roles and achievements:

 Patrolling member – 109.5 Hrs

 Club Publicity Officer

 Call Out Team member and RWC Operator

 Attended the SLSNSW Strategic Leadership Program

 One of the leaders of the Broulee bushfire response

Troy Burhop – Tathra

About Troy and his roles and achievements:

 Patrolling Member 47.5 Hrs

 Club Board and Ski Captain

 Club Coach

 FSC Interbranch Representative

 Leadership role during bushfire emergency at Tathra Evacuation centre at the Surf Club


**** Senior Competitor of the Year AWARDED TO: Darren Drewsen Broulee SLSC ****Young Competitor of the Year AWARDED TO: Elli Beecham - Narooma SLSC *** Branch Person of the Year AWARDED TO:

Anthony Bellette – Batemans Bay

About Anthony and his roles and achievements:

 Club Captain and Training Officer at Batemans Bay SLSC

 Branch Duty Officer

 Batemans Bay Call Out Team Co-ordinator

 Instrumental in development and delivery of UAV training in FSC

 Set up and ran Batemans Bay Bushfire Evacuation Centre



Carlin Stanford – Bermagui

About Carlin and her roles and achievements:

 Leader of the Same Wave Disability Program at Bermagui

 Assisted with Bermagui Response to the Bushfire Crisis

 Took on leadership of Nippers program in the new year

 Assisted with and organising BBQs and other fundraising opportunities for Nippers

 Assisted Branch Teams in Search and rescue with on shore support

Glenn Bywater – Narooma

About Glenn and his roles and achievements:

 Club Secretary and Hall Manager

 Assists with Nippers

 Runs Friday Frothys

 Other rolls include Licensee, official, and assists with board training

 Constantly checked on evacuees during the bushfire emergency and kept the generator

running for Surfcom

Jason Domeny – Broulee Surfers

About Jason and his roles and achievements:

 Club Nippers Co-ordinator

 Collaborates with Canberra based Nippers group

 Provides water safety to Sunday swimmers, ocean swim and winter swimmers

 Organised BBQ for Ocean Swim

 Provides technical advice to the building committee

VIDEO: "To our members and their families on the Far South Coast. Thank you SO much..." Watch the full message from our President Tony Rettke. Make sure you watch until the end for a laugh.

NOTE: Comments were TRIALED - in the end it failed as humans will be humans and it turned into a pile of merde; only contributed to by just a handful who did little to add to the conversation of the issue at hand. Anyone who would like to contribute an opinion are encouraged to send in a Letter to the Editor where it might be considered for publication

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