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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-07-04 Daily Xml
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Grange Surf Life Saving Club

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (16:28): I move:

That this council—

1. Congratulates the Grange Surf Life Saving Club on winning the recent 2018 Junior State Championships in March;

2. Congratulates the club on winning nine of the past 10 junior lifesaving state championships; and

3. Acknowledges all the hard work of board members, volunteers and parents to enable the junior squad the opportunity to achieve this outstanding success.

It gives me great pleasure to move this motion for a number of reasons, and one of the most important reasons is because of people like Rob Thompson. Over 50 years ago, Rob joined the Grange Surf Life Saving Club. When it comes to commitment and success, Rob is an all-rounder. Rob, while humble about his achievements, has won his fair share of club medals, but there is no holding back his modesty when it comes to the ongoing success of the Grange Surf Life Saving Club.

During the past 12 years as president, Rob has seen the club grow from strength to strength to one of the biggest surf lifesaving clubs in this state, with over 700 members. Rob is one of the many volunteers who contributes more than just their time and energy, he also offers his generous spirit and knowledge to the club. Rob, like so many of our state's hardworking volunteers, is the kind of person who is first to put his hand up and is the champion of what is important to the club.

Under Labor, clubrooms received a much-needed upgrade, along with facility upgrades that were desperately required so volunteers and club members could reach their potential. The former Labor government delivered a $2.2 million grant for the upgrades, and the $3.7 million redevelopment was strongly supported with financial backing from the club itself, along with a significant contribution from the City of Charles Sturt. The new and improved Grange Surf Life Saving Club now enjoys modern first-aid facilities, a new patrol room, equipment storage, licensed bar, kitchen and dining, barbecue area, training facilities and equipment, a fully equipped gym and a balcony overlooking the beautiful Grange beach.

While this important upgrade was pivotal to the success of the members of the Grange club and the local community, the bricks and mortar of this redevelopment is not the only element that makes this club the success that it is. This new building is held together by its core foundation, and that foundation is the club's members: young students, businessmen and women, and their families. These people are truly community champions.

These community champions have instilled a positive ingrained culture in the club, a culture that has enabled the club to win the 2018 junior and senior surf lifesaving state championships recently in March, and it would be remiss of me not to mention nine out of the past 10 junior surf lifesaving championships, which is an amazing achievement. This incredible feat would not have been possible without the dedicated club volunteers who not only keep our beaches safe but also give back so much to the community, and I congratulate them and thank them all.

Surf lifesaving clubs have seen a dramatic change over many years. They now have the tools they need at their fingertips to support club members. I, myself, have seen firsthand the dedication of the Grange Surf Life Saving Club members. What feels like a lifetime ago, after having twins, I made a brief attempt at returning to the running track and joined my local running club at Grange, a club that is linked to the Grange Surf Life Saving Club. I could not help but be motivated by the young runners I had the pleasure of meeting through the club, the same young runners who made me feel particularly old and very slow.

These young runners were incredibly motivated and dedicated to the Grange club, committing countless hours to patrolling Grange beach. I share Rob Thompson's excitement about the future of the Grange Surf Life Saving Club and the future of the many young community leaders I had the pleasure of training with. The Grange Surf Life Saving Club's under 19s and under 17s are particularly excelling, leaving the club in step for a strong future not only at the competition level but also in ensuring our beachgoers are in the safest hands possible.

Right now, during the winter months, while our beaches are quiet, club members are training to prepare themselves for the busy summer, training to keep the community safe. I strongly commend the dedicated volunteers for this amazing achievement and wish everyone participating in the Lifesaving World Championships, which will be held in Adelaide later this year, all the very best.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.E. Hanson.

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