THE Tathra Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) has received a timely boost.
Member for Bega Andrew Constance ann-ounced the club will receive $50,000 from the NSW Government as part of its Surf Club Facility Grant program.
In a statement, Mr Constance said the primary focus of the program is to assist surf lifesaving clubs to develop their facilities to help increase usage and member numbers.
He said this will ultimately benefit the wider community.
“The local members of the Tathra surf club do an outstanding job patrolling our beaches,” Mr Con-stance said.
Tathra SLSC publicity/grants officer Therese Wheatley said the funding was “great news”.
“We applied for the grant and we’re amazed that we got it,” Ms Wheatley said.
“We would like to thank Andrew Constance, who continues to support us when we apply for government grants such as these.
“It’s the second or third surf club facility grant we’ve received over the past eight years, which has allowed us to upgrade our clubhouse gradually.
“It is because of grants and the funds raised from events such as Wharf to Waves and Moonlight Cinemas that the surf club is becoming a real community facility in Tathra.”
Ms Wheatley said maintaining the surf club is an ongoing commitment due to the corrosion caused by salt water and wind.
“Over the past eight years we have been striving to bring the clubhouse up to a level where it is seen as a community asset,” she said.
“We believe that we are nearly there.
“It is being used more and more by community groups and community members who want to book the clubhouse for functions - meetings, exercise programs, birthday parties, training days etc.”
Ms Wheatley said to continue attracting members to surf lifesaving and retain them, it is important the clubhouse is both operational and functional.
“We want to provide a safe and healthy environment for our volunteers to carry out their duties and ensure our recreational areas can be used for members and friends to interact socially.”
The Tathra SLSC received a grant last year which was spent on building a training room inside the clubhouse.”
Club patron Warren Page said the club was looking to attract other groups from around the community by upgrading its facilities.
He said it was essential for Tathra SLSC to access grants.
“Our club is gradually being used by more sections of the community,” Mr Page said.
“It’s necessary (to upgrade) from a safety angle and to increase the number of people coming here,” Mr Page said.
“We’ve structured our improvement by making our clubhouse available to a wider cross-section than active club members.”
Ms Wheatley said the club has big plans for the funding.
“The money will be used to upgrade our function facilities,” she said.
“Our bathrooms need air vents, we need painting done – everything we need to finish the clubhouse off.”
The project will be managed by Ms Wheatley’s husband, Dennis.
Mr Constance said the Narooma surf club also received $13,320 from the program.
He said the Tathra and Narooma surf clubs are an integral part of the local community providing an invaluable contribution to water safety on the Far South Coast.
“The dedicated volunteers of the surf lifesaving movement deserve our support and I hope the funding announced today will be of long-term benefit to the club and the community,” Mr Constance said.
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