A Garden Party held at Brees Cottage on April 21st, hosted by longterm Mermaids supporter Beverly Wilson, raised close to $2500.00 and set Beryl Driver, Elyse Cole and Viktorija Macdonell on the road to take part in the 2018 Variety, The Children’s Charity, B to B Bash.
The Mermaids will be holding their annual Currawong Day on Thursday May 21st with all the usual fun and games and Beryl’s famous sausage rolls – which were also a hit at this year’s garden party.
Guests at the Garden Party were entertained by the Celtic By-The-Sea Music Group, and joined in some Celtic ring dancing, had a Maypole, a wonderful afternoon tea in glorious gardens, along with some fun with Lucky Dips. There were Books for sale, assorted Bric-a-Brac and garden cuttings – all to raise funds for Variety The Children’s Charity.
The 2018 B to B Bash will be Beryl’s 20th Australian Variety Bash, which, at 85 years young, is not a bad effort – in fact it’s outstanding.
The Mermaids of Palm Beach, a long way from.... Palm Beach! - 2017 B to B Bash.
The 2018 Variety Brydens Lawyers B to B Bash will set off from Bonnyrigg for a 10 day adventure, travelling through two States and a Territory before arriving at Braitling, some 4,400 kilometres later!!
Along the way Bashers will be supporting rural towns and visiting 11 schools where they’ll see the efforts of their fundraising first-hand, with a range of educational, health and mobility equipment provided to local schools and organisations enroute.
Entrants, fondly known as ‘Bashers’, must raise a minimum of $8,500 per car for Variety – the Children’s Charity to enter the Variety B to B Bash. The Bash itself is a celebration of a year’s fundraising to help Aussie kids in need.
It’s been a memorable week for two young lifesavers who have capped off their Nipper careers in impressive style by winning the Junior Lifesaver of the Year award (JLOTY) which was announced in Sydney during the Autumn school holidays.
Sophie Burns (Elouera SLSC) and Oscar Crowe (MacMasters Beach SLSC) were awarded the prestigious prize after impressing the judging panel during this week’s development program at the Collaroy Learning Centre on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Oscar Crowe (MacMasters Beach SLSC) and Sophie Burns (Elouera SLSC)
The duo were among the twenty-two finalists from the eleven branches in NSW invited to take part in the annual leadership and development program which brings together outstanding young surf lifesavers in their final year of nippers.
“I feel really proud to have this honour because it means I am representing as a youth leader all junior lifesavers in NSW and all the Nippers as well,” Sophie Burns said shortly after her win.
The Elouera teenager who has been involved in surf lifesaving since she was 6-years-old has come a long way since those early beach days where her parents had to drag her to nippers kicking and screaming.
“I’m so glad I stuck with it as it’s been so worthwhile. My goal now is to give youth a voice. I would like to make them known and to speak out and have their opinions heard,” she said.
Oscar Crowe has been involved in the movement since he was in the Under 6 Age Group, and believes lifesaving has had a positive impact on his life.
“It’s given me a way to help the community and I have met so many friends through it including at this week’s development program,” he said.
The Central Coast teenager has already set his sight on his next dream within surf lifesaving.
“I currently hold my SRC and I want to obtain my Bronze Medallion. Eventually I would like to move on and get my Silver Medallion as an IRB and jet ski driver. When I am old enough I’d like to get my gold medallion as well and eventually become a patrol captain.”
Both Sophie and Oscar will be honoured in front of the wider movement as part of the annual Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence ceremony to be held in August.
It wasn’t just the program participants who benefited from this development opportunity.
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