Ocean Grove recognises women in lifesaving

Ocean Grove Surf Lifesaving Club members participated in a relay race during the Pink Zink Patrol event. (Ivan Kemp) 328095_11

Ocean Grove Surf Lifesaving Club celebrated the contributions women and girls make within the clubs with its eighth Pink Zinc Patrol.

The club hosted the patrol on April 8th to demonstrate that females can be good lifesavers and active leaders.

Patrol captain Amenah McDonald said the event was a meaningful way to celebrate women in lifesaving and received a good turnout of club and community members.

“We started the day with a welcome to country and our President Lindy Freestone did a talk about the history of females in surf lifesaving and at our own club,” she said.

“We rostered on a patrol with a heavy female presence and then we had other people turn up to volunteer on the day as well. So voluntary patrolling members to join in the activities.”

Ms McDonald said the day was action-packed with morning tea and patrol activities, including trivia and a scavenger hunt competition.

“We arranged some activities and they (patrols) had to compete against each other,” she said.

Ms McDonald said the club was “an amazing association to be a part of” and that surf lifesaving provided “many life skills” for members to take into their future careers.

She also said the day would not have happened without the efforts of club sponsorship officer Simone White and president Lindy Freestone.

“It’s just highlighting women in life saving and what can be achieved,” she said.

“I think it’s important to show the younger girls how far we’ve come in a short amount of time and what impact they can have in the association as well.

“We’re so lucky that the association has so many different layers and ways for people to contribute and to influence other people and other women especially.”