A celebration of Surf Life Saving

A celebration of Surf Life Saving

A celebration of Surf Life Saving took place in Wellington yesterday as national honours were awarded to past and present Surf Lifeguards at the 2009 DHL ‘In it for Life’ Awards. Over 30 of New Zealand’s elite Surf Life Saving members were officially recognised for their hard work and dedication to Surf Life Saving.

Twenty-three Service and Distinguished Service Awards were presented along with five Life Member Awards celebrating volunteer work spanning over many decades. Seth McPhee from Dunedin was awarded Volunteer of the Year and Chris Swain from Napier took out Surf Coach of the Year, while Ben Willis was recognised for his outstanding sporting achievements at the World Championships in Germany in July last year.

“These awards recognise the valuable time and effort our members dedicate to making our beaches a safer place. Many have spent a majority of their lives involved in Surf Life Saving and that admirable amount of commitment deserves national recognition.

“We are a volunteer organisation and without the sheer dedication of our members we wouldn’t be able to deliver the essential service that we do.” said Geoff Barry, Surf Life Saving CEO.

Award categories included DHL Volunteer of the Year, Surf Coach of the Year, Official of the Year, Examiner of the Year as well as Distinguished Service and Life Members Awards.

ENDS

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