Ron Lane
Well, it’s on again. On Saturday morning 8am at Noosa’s Main Beach, the Mawby Mob gathered for yet another season of the Noosa Seahorse Nippers, the organisation that has for 11 years provided a Saturday morning of fun in the surf and sand for those young people in need of assistance.
Some are confined to wheel chairs, but under the supervision of qualified Noosa lifesavers, they get the opportunity to enjoy what would otherwise be beyond their reach.
For families with parking problems and access to the beach, their day starts parking in the Lions Park, courtesy of the Noosa Shire Council. They then transfer to the Surf Club bus, driven by one of the club volunteers known as the Bus Boys, whose job is also, along with the surf club helpers, to cover all aspects of getting these families out of the bus and on to the recently laid beach access mats.
It is the bus and the beach access mats that make it easier for families to get closer to the waters’ edge.
For the Mawby Mob, Steve and wife Nicky, plus their dedicated support team of club helpers, the mats are a real god-send.
Half way to the beach you see painted on the mats, the names of those responsible for this fantastic gesture, a gesture that helps not only our Seahorse Nippers, but also young parents pushing strollers and the elderly whose legs can no longer handle walking the deep soft sands of Noosa Main Beach.
This means that a day at our beach with the family is no longer restricted to the fit and healthy. Also, it makes those in wheelchairs aware, that we in the Noosa community care about their welfare, and remember, the names of those responsible are marked on a beach mat for all to see. Sandy Bolton local member, the Noosa Shire Council and, above all, a great volunteer organisation, the Noosa Lions. It is these people that contributed to the making of this project a reality.
Another big benefit is the fact that the official duty tent is more accessible to the families. Being situated closer to the mats makes the walk on soft sand much shorter. The energy saved by the shorter walks can now be used on assisting the paddling of the surf boards and surf kayaks that our seahorse nippers are riding and enjoying.
“The Saturday morning register tells us that for this season we have 25 nippers enrolled. To cover them we have 50-plus qualified lifesavers as their helpers. Having two helpers per child is indeed very gratifying,” said club chairman Steve Mawby.
“This ensures that all aspects of water safety are covered.”
For the children, activities include surf board and surf kayak paddling and on the beach, sprints and obstacle courses, all delivered under strict supervision. Great programs and great people.
Add to this, volunteers such as the Bus Boys, Big Pete Williams, Ken Edwards and Greg O’Keefe, organisers Donald McKill, Lorna Garden, Steve Freckelton and Little Joe Power are people who have been there since the start. And patrons Dawn Fraser and Jordan Mercer who, when in town will always be there to help. Down through the years there has been many good people who have not hesitated to help, and these we also acknowledge.
The success of the beach mat project tells us that this is something that should be quickly and thoroughly investigated. With Main Beach now having its longest and widest stretch of sand, and our beach visitations being on a massive increase, more of these projects must be considered. With the success of the first project, obtaining sponsorship should not be a major problem.
With three weekends to go, the same helpers and administration crew will see the season through. The loyalty and support that these volunteers have shown to those young people in need of assistance has been, down through the 11 years, outstanding.
We can be proud to say- they’re Our People.
