Dear Members

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to the new season. Our club continues to be a hive of activity as the new Board of Management settles in, club officer positions and Committees are finalised, and action plans for the summer are finalised and implemented.

Welcome back to our loyal renewing members – you have obviously found the benefits and rewards of belonging to this fantastic club – this season will be no different. Make sure you take the opportunity to put your hand up and offer to assist in any area of the club’s activities that takes your interest.

To our new members welcome, I trust your experience will be positive and rewarding. You will get out of the club what you put in – so introduce yourself and join in.

Surf lifesaving is an Australian tradition and an international icon. The decision to join an organisation such as this is both a lifestyle choice and, potentially, a community service.

The current marketing focus of Surf Life Saving Australia is Can Do. This is a means of saying anything is possible, one just has to put one’s mind to it and find a way! Mullaloo is the epitome of a Can Do club. We have shown this in fifty years of history from our humble beginnings of a reel on the beach, with a few dedicated and community-minded people, to our current position as one of the largest and most innovative clubs in Australia. Make sure you join in the celebrations of the milestone as we release a history book commemorating our first fifty years, and hold special events to mark this achievement. Our history is to be respected, celebrated, and learned from, as we enter our second half century of service.

There are few organisations that offer participation and service opportunities for every member of the family – and we pride ourselves on our family focus. Many of us joined to give our children the opportunity to be part of surf lifesaving, only to be drawn in ourselves, and continue our involvement long after our children have moved on in their lives.

National coastal deaths and incidents continue to be a concern, and the provision of education, promotion of safe behaviours and respect for the ocean are key to the prevention of these tragedies. Mullaloo patrols a sizeable area, and has a large number of active members to achieve this. There are family groups, and groups of friends, who patrol together – what an opportunity to share giving service to the community, whilst working on a beautiful stretch of the Western Australian coastline – not many organisations provide this experience. 

Participation at Mullaloo is easy – for Juniors, Youth, Seniors and Masters in both development and competitive areas. None of these groups could exist without the support of our Administration, Finance, House, Marketing and Membership teams. Participation in the wide range of activities is enabled by the contribution of Trainers, Assessors, Competition Officials, Coaches, Patrol Captains and Club Officers. Then there is the silent army of people who assist around the club with care of equipment and facilities, set up for club and special events, and keeping us fed and hydrated.

Outgoing President Mark Hills referred to the club as the engine room of creativity. The challenges for the Board of Management continue as we develop our Strategic Plan for the future sustainability of the club. These activities will underpin the continuing efforts to prepare for, and manage the coming active season for our members. 

Thank you to everyone who has actively supported the club and its initiatives, and thank you in advance to those who will continue this work in the coming year.

Participate, take care and enjoy!

Anne-Marie Widermanski
President