THREE members of the Whakatāne Surf Life Saving Club have had their service honoured at a recent awards ceremony in Christchurch.

Errol Verstegen, Catriona Manning and Michelle Cossey received national service awards at the national Surf Lifesaving NZ Awards of Excellence last month.

The award is earned by a club member for being involved with the service in various ways, including lifeguarding, instructing, being on the committee and acting as officials at competitions.

The three Whakatāne members have previously received regional service awards.

SLSNZ chief executive Steve Fisher praised the unwavering resolve of lifeguards and club members across the country, who yet again rose to the challenges of tides, weather events and other serious incidents.

“I’d like to give a heartfelt thanks to the thousands of members who devote their time to keeping beachgoers safe, training and educating our lifeguards, and organising and participating in sports events that help hone our lifeguards’ skills,” he said.

“The spirit, dedication and generosity of these volunteers is something Surf Life Saving New Zealand is hugely grateful for.

“The National Awards of Excellence is a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge, honour and celebrate the exceptional achievements of lifeguards, officials, coaches, organisers, athletes and more.”

Verstegen has been involved in surf lifesaving for almost 50 years, since he rocked up to the United surf club in Piha at 18 years old.

It was a trip over Ōhope hill and the sight of the local surf that sparked a move to the Whakatāne club.

“I was riding motorcycles with my wife. We came over the hill, saw the waves, and that was it.”

He said he had thoroughly enjoyed every minute of his five-decade involvement in surf lifesaving, with several factors motivating to continue.

“The community, the water, the people. Seeing kids come up through the ranks, learning how to swim, learning how to use the gear, enjoying the beach.”

Verstegen said there were numerous reasons to be involved in surf lifesaving, from sporting to rescue and community service.

It is estimated that the club puts out about 50 qualified first aiders in Whakatāne and Ōhope each year.

“You end up with a lot of first aiders out in the world; people who can swim and people who know their first aid.

“They are around New Zealand and in the community the whole time.”

Manning joined the club 17 years ago, when her daughter was enrolled at five years old.

The whole family has since got involved, with her daughter continuing as an adult in Gisborne, where she now lives.

She said it was a natural transition to take on more roles in the club as time went on, from coaching, to attending competitions and seeing the need for officials, to becoming an instructor.

All three recently recognised club members are part of the committee, with Manning club captain.

Clubbies will find Manning, who works as a teacher, around almost every day while school is out for summer.

She said there were various avenues for people to get involved in the club.

“If you don’t want to swim, you can still help out in all sorts of ways.

“Errol does a lot with our IRBs, but I don’t go anywhere near them. There are bits you do and bits you don’t.”

Everything done by Verstegen, Manning and Cossey is voluntary.

“You do it for the love. At the end of the day, you put your community first and we’re all in it for life,” Cossey said.

She joined the club the same way Manning did, by taking her daughter to junior surf.

She said it was common for entire families to join surf lifesaving, with 18-year-olds tending to drop off if they went away to university.

Some return to the club during summer holidays to take on the paid regional guarding role.

Whakatāne Surf Life Saving Club is steady in terms of membership numbers, with the most patrolling members of the Eastern region.

It has been bolstered by a share of Government funding since 2020, with $44 million committed in this year’s budget for clubs around the country.

In Whakatāne, the money has gone to first aid courses, upskilling guards and other costs. As a charity, the club still relies heavily on fundraising, with several organised annually.

Among the newer initiatives is the Decky Bar, which allows people to enjoy a cold one on a picturesque deck on one of the best beaches in the country, for a $20 summer membership fee.