It always surprises Anne-Marie Westby of Cleveland that so few Redland people have visited North Stradbroke Island. To her, it is the most beautiful place in the world.
Ms Westby should know. Once a nipper with the Point Lookout surf life savers, she has been a regular visitor to the island since the age of seven and continues to go there, this time as the surf club’s nominated 2015/2016 surf girl entrant.
There are two reasons Ms Westby accepted the surf girl challenge.
The first was to promote surf life saving and surf safety and the second was that she could give back to a club that has given her so much.
“I have had a few friends as surf girls and I admired them for doing so. I thought that this year, it was my turn,” she said.
While there is a fund raising element to the competition, it is also judged on the girls’ ability to represent surf life saving and be an ambassador. The judging will be held in May next year.
“It is judged on how you present yourself and your involvement. It is based on your surf life saving and surf rescue skills as well PR and public speaking,” Ms Westby said.
Now aged 25, Ms Westby joined the club as a family activity with her parents and her two older brothers. Today, her mother Michelle remains a financial member and she and her father David continue to patrol. For Ms Westby that means one in three weekends are spent at the club for three patrols during the summer season.
“There is always training to do and something to help out with. I recently helped at the surf rescue certificate and bronze medallion camp,” she said.
Ms Westby is also proudly a beach patrol captain.
“That means that any decisions regarding beach set up, rescues, public relations etc. goes through the Patrol Captain first. This is my second season as a patrol captain and I have really enjoyed the challenge and loved mentoring the younger patrolling members,” she said.
“I have found wonderful support and friendship through surf lifesaving. It has given me a good base as a person and it teaches good life skills,” she said.
Ms Westby has also been an active fund raiser with one event planned per month. To date, she has held a Christmas in July, high tea and boat cruise to River Fire. Her next event will be a golf day at the Carbrook Golf Club on November 6 and she holds weekly raffles with the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club.
During the summer school holidays, the club also hosts surf awareness and beach skills sessions for holiday makers and families and a beach barbecue on Cylinder Beach.
