Award-winning surf lifesaver Barry Antella urges people to get behind DoSomething Day
DoSomething Day is on July 19 and one of the top NSW volunteer lifesavers is urging people to get on board.
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YOU would be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated volunteer than Sydney surf lifesaver Barry Antella.
Mr Antella, of Naremburn, lives and breathes volunteering for his beloved surf club, Queenscliff, and the surf lifesaving movement in general.
Mr Antella, 67, has been dedicating his spare time to Queenscliff Surf Life Saving Club for 41 years — and in 2015 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for volunteering.
While not everybody has the time to do countless hours of selfless work that Mr Antella has done for surf lifesaving, he urged people to use DoSomethingDay, on July 19, to consider donating to the iconic volunteer organisation.
Alternatively, he suggested people could pick up the phone, call their local surf club and find out more about how they can get involved.
“I’d like to encourage people to come along and join their local surf club,” he said.
“They can do their bronze medallion (surf lifesaving qualification) and become a patrolling member or even just come along and be an associate member to help volunteer.
“Whether you’re saving lives on the beach, or you could be doing other things …. there’s always something to do.”
Mr Antella is currently a vice president at Queenscliff SLSC and was a deputy referee at last weekend’s NSW IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat) Championship, held in Kiama Downs.
Through the years he has held a string of other roles as well, including club captain and chief instructor.
Everyone comes down and it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re doing during the week,” he said.
“When we come down here to the beach, everyone’s on the same level.
“We are all volunteers at the end of the day.”
Surf Life Saving NSW has about 74,000 volunteering members helping out at one of the 129 surf clubs across the state.
This includes about 21,000 patrolling members who collectively spent more than 560,000 hours of their time own to patrol during the beach season.
Surf lifesaving, one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia, relies on community generosity including donations, fundraising and corporate sponsorship.
The inclusive and uniquely Australian movement offers people young and old the opportunity to make a difference, make friends and maybe save a life.
To find out more go to surflifesaving.com.au or call 9471 8000.
Clubs NSW helps out
ClubsNSW Chairman Peter Newell OAM said the industry was proud to contribute more than $1 million a year to the surf life saving movement in NSW.
“ClubsNSW is in awe of the fantastic work Surf Life Saving NSW does to keep our beaches safe. It’s no exaggeration to say that they save thousands of lives each and every year,” he said.
WHAT IS DO SOMETHING DAY?
Do Something Day on July 19 is Australia’s biggest celebration of volunteering in our communities, recognising the extraordinary contributions made by everyday locals. It seeks to inspire people to make a difference and give back by volunteering, making a donation or carrying out a simple random act of kindness.
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
There are endless ways you can help others — and you don’t need to wait until Dosomething Day to start. However, as July 19 is the focal point of this celebration, it would be great to turn your attention to it on that day. Let the “kind-o-miser” generate a kind deed suggestion for you to do. Try our Do Something Day Quiz which will help match you with a charity that reflects your ideals.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Tweet, Instagram or Facebook a picture that captures the spirit of kindness and generosity on Do Something Day — and use the hashtags #dosomethingday and #giveyourbest. It could be a picture of a volunteers at charity you are already involved with. It could be a picture acknowledging someone in your community who selflessly works for others. It could be a snap of the nice person who serves your coffee every day with a smile. so many ways to acknowledge the kindness in our community.
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