Surf Life Saving Australia’s 190,000 volunteers recognised in Discovering Hidden Legends campaign

A single mother who earned 73 surf life saving awards in three years, and an 18-year-old student juggling volunteering with her HSC both play a role in the 8000 yearly rescues across Australia.

Cate Kyling (left) is a volunteer with Coogee Surf Life Saving Club. Picture: supplied

Being a single mother to two teenagers and working a busy job as an accountant might seem like enough for one person’s plate, but Athenia Pascoe spends the majority of her spare time saving lives — for free.

She’s one of 910,000 Surf Life Saving Australia volunteers being thanked next month in the national campaign, ‘Discovering Hidden Legends,’ which will see inspiring stories will line the walkway of the South Cronulla SLSC.

Ms Pascoe has achieved an impressive 73 awards since joining her first patrol at Clovelly SLSC in 2019, after many years watching her child in the ‘Nippers’ junior lifesaving lessons.

The lifesaving awards — essentially qualifications — Ms Pascoe has gained in those short three years, include inflatable rescue boat, silver medallion beach management and advanced resuscitation.

If that’s not enough, she’s also volunteered in other roles, such as supporting her peers as a member protection information officer and putting her finance knowledge to use as the Sydney branch’s finance director.

Athenia Pascoe has multiple volunteering roles with Coogee Surf Life Saving Club. Picture: supplied

From giving people oxygen after they’ve misjudged how far they can swim, to educating people about the conditions of the water, Ms Pascoe said volunteering is extremely rewarding.

“It’s just a great environment to actually meet different people that you normally wouldn’t talk to you,” she said.

“Everyone’s there for the same reason. So it’s very united. It’s an amazing organisation — I just can’t believe that it‘s 100 per cent volunteers.”

Those volunteers comes from all walks of life and all ages.

Eighteen-year-old Cate Kyling and fellow Coogee SLSC volunteer got her bronze medallion when she was just aged 16, after about a decade as a nipper.

Cate Kyling (l) says her time as a volunteer has shaped who she is. Picture: supplied

Already, Ms Kyling has become vice captain of her patrol and gained the awards of first aid, advances resuscitation, inflatable rescue boat driver and crew.

Being a part of the club has shaped the person she is today, Ms Kyling explained.

“It’s honestly one of my favourite things that I do; it’s like a whole new family over there,” Ms Kyling said.

“And just the community itself, it’s just so rewarding the people you meet and the connections you make.”

Even when completing her Higher School Certificate, Ms Kyling wanted to keep taking on more responsibilities with her volunteering, but she said she had to recognise her limit.

Ms Kyling recently got her driver’s qualification. Picture: supplied

“My club captain and vice captain, they kind of told me, during the HSC in October, we’re not going to allow you to do very much,” she said.

“So I was pretty much put on the backburner, which was very helpful because I take on a lot”.

The inspirational stories of Ms Pascoe and Ms Kyling are just two of many that will be shared in South Cronulla on December 9, with the support of surfer Joel Parkinson.

According to a Surf Life Saving Australia spokeswoman, 50,000 of the 190,000 volunteers across Australia are patrolling members.

“Each year, approximately 8000 rescues happen,” she said.

“There are 53,000 first aid cases and 1.75 million preventative actions to keep the public out of harm’s way. It equates to 1.35 million hours of patrolling”.