WAUCHOPE Bonny Hills Surf Club Member Leanne Goggin was named the Branch Female Life Saver of the Year at a special presentation dinner held at West Port Mingara Bowling Club earlier this month.

Goggin is considered one of the hardest working female members WBHSLSC has had in its 50 year history.

She had previously won the award in 2004/05.

The Branch executive selected Goggin from an excellent group of Female Lifesavers because of her outstanding contribution to the Wauchope Bonny Hills club.

Her list of achievements and work ethic includes being an active voluntary patrol member with a 100% patrol record this season and one of the top patrolling members. She is the Director of Youth Development and Education and this season instructed JAC (nipper) members to achieve around 100 awards including 13 Surf Rescue Certificates. These young SRC awardees have become a voluntary patrol member during the current season.

Goggin co-ordinated "The Days on The Beach" that also was Awarded the Club Event of The Year Title.This included a day on the beach for "Canteen" the kids suffering from cancer, another day for Camp Quality and also a day on the beach for the families from the drought affected areas of far western NSW.

As well as this she organised nippers days, was the presenter for the branch at the age managers course. She also organised junior lifesavers to deliver surf lifesaving information into some of the schools in the district.

Other work included organizing the surf clubs exhibition at Settlement City; officiating at all Mid North Coast Carnivals and NSW Country Championships and assisted in the organisation of the Mid North Coast Branch Junior Life Saving Camp for 100 Nippers at Bonny Hills.

She attended all club fund raisers and organised the Annual Bonny Hills Fun Run. As well as these and many more contributions she also competed at the MNC Branch Championships winning a Silver Medal in the female single Racing Ski event and survived in the mountainous seas in the Mixed Double Racing Ski (with brother Peter) at the NSW Country Championships at Tacking Point. She holds many SLSA awards and is a SLSA Trainer and Assessor.

As well as Goggin’s outstanding achievement, the club was also proud that hard-working Director of Administration Jan Cligeleffer was awarded The Branch Administrator of The Year honour for the season.

In her club role as Secretary/Treasurer she has contributed significantly towards the smooth running of the club. As well as the normal duties as a secretary /treasurer Cligeleffer has been instrumental in submitting applications to NSW State and Federal Governments for funding towards the Clubs proposed new clubhouse.

She has also made out successful submissions that gained funding for a new IRB and other Life saving equipment. She nominated Rainbow Beach which was successful in two of the NSW clean beaches categories. Cligeleffer represented Wauchope Bonny Hills as a delegate at Branch meetings and attended all club fundraising functions.

Cligeleffer is a co-ordinator for many of the sub-committees at WBHSLSC and is presently a member of hardworking committee organising the Club's 50 year anniversary celebrations to be held in October this year.

The Mid North Coast Branch "Rookie of The Year" honours went to another Wauchope Bonny Hills Club member, Jedd Goggin. The youngster won this award from a big list of talented rookies.

The award is for a first year Bronze Medallion patrolling lifesaver. Jedd's contributions and achievements this season have been outstanding both at club, branch and NSW levels.

He was the club’s highest patrolling member with 155 hours on patrol and water safety. He was a 100% patrolling member. He gained the awards of Bronze Medallion, IRB Crewman’s Certificate, Advanced Resuscitation, Radio Officers, Senior First-Aid and Defibrillator Operators Certificates.

Goggin was club 15 years Champion and Branch 15years single racing ski and Iron Man Champion. He represented WBH at NSW Country, NSW State and Australian Championships. He won the silver medal in the NSW Country 15years surf race championship as well as placing 4th in iron man, and board rces.

He made the final of the NSW State surf Race and semi finals in all his events at The Aussies. Goggin was co-coach for all the nippers board paddlers at training sessions every Friday.

He was selected in the Elite North Coast Regional Academy for Sport for Surf Life Saving this year. He was Mid North Coast Branch Junior Life Saver of The Year in 2007. Jedd is nomally the first at the beach on Sundays and the last to leave after patrols. He assists in the checking and setting up of all gear for nippers. He assisted in most fundraisers and the activities such as "Canteen, Camp Quality,fun run etc. He visited some of the schools to spread the message of Surf Life Saving.

As mentioned before Wauchope Bonny Hills Surf Life Saving Club took out the " event of the Year" To win this award we had to compete against The Australian IRB Championships at South West Rocks,

The NSW Country Championships at Tacking Point and a number of very High Profile Events. Our Days on the Beach were days cordinated be Leanne Goggin and other club members as great fun days for "Canteen" ,"Camp Quality" and The Drought affected people of Far western NSW. The days were brilliantly organised by our club with many of our Surf Rescue Youngsters assisting. They were great fun days and provided some relief for the people of Canteen, camp quality and the drought.

Wauchope Bonny Hills Club also won the Handicap Points Score Shield at the Branch Championships.A great reward for all the hard work that has gone into the training of our Jac Competitors,Boat Rowers, water event competitors and beach competitors.

Grant Rogers received another Major Award in "The Hero Of The Surf " award Grant received this award after the club submitted him as our hero of the surf for all the hard work behind the scenes on club nippers days. Grant is always there setting up all the beach area prior to the activities and then he is an age manager for his under 11 years group. The kids idolise him and his friendly and helpful nature endears him to all. Grant’s prize also included a $1000 cheque for the club Congratulations Grant.

Perhaps the Highlight of the night from a Branch Perspective was when Branch President Denis O'Sullivan was presented with Life Membership of Surf Life Saving Mid North Coast Branch. Branch, NSW and Australian Life Member Chalkie Bob Smith OAM presented the very surprised Denis with his Badge of honour surrounded by fellow Life Members of the branch Kevin Ruscoe (SWR), Tony Hayes, Bruce Caldwell (SWR),Graham Bingham P(TP),John Vipond (CH).Max Waters (PM0 and Ken Corbett (TP) were unable to be present for "Dos" presentation.

Young Michael Dearling from WBHSLSC was in attendance for the evening together with the other Mid North Coast Junior Lifesaver of the Year nominees and were presented with Branch Jackets.

140 people were in attendance at the dinner with WBHSLSC represented by Bob and Lyn Smith, Grant and Michelle Rogers, Jedd Goggin and Michael Dearling.