June 2009 Recipients
A $2,715.00 grant to the Ruakaka Surf Life Saving Patrol will make Uretiti Beach safer this summer through the purchase of a portable lifeguard tower.
Uretiti Beach, located just south of Whangarei, is a popular Kiwi holiday spot attracting hundreds of people every summer. The beach is approximately 3km from the Surf Patrol’s main clubrooms which means the patrol has to make several trips to the beach daily, rather than being on site at all times, which is not ideal.
“The grant will allow the lifeguards to set up a mini satellite patrol and provide Uretiti Beach and camping ground with a reliable surf life saving patrol. We would like to provide this service in time for the 2009-2010 summer season commencing in October,” says Leanne Hulse, Ruakaka Surf Club Administrator.
Ruakaka Surf Lifesaving Patrol was established in 1960 and has patrolled the local beaches every summer for almost 50 years. Currently the patrol has around 50 lifeguards who volunteer between 50 and 150 hours every season between Labour Weekend and Easter monitoring 16km of beach between Uretiti Beach to the Ruakaka River mouth.
