A job well done

Bay Post
Wednesday 13/2/2008 Page: 47

ON February 10 the first of the LifeSaving Energy Big Swim series was held on Lake Jindabyne. Held in near perfect conditions, an impressive $16,000 was raised on the day. The seven-kilometre swim from Kalkite to the town of Jindabyne had 20 competitors. Well done to Terry Casey who swam the longest swim of his life and would have put most people half his age to shame. Colby Rook swam the lake in a blistering one hour 35 minutes, and won the mountain bike donated for the swimmer who gained the most sponsorship.

There was a fine showing from the South Coast Anglican College, and there was a huge turnout from Tathra Surf Club members who came in force to make sure that all went smoothly. Thanks also to Doctor Cath Newman and Doctor Gabe Khouri who were on the lake for medical backup. In particular I would like to thank all the sponsors in the mountains and on the coast who supported this event. We had gold coin donations, and major individual sponsors, businesses and swimmers all got behind this event.

It was an heroic feat to raise $16,000, almost the sum necessary to install a two kilowatt photovoltaic system and a 400-watt wind turbine on the roof of Jindabyne Surf Club. I am sure that the additional $5000 necessary for the installation will come, and as soon as we can get the plan through council we will have the system installed. The next LifeSaving Energy Big Swim will be in Narooma on the weekend of April 19 and 20, to raise money for renewable energy for the Narooma and Bermagui surf clubs. This will be a seven kilometre swim in the Wagonga Inlet. Where to next? Clean Energy for Eternity aims to get all seven surf clubs in south-eastern NSW set up with renewable energy by the end of the year.