Presentation Night - great night!
Over 100 members and guests attended our 2014-2015 Awards & Presentation Night at Bulli Workers Club. With MC Keith Caldwell welcoming the crowd, a number of DVD’s produced by Ingrid Cardillo were shown highlighting our season that just passed. The crowd was also entertained by one of our very own, Nathan Flint who did a great job. Keith as President gave an overview of how the season went and then we got into the evenings awards. Dean Dudley spoke about our lifesaving & education prowess and Scott Gordon followed that up also with praise for our patrolling members and their achievements.
41 members received a high quality BULLI SLSC umbrella for obtained 100% recorded patrol attendance. Our Patrol Members of the Year were presented to the crowd, namely Lachlan O’Grady & Morgan Richards along with our Rookie Patrol Members Lauren Ah Tong & Harry Devine. Adam Smith’s Patrol Team No.6 were the toast of the patrol teams winning the ‘Owen Mercer’ Memorial Trophy for best patrol team during the season.
Ray Bromley also obtained the 60 years Long Service Award for his involvement and membership with the surf club and will be presented with this at the AGM. Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery arrived from another function and watched a DVD about our current building and what was planned for the future. He spoke about the great work our club has done over the years making our beach safer for the community and the long list of achievements by our members. Our President thanked him for the capital works funding from Wollongong City Council.
Extra entertainment on the night had our very own Jeffrey Horne (Life Member)...supposed to be presenting an award...giving the Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery a spray about the sand dunes/vegetation out the front of the surf club. ‘Fog’ as he is known gave Gordon a history lesson about Bulli beach and what he did as a young kid and how not impressed he is (and that is a view by a majority ) with the current status of the beach. For the record Gordon took the constructive criticism very well, thank god we have already received the council funding for our proposed building extensions!
Our sponsors were presented with some special items from the club as recognition of their continued support with our major sponsor Bulli Workers Club receiving a large locally produced surf print clock which looked unreal. Club sponsors that attended on the night included Darryl Lane President of Bulli Workers Club with a couple of the directors, Russell Brinkworth from Ballistics Signs, Terry Faricy President of Woonona Lions Club, Garry & Belinda Mustafa from Bulli Fruit & Deli, Simon Jones from TVH, John Boes from FINZ Swimwear, Rick Calvi from Calvi Petrol Station & Mint Car Wash & Cal from Bai Med Physiotherapy
In surf sports Mali Taylor received the ‘Ken Baker’ Surf Sports Athlete of the Year, winning medals at Branch, State & National level. Our A boat crew won the ‘Russ Jones’ Trophy as best performed crew for the season. In a special moment on the night our Australian Surf Life Saving representatives were acknowledged and presented to the crowd. Firstly Keith Caldwell as Team Manager for Rescue 2014 France and then our A Boat Crew as 2015 Trans Tasman Boat Series, with the boat crew receiving their official Australian competition cap (numbered) and framed. 6 Australian representatives in one season is an outstanding achievement for our surf club.
Getting closer to the finish of the evening’s official proceedings Stuart Brown & Simon Jones received the President’s Trophy and Barry Lowe & Dave Greene were awarded the Bulli Workers Club. Now to our 3 major awards, Under 16 ‘Jack Horne’ Memorial Club Person of the Year went to Timothy Gordon, our Under 19 ‘Fred Dunn’ Memorial Club Person of the Year had dual winners, namely Kiah Taylor and Joshua Gordon. Our ‘John Bruton’ Memorial Club Person of the Year was awarded to Markus Meier-Lindner.
Massive congratulations to very member that received awards on the night, it was greatly deserved.
Thank you to Bulli Workers Club for supplying the venue, Opals Restaurant for the large meals, Belinda Down from Aspirations Graphics for the sponsors items (bar mats), Garry Birdsall for the Workers Club clock, WB Trophies for the trophies, Embroid Me for the club person bomber jacket & umbrellas.
Nathan Flint continued to entertain the crowd well into the night and a good night was had by all that attended.