Chloe Carr is a member of Bungan Beach Surf Life Saving Club. She is one of our inspirational members we're profiling this week as part of National Volunteers Week 2020.
Just last month, Chloe Carr was named the 2020 NSW Female Junior Lifesaver of the Year.
Chloe is a virtual newcomer to Surf Life Saving, but in her 12 months of being a member, she has achieved her SRC (Surf Rescue Certificate), substituted on patrols with members she hadn’t met if nothing else but to expand her knowledge and patrol experience.
Chloe has goals and direction that will not only take her further in Surf Life Saving, but she has shown that she is driven to take what she has learnt on the beach and convert those skills to help her in all areas of her life.
How long have you been involved with Surf Life Saving, and what club are you currently a member of?
I have been a part of Bungan Surf Life Saving Club for almost a year.
What was it that triggered you to join a club? Was it a defining moment and reason?
I was attending my sister’s Nippers every week and one of the leaders, Bec asked if I had ever thought about joining. It was then when I knew that becoming and SLS is something I wanted to do and by having that background support from people who believed in me really persuaded me to join.
There have been many defining moments for me, but at the core, it's knowing that I can give back and help my community.
What do you enjoy about being a member at Bungan?
I enjoy being a member at Bungan Beach because I feel like I'm part of a huge community of people who are all so welcoming. People who share the same passion as me. Everyone is willing to help and give guidance whenever is needed. That’s why I love being a member at Bungan.
What’s something most members wouldn’t know about you?
Surf Life Saving helped me feel like I belonged somewhere. I've found something where I can help people and give back where people have helped me.
What's one of the most inspirational or memorable things that you've witnessed either within your club or on patrol?
A memorable moment that I have witnessed on patrol is when we were told that someone’s mum and brother were missing and they were last seen in the water. The way my patrol jumped into action and went straight into the skills we had learnt from training was amazing to see. Everyone had a job to do and we all worked as a team to get it done.
In the end, everyone was safe and okay but in those 15 minutes I will never forget how my patrol got straight into it and it showed how much they cared and how willing they were to help. It was that day that I realised how much my patrol isn’t just individual people put together, it is a team and everyone has each other's back.
Why is volunteering as a surf lifesaver important to you? Why do you do it?
It is important to me to be a volunteer surf lifesaver because I know that if there was ever a situation that required my assistance I would be able to put my best foot forward and give as much help as I could.
I do it because thousands of people from all around Sydney come to the beaches and when conditions aren’t the best people rely on surf lifesavers to feel they are safe and for them to be able to have a good time.
Without surf lifesavers, beaches wouldn’t be as safe as they are now and that’s why I am a surf lifesaver. I want to make sure everyone has a good safe time at the beach.
You're a great role model for young people, what would you say to a young person joining Surf Life Saving for the first time?
I would say it is a life-changing experience and to continue with it for a long as you can because even though at times it is hard, the skills you learn in first aid and in the water is an amazing thing to have.
I would tell them surf lifesaving builds confidence in themselves on the beach and in first aid. I would tell them the end reward, to be able to do patrols and help your community is so worth the training.
What’s one word to describe the feeling you get from being a surf lifesaver?
Support.
National Volunteer Week is a time to acknowledge the people of Australia who generously donate their time to help better the lives of others. Surf lifesavers are some of the most dedicated and outstanding volunteers who really do change communities and change lives.
Thank you to all NSW volunteer surf lifesavers for your dedication, service and passion.
Volunteering Australia is inviting everyone to put their hand up and thank volunteers around Australia by waving a special smile of appreciation from home. Upload your wave photo to social media and share using the hashtags #NVW2020 and #waveforvolunteers.
Monday 18 May 2020