Avoca Beach SLSC
Avoca Thailand Project
Avoca Beach SLSC
WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL TRAVELBLOG FOR THE AVOCA BEACH SLSC - THAILAND 2007 PROJECT
INTRODUCTION
On 26 December 2004 a magnitude 9.3 earthquake struck the west coast of Sumatra. As a consequence a Tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean devastating communities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and affected many other countries along the Indian Ocean rim. Approximately 300,000 people were killed in the Tsunami; eight thousand in Thailand of which half were Thai nationals and the other half foreigners and tourists. The worst hit areas in Thailand included the province of Phuket and Phi Phi Island.
Kathy Glinsky a young woman from Sydney was one of the victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami. Kathy was on holidays visiting her sister and family on Phi Phi Island when the tidal wave hit, both she and her young niece, Sasha, lost their lives whilst walking on the beach close to their family’s business.
In memory of Kathy, her employer Australand, kindly donated a fully equipped surfboat to Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Prior to her death, Kathy had been organising with Tiffany Braund, a member of Avoca Beach Surf Club, to sponsor a new set of oars. After the tragedy, Australand felt it appropriate to substantially increase the donation to include a surfboat, trailer and oars.
The sweep of the “Kathy Glinsky” surfboat, John Mitchell, life member and keen supporter of surf life saving in the local community of Avoca Beach, is constantly reminded of the tragic circumstances that arose from the Boxing Day Tsunami when he takes his crews out for training and competition on the water. The loss of life that occurred on that fateful day and the ongoing drownings that continue to take lives in Thailand has inspired John and the Avoca Beach Surf Club to start a program to introduce surf awareness and the culture of surf life saving to the communities of Phuket and Phi Phi.
Alistair (Slim) Peebles, Life Member of Avoca Beach Surf Club kindly investigated the feasibility of taking the concept of surf life saving and surf awareness to Thailand and through his tireless efforts he secured a grant from the Australia-Thai Institute to assist members of the club to introduce, up-skill and train the Thai people in first aid, surf awareness and water safety.
In the Year of the Life Saver (2007), a dedicated team of twelve members of Avoca Beach Surf Lifesaving Club will leave for Phuket in July to work with members of the Thai marine police, lifeguards, school children, tour operators and the Thai people to introduce the concept of surf life saving to their community.
Further trips to Thailand in the future are planned by Avoca Beach Surf Club with the aim to build the idea of fun and community service through surf life saving to the Thai people and to bring John and Slim’s dream to fruition to build these people a surf club and culture to support themselves in the promotion of surf awareness and water safety.
This project has been fully supported and endorsed by Surf Life Saving Australia, Surf Life Saving NSW and Surf Life Saving Central Coast.