ROSEBUD and McCrae Life Saving Club is celebrating a game-changing revamp with non-slip flooring and improvements to its changerooms and shower facilities. The $50,000 project is being funded by Mornington Peninsula Shire’s local area community capital infrastructure grant.
“Our club hasn’t seen upgrades since it was first built in the early 2000s,” club president Jackson Twentyman said, adding not only would the revamp improve the safety of its members but also ensure that they can continue to serve the community with the highest standards.
At 26, Twentyman is one of the club’s youngest presidents after taking the reins last July. Previously he was the club’s treasurer where he spent four years using his background in commerce to ensure the club wasn’t “just surviving but thriving”. In addition to the shire grant, Twentyman said the club raised $50,000 thanks to sponsorships and donations from local businesses and community members, with the funds going towards upgrading the club’s gym.
Renovations began three weeks ago and are expected to be completed by February or March next year.
Twentyman thanked everyone involved in making the project happen which he said would go a long way in supporting their work. “It’s great to see for the first time in many years we have local community organisations and local businesses jump on board with our club. Before we didn’t really have anything like that,” he said. “We’ve struggled for the past ten years to gain members, but in the past three years we started up a nipper’s program again and that’s been absolutely splendid. “We’ve had tremendous feedback and seen an increase in memberships from local families. “The club is about more than water safety; we do focus on mental and physical health as well and feeling a part of something; that’s what we’ve envisioned.” The shire said it was delighted to invest in the facilities “and ensure the clubhouse remains functional and safe for our community”.
First published in the Mornington News – 10 December 2024
