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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The beach wheelchairs are ready to go, they just need volunteers to help manage them.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
The City of Whyalla is seeking volunteers for the Accessible Beach Program this summer.
Whyalla now has three beach wheelchairs and 40m of beach matting to make it easier for those in wheelchairs, walkers and prams to access the beach at the foreshore. In conjunction with the Whyalla Beach Access Group (WBAG), Council has now cleared the way for the wheelchairs to be used.
All it needs now is a regular team of volunteers to roll out the mats and help people with the wheelchairs. The wheelchairs will be available between 9am and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday and public holidays starting next month.
Council needs two volunteers each day between these times. For those interested, there will be a training session on Saturday, December 14 from midday at the foreshore near the surf lifesaving club.
The training will be provided by a qualified physiotherapist from Push Mobility which is a leader in the field of disability equipment and the Accessible Beach Program.
Council Youth Development officer, and co-ordinator of the program, Gail Rostig said this was an ideal opportunity for people to give back to the community with a rewarding experience that will make life more enjoyable for those living with a disability.
“Volunteers just need to be relatively fit, reliable and available to fill shifts on the weekend and public holidays,” Gail said.
“The more volunteers we get the better it will be with everyone sharing the load.
“This is not only an opportunity to help others in the community, it is chance to gain some valuable skills that could be transferable into other aspects of life.
“This will be an extremely rewarding experience and the chance to get out and about and have some fun yourself on the beach this summer.”
The beach mats portion of this program was funded by the State Government with funds also raised to purchase three beach wheelchairs by WABG, the Wellness Centre Walk and Talk Group, the British American Motorcycle Club, and Whyalla Lions Club. The program will run with support from the Whyalla Surf Lifesaving Club.
“A big thanks must go to our local MP Eddie Hughes who, with the assistance of Zia and Cyanne Westerman, helped promote this program and secure the State Government funding for the beach mats,” Gail said.
“It really has been a complete community effort to get this up and running and we now just need to keep that rolling with the help of a team of volunteers.”
For more information about volunteering and the training, or to register for the training, call Gail Rostig on 0447 570 401 or email gail.rostig@whyalla.sa.gov.au