Legend of the Pambula Surf Life Saving Club Jimmy McGrath celebrated 50 years of surf lifesaving service with a party held last Saturday.
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In true form, McGrath had the club in stitches recalling incidents, accidents, rescues and side splitting anecdotes accrued over a lifetime of surf life saving.
Behind the humour, McGrath’s commitment to safety and wellbeing of the community at the beach is undeniable.
“There are very few club members over the years that Jimmy hasn’t supported in some way in their lifesaving endeavours,” club president Don Hay said.
After 50 years of service, far from hanging up his red and yellow cap, McGrath backed up on Sunday morning to help with the registration day of the new Nippers development squad.
He also spent three hours in the IRB (duck) support for the Nippers and then another three hours assessing the newest lifesavers in their Bronze Medallion training.
“Pambula Surf Club is not just a surf club ... it is a way of life,” are McGrath’s words that resonated with a young surf club recruit Andrew Holt 20 years ago.
“Twenty years on and Jimmy is still living surf club way of life,” the now Nippers president Holt said.
McGrath has dealt with plenty of illness over his life, but long-term friend and club stalwart Frank Davey said McGrath had got through it “as he is and always has been extremely active”.
“Nothing is too much trouble is Jimmy’s standard response,” Davey said.
McGrath has not missed a George Bass Marathon since its inception in 1975 and has worked in some capacity at every one.
“Jimmy could be found on any night with a torch performing running repairs on a surf boat for any club in need,” Holt said.
“He is known and loved by surf lifesavers across the state.”
McGrath was president of the Pambula club for 12 years, but has also performed numerous rescues, repaired engines and officiated at hundreds of carnivals.
He is one of the most decorated lifesavers in the country.
At 25 years of service he received an International Citation of merit from the World Life Saving Association for “outstanding service, promoting marine safety and supporting the humanitarian goal of World Life Saving”.
His services to the wider community were also recognised this year by the Bega Valley Shire when he was elected Senior Citizen of the Year.
The club congratulated McGrath on his achievements and thanked him for his ongoing service.
