YOUNG life savers have an example to look up to in Anna Fortunaso, the recipient of the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club (TGHN SLSC) 2024-25 Junior Life Saver of the Year.
Anna officially started her journey as a life saver in 2016, joining the Nippers Junior Activities program as soon as she was old enough to do so.
“She joined when she was just five, but has been hanging around the beach since she was a baby, watching her siblings and joining as soon as she could,” Anna’s proud mum Jasmine, told News Of The Area.
“Anna would highly recommend Nippers and life saving to other kids out there as a way to get healthy and active.”
Hawks Nest’s Bennetts Beach is the closest to Anna’s family home along the Williams River, and her interests are piqued in the field of marine biology.
“Anna is an outstanding youth member of the surf club with phenomenal surf skills and a keen awareness of lifesaving,” TGHN SLSC Chief Training Officer Amanda Osmond said.
“Anna became a Nipper as soon as she was old enough and always competed several ages above her group.”
“Members refer to Anna as the ‘fish’ and even though she is only 14, she has performed numerous rescues.
“She is an excellent addition to water safety for Nippers and to the three patrols that she is a member of.
“[She] simply epitomises surf lifesaving in every way.”
Anna completed Nippers in 2023 and moved on to be a cadet member.
The skills she learnt as a Nipper included water and beach safety, use of rescue board and swimming proficiency.
As a cadet member, Anna gained her Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC).
She has proven her skills in board and tube rescues, gained her first aid and radio certificates, and increased her knowledge of beach safety and the importance of team work when on patrol.
As she approaches her tenth year of watching the waves, Anna is more experienced than many adult members.
Since her cadet days, she has exceeded her rostered hours on the beach, regularly volunteered when any patrol is short, and has provided water safety for Nippers on Sundays.
“Anna is always willing to help, and was a part of the patrol who conducted a rescue of 12 swimmers on 21 December, 2024 when they were caught in a flash rip,” Club Registrar Kerrie Moore said.
The December rescue gained acknowledgement from NSW SLS as an outstanding rescue for team work and skill.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
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