National Volunteer Week – Thank You Sailing Volunteers

by Jane Gordon on 8 May 2017 Every day volunteers across the country roll up their sleeves as Race Officials, Canteen Heroes, Club Helpers, Coaches, Instructors, Management Committee members and everything in-between to allow us to enjoy sailing.

With over 350 Australian Sailing Clubs, we acknowledge and thank all of those individuals around the country who volunteer their time.

Australian Sailing President, Matt Allen, said it is essential to recognise the importance of volunteers to the overall growth and development of sailing in Australia and world-wide.

“Volunteers are at the heart of sailing and, as a sport, we are grateful for the endless hours our volunteers contribute,” Matt said. “We thank all of the sailing volunteers who turn up to their Clubs, rain, hail, or shine and provide a safe, fun and friendly environment, on and off the water, for sailing participants.”

Annually at the Australian Sailing Awards, the ‘Volunteer of the Year Award’ is presented and in 2016 Louise Hosie from Mordialloc Sailing Club in Victoria took out the Award. Ironically, she was unable to attend the awards night because she was in regional Victoria giving her time and sharing her knowledge at a regatta.

“It was such a great privilege to be recognised by my peers as the Australian Sailing Volunteer of the Year last year,” Louise said. “It was very exciting, unexpected and I am extremely honoured.

“I have been volunteering for close to 30 years and have formed a lot of great friendships over that time. It has been very rewarding to watch the development of young sailors as they come through the ranks.”

Over the last ten years, Louise has been volunteering on the national and international circuit with her husband Garry who is an International Race Officer. Garry is also a previous winner of the ‘Volunteer of the Year Award’.

“We have travelled across the country and overseas to Canada and Thailand to major sailing events, which has been a great experience,” Louise said. “The personal rewards you get from volunteering and the friends you make, are really the biggest benefits to putting your hand up to help out.”

This National Volunteer Week, Australian Sailing would like to say thank you, to all of the amazing individuals who do more than just sail. To those volunteers who donate their time, intellect and resources to make sailing the sport it is today and what it will be in the future, thank you.