14 December 2017
Dozens of Thirroul locals volunteered their time on Saturday to help more than 20 people with disabilities experience something most of us take for granted – a day in the surf.
The Disabled Surfing Association of Australia (DSAA) has been running events like this around Australia since 1986. Many of the participants are suffering from lifelong disabilities that mean they require significant help just to get into the water.
IMB Bank has been proudly supporting the DSAA for the last three years, providing financial support to help pay for clothing and equipment that can be used at multiple events.
Naina Mistry, Branch Manager at Thirroul, says the DSAA events bring the local community together.
“You can’t have an event like this without a big team of volunteers, and it was great to see people of all ages coming down to lend a hand. The whole day had a feel-good atmosphere.”
One of the volunteers in the water with the surfers was Senior Customer Service Representative, Jessica Flores-Bellamy.
“It was a really inspiring day to be part of,” Jessica said. “Some of these people only get to the beach once a year if they’re lucky, so it’s fantastic to see how happy it makes them. Seeing their faces made it really enjoyable for me as well.”
The next DSAA event will be held on Saturday 25 March 2018 in Gerroa. For more information please visit disabledsurfers.org
IMB Bank supports the DSAA through our Community Foundation Grant. Applications for 2018 grants are open until 9 February 2018, so visit IMB Bank's Community Foundations page to find out more.