- 13-year-old volunteer surf lifesaver Jayme Wisemantel wins AU$5,000 (€3,333) for Black Head Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) by sharing a story about his first surf rescue
- The campaign invited Australians to submit stories of their time at a patrolled beach, with the aim to raise awareness of Surf Life Saving Australia volunteers’ efforts to keep the country’s beaches safe
DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider and Surf Life Saving Australia are pleased to name volunteer surf lifesaver Jayme Wisemantel and Black Head Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) as winners of this year’s DHL Summer campaign.
The 2019 DHL Summer Campaign invited Australians to submit a story involving a SLSC-patrolled beach for the chance to win a gift card worth AU$1,000 (approximately €666) and a cash donation of AU$5,000 (approximately €3,333) for the respective surf lifesaving club.
“The story of Jayme’s first surf rescue at Black Head Beach stood out from the rest for its bravery, impact and passion, and truly embodies the heart of the cause,” Gary Edstein, CEO and Senior Vice President at DHL Express Oceania said. “Thanks to extraordinary Surf Life Saving Australia volunteers like Jayme who patrol our beaches every season with a can-do attitude, we are able to enjoy a safe and memorable time at the beach with our families and friends.”
In January this year, Jayme was patrolling the northern and southern sides of the flags at Black Head Beach when he saw a man struggling and showing signs of severe exhaustion in an area where a rip had begun to form. Noticing that the man was detached from his body board, he immediately paddled about 100 metres across the surf to reach the man and bring him to safety.
Since 2010, Jayme has been a member of Black Head SLSC on the New South Wales mid-north coast when he joined as an Under 6s Nipper. In November 2018, Jayme received his Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) and is currently an active patrolling member, along with his older brother and father who is a patrol captain.
“This past summer, I've assisted with multiple rescues and I'm glad that I'm able to use my skills as a SRC member. I'm thrilled to have won this prize especially since I really didn't think I would. Thank you, DHL for the partnership and SLSA for giving me the opportunity to learn life-saving skills and be a volunteer patrolling member on our beach,” Jayme said.
The AU$5,000 donation to Black Head SLSC will go towards the maintenance and purchase of club equipment and training.
For more information on how you can stay safe at the beach, visit beachsafe.org.au.
