There’s no better way to celebrate the warmer weather than getting out onto the water, but for some members of our community, that’s easier said than done.
The Kedron-Wavell RSL Club and the Lake Kurwongbah Water Ski Club have combined forces to make a day out on the water a reality for children with special needs.
A special day out on the water
RSL sub-branch senior vice-president, Greg Peake, said children with spina bifida, cerebral palsy and other disabilities took part in the day, alongside children being helped by Legacy.
“It’s a great day out, the ski club puts on all the boats and provides all the equipment; while the sub-branch provides the barbecue, and we have members in the water assisting the kids to get into the tubes and onto and off the boats,” he said.
“Some of these kids don’t have the opportunity to get out and do this kind of thing, so it’s something different for them.”
The biannual charity ski days have been held since 2001, with charities including Sporting Wheelies, Make A Wish Foundation and Variety invited to attend. It’s free of charge for the children and their families.
The ski club has a “come and try” day during the year and the donations raised from that day go towards running the charity ski events.
The ski club also provides all the tubes, ski gear and adaptive ski equipment so that everyone can participate regardless of their medical condition. They have also built an adaptive trailer to help get paraplegic skiers into the water safely.
“To see the kids’ happy faces is just lovely,” Mr Peake said. “They get onto the tube or into the boat and go once around the dam, then they come back in and the members are there to help them, and they (the children) just want to go straight back around again and have another go.
“They just keep going back for more turns – the boat drivers tire out before the kids do.
“We usually get around 150 people to the day and I think for all of us, just to see the smiles on the children’s faces is so great, and it’s wonderful for their families and carers as well.”
The next charity ski day is being held on Sunday, 27 October.
For more information go to www.lkwsz.org.au or contact the Kedron-Wavell RSL sub-branch via: https://kwrsl.org.au/sub-branch/
