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| Sunday, 17 April 2005 |
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Life saving society needs help by Rohan Mathes The tsunami devastated Mt. Lavinia Surf Society appeals to its membership and the general public to assist resurrect an institution which has done a yeoman service in life saving. The Mt.Lavinia Surf Society President Walter Fernando told the Sunday Observer that the club which well known for saving over 40,000 lives within 40 odd years of its existence, and for holding the annual two-mile sea swim, one of the most prestigious events in the water sports calendar of Sri Lanka among others, had experienced a double destruction. Following the destruction caused by the natural calamity, the club has been vandalised by hoodlums and opportunists, who have robbed and pilfered all that was within it, inclusive of its furniture and toilet fittings. This club by the sea which for decades had served many families with the best hospitality in town, including the provision of palatable cuisine at an affordable price, had been in a pathetic state for almost two months. After the boxing day tsunami, it had been in darkness sans electricity and totally abandoned. However, some enthusiastic members had met, taken an unanimous stand and elected a new 'Interim Committee' in order to rehabilitate and resurrect it once again to its pristine glory with the assistance of sponsors and volunteers among others. Nonetheless, its membership which had been over 300, has dropped drastically. It has not received any assistance from any NGO or government institution to date. Therefore, the club is now seeking moral support and whatever assistance in cash or kind from individual well-wishers, corporate bodies, local and international NGO's, the Government and the media. "Now the Club is languishing sans the usual patronage of its old members. Mankind could never be isolated from the sea despite its vicissitudes. Man has consistently used the sea, exploited its resources with all its hidden dangers and horrors. The life saving arm of this institution continues to function with the same enthusiasm", Walter Fernando noted. He said that to achieve their goals, the committee has decided to waive-off unpaid subscriptions upto 2004, provided the member pays up for 2005, on or before March 31. Walter Fernando pointed out that although their main task was to save lives, they plan to cater for water sports such as wind surfing, surfing, water skating and boating as well, in the future. |
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