Joy for Jaci following Life Member appointment at Jan Juc SLSC

A LOCAL of the Jan Juc area and a member of its Surf Life Saving Club since 1987, Jaci Chin-Jewson is the latest to earn the title of Life Member at the recently revitalised club.

Ms Chin-Jewson was awarded the honour at the club’s latest Annual General Meeting, following more than 30 years of commitment and effort within the surfing community on Clubhouse Road.

A person may only be eligible for Life Membership if they have been a Senior member (over 18 years of age) of the club for at least 15 years and made a “high” level of contribution in various facets of the club.

Ms Chin-Jewson lives less than two kilometres from the Jan Juc SLSC, but it has been her second home since joining 34 years ago after moving to the area from Geelong.

She has also had the pleasure of watching her three boys Broderick, Spencer and Edison grow up through the club since.

Ms Chin-Jewson started patrolling the beach after earning her Bronze Medallion in 1989.

Ever since, she has either been on the board or part of various committees.

The long-time member then began running the club’s publications and communications, a role where she handled memberships and provided a paper newsletter.

“It was in about 2003 that one of the other life members of the club decided the role was too much for a volunteer,” Ms Chin-Jewson said.
“They then decided to pay for someone to be put on staff for this role, which I got because I had already been doing it. I did that for about 10 years before I left.”

Ms Chin-Jewson noted that the community aspect of the club has certainly changed over the years, but she says the commitment of members to the club is evident in the turnout for their annual Bells Bash, which she has always been heavily involved in.

“During a weekend once a year, on the Friday we do the fun run and, on the Saturday, we do the Danger 1000 swim, which has been going on for the past 20 years,” she said.

“The amount of people needed to run an event like that is huge, so the whole club gets involved from our nippers all the way through to our older members.

“It brings everyone together and it makes everyone feel like they are working for a single cause and contributing to the club.
“That has been the best by-product of running an event during my time at the club.”

While Ms Chin-Jewson is not officially part of Jan Juc SLSC anymore, she is looking forward to assisting her husband Steve in running the club’s Starfish Nippers Program, calling herself “a glutton for punishment”.

Ms Chin-Jewson continues her role as Anglesea SLSC’s administration coordinator.