Surf club mourns loss of life member

Umina Surf Life Saving Club is mourning the loss of life member Mr Allan Cook who died in July.

Club president Mr Stephen Scahill said surf lifesaving lost one of its champions with Mr Cook's passing.

He said Mr Cook was a stalwart of the Central Coast's surf lifesaving scene.

Mr Cook worked at local beaches as a professional lifeguard for 40 years and was involved heavily in Umina and Toowoon Bay Surf Life Saving Clubs as a volunteer surf lifesaver and training and development officer.

Mr Scahill said Mr Cook was known as an advocate for the betterment of surf lifesaving on the Coast.

He had spearheaded several projects to grow the movement locally including leading a campaign to have several lifeguard towers installed across local beaches and training young up and coming female surf lifesavers and lifeguards to ensure a better gender equality in the sport.

Mr Scahill quoted the words of others to describe the feelings of club members: "Allan was the best.

"He taught lots of us so many things, particularly how to be lifesavers.

"An absolute professional gentleman and all-round great guy.

"Allan is one of the kindest, honest, most generous people I've ever known, a real gentleman.

"He influenced a generation of teachers, lifeguards, clubbies and emergency services personnel to start their careers."

Mr Scahill said: "Not often in your lifetime does an Allan Cook come around."

Several Umina club members attended a memorial service for Mr Cook held at Toowoon Bay Beach on August 4.

Hundreds of people attended the service from across the Coast's surf lifesaving community.

The service finished with an ocean wreath-laying in Mr Cook's honour.

SOURCE:

Social media, 4 Aug 2019

Stephen Scahill, Umina SLSC