Reminiscing on the hot summer months, I was privileged enough to attend two Smiles on Dials events held by the Disabled Surfer’s Association (DSA) held at Leighton beach earlier this year.

These events were incomparable to any other service activity that I have been involved in. The sun was out, the water was refreshing and everyone in attendance was there to have a good time. It was so great to meet some of the fantastic surfer’s who were having the time of their life surfing and enjoying the waves. We met with our team leaders and were sorted into groups, and we were given instructions on what to do.

From there on out, we had the rest of the morning to assist the surfers, chat to fellow volunteers and enjoy the morning in the sunshine. The day wasn’t without its challenges, however for the majority it was a relaxing, beautiful morning. I was able to spend the day with my family, and my sister brought along two special guests who she babysits who were able to enjoy the morning with us surfing and playing in the sand.

This event is run entirely by volunteers, and cannot operate without them. The first event that I attended required a bit more work as we had heaps of participants, but not so many volunteers. We faced difficulties at the start as we struggled to work together as a team to begin with, however as we overcame these difficulties the day ran smoothly. The other responsibilities of the volunteers included assisting with packing up the equipment, and we were rewarded with a free sausage sizzle and some refreshing watermelon as a thank you for our efforts.

This was a brilliant event that I was able to be involved in, and it was such a stress-free amazing morning. I strongly encourage anyone who is looking to get involved to volunteer for this event!