General News
27 October, 2020
Lifetime membership for a lifetime of service
WHEN people talk about the Mareeba Pool, one name carries more weight than others, June Cotter, a name synonymous with hard work, dedication and passion.
WHEN people talk about the Mareeba Pool, one name carries more weight than others, June Cotter, a name synonymous with hard work, dedication and passion.
June can often be found patrolling the edges of the pool overseeing lessons, doing maintenance and rousing on kids for running near the pool, a sacred rule which we all know of.
She has been the lessee for the Mareeba, Dimbulah and Kuranda pools for number of years now and continues to maintain a high standard of presentation and functionality to her facilities.
Now joining her many accolades and awards, June has been honoured as a lifetime member of the Royal Life Saving Society Queensland which she was presented with last Friday, October 23.
Along with her life membership June also received a companion award to the National Royal Life Saving Society which serves as a homage to all of the tiresome years she has spent volunteering for the Royal Life Saving Society in Australia.
“I was blown out of the water when I heard I had received both of these awards,” June said.
“It’s lovely to be recognised because it’s been hard work, but I’m very proud.
“I love Royal Life Saving and what it stands for I think that’s important and the more that we can stop the drowning rates in Australia, that’s what we’re here for.”
Before becoming a facility manager for the local pools June had her sights set on the medical field being a nurse, a medical secretary before she got involved in the inclusion area which led her to become the head technical classifier for Australia to classify Paralympians.
June’s time with Royal Life Saving Society Queensland began in 1993 when she was involved with swimmers who were a part of the Queensland and national Royal Life Saving Team.
President of the Royal Life Saving Society Queensland Les Mole said that June is a valuable member of the Society.
“June has committed so much time and effort to aquatics and to the Royal Life Saving Society, there is a minimum criteria for these acknowledgements and she has well and truly surpassed that,” he said.
“What the community in North Queensland needs to understand is that June is probably the highest qualified pool operator in North Queensland.
“We shouldn’t understate that, it is a huge commitment to maintain her qualifications and serve the community in that way.”
With her many years of experience and knowledge, June remains in Mareeba for one simple reason that resonates with many – home is home.
