Sunrise Endowment Fund

Midway Surf Life Saving Club has launched an endowment fund with Sunrise, seeded by a donation from Jude Hall in memory of her late husband, Rocky Hall, a life member of the club. The club’s committee then made a generous contribution to firmly establish the fund. It not only honours Rocky’s lifelong passion for Midway but also sets the club up for future generations to enjoy and benefit from.

Club chair Jared Phelps says the fund is about future-proofing Midway. “We wanted to make decisions now that will mean the committee and club in ten years, and beyond, are in a better, stronger position,” Jared says. “It’s about sustainability, ensuring Midway has a secure financial base so that future committees, members and families can enjoy what we’ve built.”

Membership at the club has “exploded” in recent years, with huge numbers of nippers and youngsters coming through the surf programmes, and the fund will support their growing membership base. Importantly, it also underpins the vital Lifeguarding services that protect swimmers and beachgoers at Midway, helping ensure our community can safely enjoy one of Gisborne’s most beautiful beaches.

Gina Carroll, Club Manager, shares, “We see the endowment fund as a way to support our surf sport athletes and junior surf kids. Midway is a club for everyone, and we welcome anyone from our community to join. It’s very social, and often parents get as much out of it as the kids. Through the fund, we want to honour those who have come before us and create many more memories in the future.”

With programmes from “Little Rippers” under-5s through to senior surf athletes, the Midway Surf Life Saving Club Endowment Fund is a fitting tribute to Rocky Hall’s passion and a lasting investment in the club’s future, ensuring it thrives for generations to come.