Swimming club turns 60

Lismore Diggers Swimming Club is celebrating its 60th anniversary soon and is looking for new members to fill its ranks.

The first president of the club was Ernie Budnick in 1950, when there was a membership of 80 swimmers – all diggers from WWII.

The club is affiliated with the AIF swimming Association of Australia, which has 65 RSL swimming clubs in eastern Australia. All RSL swimming clubs compete each year at different venues. Since the closure of the Lismore RSL Club, the club has been endorsed by the City of Lismore RSL Sub-Branch so its members can participate in the AIF carnivals.

The club is also a member of the Far North Coast Zone RSL swimming clubs (encompassing Lismore, Ballina, Bellingen, Grafton, Twin Towns, Currumbin, Southport and Nerang), where all clubs compete each season at different venues. It also competes with the Far North West Zone, being Inverell, Moree and Goondiwindi. The club travels in coaches as a team and has overnight stays.

Over the last 30 years the club introduced ladies and kids to swimming events, and now there are whole families joining in the Sunday morning swim at the Memorial Baths. After the swim, members are always invited to the Goonellabah Workers Sports Club for a BBQ and social gathering.

Swimming events are conducted on a handicap system, where competitors swim to their ability. Juniors are aged from five to 14 and seniors 15 to 80 plus. These days, you do not have to be an ex-service person to become a member.

Anyone wishing to join the Lismore Diggers Swimming Club is welcome to have breakfast with the club at the Lismore Workers Club on Sunday, August 15, at 8.30am, which will be followed by the AGM.

For more information, phone club secretary Ash Grainger on 6624 5053.