Our Recipient Charities

Omanu Surf Lifesaving Club

Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club is the largest Surf Life Saving Club in the Bay of Plenty. Its membership base exceeds 700 financial members including competitors, patrolling members, people involved with sponsorship, junior surf and other ‘non’-active affiliates. Every year thousands of people come down to Omanu Beach and are kept safe by the service the club provides. This service would not be possible without the full support of both volunteers and sponsors to keep our beaches safe every summer.

The Karen Pensabene Fund was Omanu Beach Surf Lifesaving's first Acorn donor in 2019. Karen was born in North Yorkshire, England and she was greatly relieved to learn that, through the Acorn Foundation, she could continue to give support to a kind and caring country that took herself and, her husband, Philip, in as citizens. Oma nu Beach Surf Life Saving has received a total of $279,500 from five Acorn donors with Karen's contribution being the largest. Since Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving is named in Karen's fund, they will receive significant funding amount every year.

"Omanu Surf Life Saving Club is incredibly grateful for the incredible donations that have come through thanks to Karen's contribution via the Acorn Foundation. We use the annual fund to pay an administrator essential for the smooth running of the club. The administrator looks after all incoming enquiries, manages the Junior Surf programme {Nippers), helps with the upkeep of the venue itself, deals with venue bookings, communicates with stateholders and members, and assists board members with meetings and general administration."- Scott Bartlett, General Manager at Omanu Surf Life Saving Club.

Omanu Beach SLSC is a family-orientated club which prides itself in providing a caring and nurturing environment for youths to develop.

Key points regarding to the use of the funding:

•   Their Junior Surf programme has grown to over 350 children ages 5-llyrs, who are learning beach safety and lifesaving skills to keep them safe in and around the water. This programme relies on the club administrator to pull it all together.
•   The maintenance around the club includes new grass which was laid down in front of the club in 2024 making for a more user-friendly area for club members.
•   Funds are also used for general upkeep of the building itself, with a large membership base and big numbers coming through each week over the peak season this is an ongoing cost to the club.
•   Our club membership is sitting at just over 1,300 members as of February 2025.