History of the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club Trust
Jack Harris Memorial
The trust was established in December 1995 as a result of the exercise of a discretion given to club member Peter Doyle in his capacity as co-executor of the Estate of the late John (Jack) Dudley Harris. Mr Harris had developed an association with the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club through his friendship with Peter Doyle, John and Wilma Pettigrove, Bryan Hayden and others.
Jack, in his Will, directed that his executors distribute part of his estate amongst various friends and family members and then the balance amongst charitable organizations, the choice of which was at the discretion of the executors. In the exercise of that discretion peter Doyle and other executor, Jack’s sister Esstelle Duncan, made a distribution to cancer research, the Geelong Legacy, Barwon Health and to other charitable institutions, one of which was the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club.
With regard to the donation to the club, which was relatively large, it was deemed appropriate by the club committee that it be treated in a special way and kept separate from other donations. Its capital was to be preserved and the opportunity, which had presented itself, maximized for the benefit of the club. Upon taking advice the committee, in May 1996 resolved to place a resolution before a General Meeting of the Club for the formal establishment of the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club Trust (JACK HARRIS MEMORIAL). On July 21 1996 at the Annual general Meeting for that year the motion was carried and the Trust was established with eight inaugural trustees drawn from the ranks of senior Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club members. They were Peter Doyle, Executor of the estate of the late Jack Harris, Peter Robinson, Barrister, Stan Goulding, Bank Manager, retired, Howard Glover, Business and ex Mayor of Geelong, retired, now deceased David Shaw Solicitor, Ian Johnson, Australian Test Cricket Captain and Secretary of the MCC, retired, now deceased, Lindsay Newstead, Finance Manager, retired and John Perillo, Solicitor.
All have previously represented the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club in either as competitor or an administrative capacity, in some cases both.
Following the initial settlement establishing the Trust the Estate was fortunate to receive a further distribution from the liquidators of the Pyramid Building Society in which Mr Harris had invested some of his savings prior to his death.
The money coming into the Estate and the further exercise of the executor’s discretion in favor of the now formally established Trust, together with another transfer of a capital sum into the hands of the Trustees and donations has given the Trust its current base in excess of $159,000.00
At their first meeting the Trustees resolved that the CAPTAIL BASE WOULD BE PRESERVED IN PERPETUITY AND INCOME ONLY USED TO FUND CORE LIFESAVING ACTIVITIES. This is and will remain the credo of the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club Trust (Jack Harris Memorial)
To date the Trust has contributed approximately $50,000.00 from its income to the core lifesaving activities of the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club.
The Trust is registered as a charitable institution with the Australian Taxation Office and all donations to the Trust are fully tax deductible. So as not to compete with other fundraising activities and donor sources of the club, the Trustees have resolved to receive only donations of a minimum of $10,000.00. Whilst that many seem a significant amount, the Trust is sourcing its donations from Deceased Estates. In regard the Trustees ask that when you are preparing your Will and deciding how to distribute your estate upon your death you consider a donation to the Trust. There are also advantages in making sizeable tax-deductible donations during your business life and professional career.
In this way you will be making a meaningful contribution to assisting the club to perform a very worthwhile service to the community. The Torquay Surf Lifesaving Club has been established for over 60 years. All its member act in a voluntary capacity, to patrol the Torquay surf beach on weekends from November through to March each year. The surf club is self supporting having to raise money from raffles, sponsors, social functions and the like. The lifesaving equipment which is necessary to making the patrols both efficient and effective is very costly both in terms of initial purchase outlay maintenance. This places a heavy demand on the financial resources of the club, which receives only minimal State and Local Government assistances.
With the increase in visitor numbers each year the demand on the club’s resources will only increase. The club is therefore always seeking avenues to source finance for the purchase of essential equipment and the JACK HARRIS MEMORIAL TRUST is providing one very useful source. It cannot however continue its work without an ever expanding capital base particularly in times where interest rates are not only historically very low but are likely to remain so.
The club is also involved in training its members, particularly young but in some cases of mature age, in lifesaving techniques which have equal application to surf lifesaving, lakes and still waters such as the backyard pool. To that extent the surf club is providing an even greater community service.
All donations will be recognized by an inclusion on the donor board which is presently immediately outside the main office in the main hall of the Torquay Surf Lifesaving Clubhouse. Potential donors should not that the capital of the Trust that is your donation would be preserved in perpetuity. The Trustees have resolved and made it a term of the trust Deed than only interest will be used and distributed to the club thus preserving their capital base and the integrity of the trust for future generations.
For further information regarding the activities of the Trust or how a donation can be put into place you can contact any to the Trustees, certainly if they are known to you, or the Secretary John Perillo, via telephone 9867 6655(work) or 9809 2903 (home)
Trustees
Peter Doyle
Stanley Goulding
Lindsay Newstead
Ian Turner
David Shaw
Peter Robinson
John Perillo
Simon Strahan
