End of year celebrations for Warmun families
Families in the remote Aboriginal community of Warmun in the Kimberley recently enjoyed pool parties to celebrate Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. The community plays host to one of our Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pools funded by the Department of Communities and managed by Royal Life Saving WA.
Pool Manager Stephen Waterman says the pool parties were a real community event. “With assistance from Dan and his Gija Youth Team, the Roadhouse Managers and crew we had an amazing Christmas Day and New Year's Eve pool party with over 50 people attending each event. The Roadhouse team cooked up a delicious feast which included roast beef, lamb and chicken with gravy. We also had hotdog rolls, heaps of different fruit and snacks.”
The kids in the community had a couple of special treats to enjoy with the giant pool inflatable set up for both parties, which saw them take on an obstacle challenge. But Stephen says the real surprise of the night was snow falling in the Aussie summer! “By using a snow machine that jets out up to about 11 meters and falls just like snow we managed to leave a coating of white fluffy foam on the ground. There was so much joy and excitement in the air and the kids couldn't believe it was snowing! They loved gathering the fluffy foam, playing and covering themselves in it. All the smiling faces, fun, joy and laughter created a happy and positive family environment at the pool for the community.”
As part of the celebrations one of the local children, Peter, received a gift bag for his ongoing help at the pool and for always helping out the other kids. The gift bag included a Swim and Survive bag, goggles, flippers and a swim cap. The parties saw locals enjoy two unforgettable nights of fun and food with family and friends. Royal Life Saving WA is grateful for the support of the Department of Communities and local community partners who make events like these possible for Aboriginal communities in remote WA.
You can read more about our Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pool program at the link below.
