AS baton bearer announcements are made nationwide for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, two feature bearers have been chosen for the Rockingham leg.
The first is Robert Bates, of Secret Harbour, winner of the City of Rockingham’s Sports Star of the Year in 2014.
His contribution to his local surf lifesaving club, Secret Harbour SLSC, includes more than 500 patrolling hours, raising over $150,000 in grants sponsorship, and mentoring youth and mature members.
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READ NOWHe was awarded DHL Australian Surf Lifesaver of the Year in 2014 for his contribution to surf lifesaving, and is a medallist at club, state and national level.
Outside of surf lifesaving, Bates has received two Prime Minister awards for working with people with disabilities.
The second feature baton bearer is John Ree, a retired firefighter from Falcon in the City of Mandurah.
He has been an active member of St John Ambulance for nearly 60 years, and holds the title of Knight of the Order of St John.
He has donated more than 15,000 volunteer hours to community service.
Mr Ree is also involved in veteran’s hockey and has represented Western Australia on many occasions interstate and overseas.
The pair are just two of the local legends chosen to carry the Queen’s Baton as it makes its way through the City of Rockingham on February 23, 2018 on its journey from Buckingham Palace to the Gold Coast for the 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on April 4, 2018.
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