MOLLY Kemp never volunteered with the intention of being recognised for the work she did.
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So it comes as little surprise the 18-year-old was blown away to first be nominated and then ultimately be awarded the Young Citizen of the Year honour at Port Macquarie's Australia Day awards.
"I feel like I still don't really realise the significance of the award," she said.
The Port Macquarie Surf Life Saving Club member has spent most of her life in the water and subsequently spends a lot of time at Flynns Beach.
She dipped her toe in surf lifesaving for two years from under-6s before she rejoined in under-13s.
What started as a volunteer role has now resulted in working as a paid lifeguard with the Australian Lifeguard Service.
"I never did volunteering to get anything; I didn't even know I could get anything, I just volunteer because I enjoy it," she said.
"I like my patrol, I'm on patrol six and I like who I do it with. I like racing ... I'm a competitive person."
Working on and around the beach allowed the teenager to create strong bonds with girls who went to different schools.
"I feel like I still don't really realise the significance of the award."
- Molly Kemp
But their common interests drew them together.
"Working as a paid lifeguard provided me with a pathway and some of my closest friends are now in surf lifesaving," she said.
"With school you're almost forced together whereas now we all have the same interests of competing or volunteering.
"If I go to anything where I'm with my friends and there are people swimming they all say to me 'if something happens Molly, you're going in'."
While the Young Citizen of the Year award still hasn't sunk in, her friends didn't miss the opportunity to remind her of it.
"I went to a friend's 18th at the weekend with people I went to school with and have known for six years and I turned up and all the boys were standing in a line saluting me," she said.
"If I go to anything where I'm with my friends and there are people swimming they all say to me 'if something happens Molly, you're going in'."
- Molly Kemp
Kemp admitted working as a lifeguard provided some scary moments, but she enjoyed listening to people's stories on the water's edge.
"It's a bit scary knowing you might have someone's life in your hands, but it gives you some adrenaline when something happens," she said.
"The conversations you have with people on the beach are great.
"Before the pandemic you had people coming up and talking to you about where they're from and their travels.
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