....providing active participation and opportunities in sport and recreation for all people

The Valued Volunteer of the Year Award was announced at the Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly's Annual Meeting on Thursday September 10th 2009.  As always this years award had many worthy nominations and selecting a recipient of the Valued Volunteer of the Year Award from them was a difficult task with Willie Hanson, nominated by the Natimuk Football Netball Club announced the winner.

Other nominees for the Award included Debbie Keyte from the Natimuk Football Netball Club, Amanda Craig from the Horsham Calisthenics College, Stephen O’Connor from the Kaniva Leeor United Football Club, Mark Hancock from the Horsham Motorcycle Club and Owen Flack from the Coughlin Park Bowls Club. 

Willie has been the driving force behind the reconstruction of the clubs infrastructure. Who could forget Willie representing the club on The Footy Show when they won $20,000 to upgrade the changerooms? Willie was at the forefront in obtaining local, state and federal funding for the construction of the changerooms, and then again was the front man when the ground was redeveloped. All this, and at the same time serving as club president, always finding time to promote the struggling club, even to a far wider audience in all media. Let’s not forget also, Willie’s devotion to the game by playing sometimes two games per day, and not just being a player on the bench, but a contributor, at an age when most blokes would be satisfied with cooking the snags and onions for the hungry masses on game day.

The Award was presented to Willie by the previous years Valued Volunteer recipient Jeff Pekin and he responded by saying that while as a volunteer he did not look for recognition his involvement and contribution to the Natimuk Football Netball Club is due to his love of the sport and providing opportunities for participation.  Willie was supported by members of his family on the night. They are pictured below. From left to right:- Sophie, Joanne, Willie, Zoe and Danielle Hanson

The 2010 Valued Volunteer Award will be presented at the next Annual General Meeting of the Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly, in September, 2010. If there is someone you believe would make a worthy nominee for the 2010 Award, you can download the nomination form below, or contact the Wimmera Regaional Sports Assembly on 03 5382 4599.

Download nomination form (Word format)