The Governor of Victoria, the Honourable Linda Dessau AM, will host a morning reception at Government House today, Friday September 30, to recognise the contribution of Australian Football volunteers.
The reception, due to be attended by 500 people, will honour all State and Territories Volunteer of the Year Award recipients as well as that of the Australia Post AFL multicultural community ambassador of the year.
The Premier of Victoria, the Hon. Daniel Andrews MP, AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and AFL chief executive officer Gillon McLachlan will be in attendance and media are welcome to attend and obtain vision of the event.
The 2016 Australia Post AFL multicultural community ambassador of the year winner, Gary Lee, will be available to interview.
Lee, from the North Melbourne Football Club’s The Huddle program, has provided Australian Football with three years of service in his role as an Australia Post AFL multicultural community ambassador.
Working with groups of international students new to Australia, Lee has volunteered his time to support programs run by The Huddle and the North Melbourne Football Club, including actively promoting the ‘Welcome to AFL’ introductory sessions for new fans of the game.
Selected as the overall national winner by the AFL diversity committee from 2016, Lee will also be recognised with two tickets to the upcoming Toyota AFL Grand Final.
The following state and territories volunteer of the year award recipients will also be available to interview. Please see biographies on the recipients below:
NSW/ACT: Neil Dunn from the Tamworth AFL Football Club
In 2015, Neil Dunn has led a proposal for a renewed junior football competition in the Tamworth region and the following year, the junior competition was created with four teams competing across the breadth of the local football community. With over sixty local children participating, Dunn has managed to ensure widespread participation remains the cornerstones of the junior competition in its infancy.
Northern Territory: Janette Wray from the Waratah Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League
Janette Wray from the Waratah Football Club has been actively involved with the club over the past nine years in her role as head trainer. Wray oversees the club’s medical treatment and player welfare of all three senior men’s teams, the women’s team, and the under 18s. Her passion and dedication to the wellbeing of all players is remarkable, and she is well known for following up with players after treatment. A highly valued member of the Waratah Football Club, Wray will receive her life membership in 2017.
Queensland: Shane Jurgens from the University Hawks AFC from AFL Townsville
Since 2006, Shane Jurgens has taken on many roles, committee member, junior coach, mentor and club president are all roles the AFL Queensland volunteer of the year has taken on with Townsville’s University Hawks. Jurgens started the Townsville University Hawks junior program in 2006 with a single team in the under 8s and by 2016, junior participation has reached 120 as a result of his tireless work. He also organised two charity rounds in 2016, raising funds for Beyond Blue, and a current player’s daughter with the rare Tay-Sachs disease. He coordinated indigenous round and was instrumental in incorporating Shalom College students into the club; Townsville Hawks now have 50 indigenous students from U13 to senior level.
South Australia: Warwick Giles from the Roxby Downs Junior Football Association
Over the past five years, Warwick Giles has been a relentless volunteer for the Roxby Downs community in South Australia. Vice-president of the Roxby Downs Junior Football Association, Giles also commits his time as an umpire, coach and runner for the local A-grade teams.
Tasmania: David Galloway from the Scottsdale Crows in the North Eastern Football Union
Involved with the Scottsdale Crows for over 10 years, David Galloway started as a reserve player before re-launching the local Auskick centre in his capacity as coach/coordinator. Galloway continues to support the football club as club secretary and football manager.
Victoria: Jane Steicke from Woorinen FNC in AFL Central Murray
A committee member for the Woorinen FNC for over 25 years, Jane Steicke has undertaken major fundraising roles throughout her time at the club. Volunteering for over 10 years as the canteen manager, Steicke is also a life member of the club.
Western Australia: Dave Burton from the Joondalup Women’s Football Club in the West Perth DFDC
President of the Joondalup Women’s Football Club, Dave Burton also sits as the female football advisor on the West Perth DFDC. Completing his Level 1 and 2 coaching course in order to coach the women’s team, Burton then took over as president and devoted significant time with both the junior and senior program to further define the pathway for women in AFL.
