By KATH GANNAWAY
YOU don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone, could be said of Warburton post master Norman Orr.
Norm and wife Kerry retired this year after 16 years serving the community at the Warburton Post Office.
The salute by the community spoke of a ‘business man’ who had given much more to the community that the nine-to-five obligation that comes with running a business.
Norm was a passionate advocate for the Warburton business and broader community going well beyond the call of duty in his involvement in the Chamber of Commerce, in promoting the Upper Yarra on his annual Great Victorian Bike Ride and through numerous projects.
Upper Yarra Community Enterprise secretary Geoff Vickers and Paul Jackson, vice president of Warburton Valley CEDA expressed the gratitude of the community at the farewell.
“We are here to say thank you for your service to us,” Mr Vickers said adding that the Warburton Post Office with the Orrs at the helm had been a place to collect the mail, have a laugh and learn about the successes, and the tragedies that are part and parcel of a community.
Mr Jackson spoke of Norm’s contribution to the Chamber of Commerce of which he was president for a number of years, and to community projects including the train murals in which he was instrumental.
Warburton Primary School captains Gaia Mitting and Jeremy Nicholson said what a lot of people were saying, that they would miss Norm as Post Master.
“We have known him for a very long time, and he is just a very lovely man with a smiling face, a really nice person,” said Gaia.
“He has helped a lot of families,” Jeremy said.
