By Callum Ludwig
Neil Jorgensen is a proud supporter and long-time volunteer at Warburton-Millgrove Football Netball Club, having lived in the area with his wife Kerry for more than 30 years.
To celebrate National Volunteers Week, Star Mail reached out to Warburton-Millgrove FNC and they told us that Mr Jorgensen is who they would like to recognise for his significant contributions to the club and the Warburton community.
Mr Jorgensen received the Best Club Person award in 2017 and has now been volunteering as the trainer at the club for over 10 years, on top of being a player sponsor for multiple players over the same time.
Outside of sport, Mr Jorgensen is the Volunteer Director at the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise, a local community owned enterprise that operates the two Bendigo Bank franchises in Warburton and Yarra Junction which has provided grant and sponsorship funding to the Upper Yarra Community exceeding $4.5 million, as well as at Upper Yarra Community Power, a local community owned enterprise that has built and operates a mini-hydro that runs through the Warburton Golf Club and generates renewable energy into the power grid.
He was recently appointed as a community representative on the Upper Yarra River Reserve Committee who supports the health and beauty of the Yarra River in the Upper Yarra Region and is a regular volunteer at Warburton Second Bite and the ADRA Redwood Community Centre.
Mr Jorgensen is retired after 43 years in various teaching roles and responsibilities including 25 years as a school principal. This included stints as Principal at Wesburn Primary, Woori Yallock Primary and Warburton Primary Schools. In addition to school-based activities, Neil worked within the district managing the School Support Services program and spent time as chairperson of the local Principals’ group
