Lorraine Greenhalgh is a remarkable volunteer who has helped community sport to thrive and develop in Queensland for more than 30 years.

The Australian Sports Commission has highlighted Lorraine’s outstanding contributions by naming her the winner of its local sporting volunteer competition. The competition invited individuals to nominate either themself or another volunteer who has had significant involvement in and impact on their local sporting community, whether through service in sporting clubs, an association, or a school.

Lorraine lives in a small country town called Chinchilla, in the heart of the Western Downs, where she is kept busy with a big family of three children and 11 grandchildren. A relentless volunteer, Lorraine dedicates her time to assisting the local clubs her youngest son plays for.

The variety of Lorraine’s roles further emphasise her passion for supporting her local community, and have included secretary, registrar and newsletter editor for the Chinchilla Junior Cricket Club. She assisted in the development of the club’s website and instigated the Milo in2CRICKET program, not to mention offering her time for shifts in the canteen and for scoring duties. She has even completed level one of the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme so she can coach her son’s soccer team.

When asked why she volunteers so much of her time to local sport, Lorraine humbly replied, ‘I do it because I enjoy it. It’s the small things that count, like when you see children with disability smile when they achieve something, it’s nice knowing I contributed a small part to that.’

‘I don’t only do it to be there for my son, but everyone else’s children too,’ said Lorraine. ‘Personally I still get a lot out of it. Being involved in the 1970s is still the same as being involved today and I still feel as young as I did then too!’

Lorraine’s immense heart and compassion is proven by her continual offers of assistance, such as in billeting children, serving on committees and simply being available to help out in various sports clubs and associations.

Without people like Lorraine, local clubs could not exist.

The Australian Sports Commission is delighted to be able to reward Lorraine’s dedication and commitment with the prize of $500 of HART Sport gear. In a further act of generosity and community mindedness Lorraine has chosen to donate her prize to the Chinchilla Junior Cricket Club.