Volunteers are the heart and soul of local football clubs, with many giving up their time and energy every weekend to help their club thrive on game day. It's a special type of dedication when they go above and beyond their role to add value to the club and push for improvements, and Garry Jarvis is a prime example of this at Beechworth Football Netball Club (FNC).
Garry has been a dedicated and invaluable member of the Beechworth sporting community for over 40 years, giving both his time and resources to support the club’s ongoing success. As the club’s Maintenance Coordinator and a Baarmutha Park committee member, Garry helps ensure the club facilities remain in great shape for players, volunteers, and supporters to enjoy.
Garry has held many formal and informal roles in the four decades he has been involved in the Club, and since 2018 he has gone above and beyond these roles to personally drive fundraising efforts, raising over $10,000 for the club from 2023 until today.
What makes Garry’s contribution even more remarkable is that the funds he has raised come directly from collecting and recycling cans through the government’s container deposit scheme — a true grassroots effort for a grassroots club.
Garry started collecting drink containers and utilising the container deposit scheme that was available in NSW from 2018. Initially he travelled from Beechworth to Corowa and Albury to cash them in, cleaning up after home games and events.
Now, thanks to CDS Vic, Garry has many more options closer to home to return the drink containers for a 10c refund.
The money Garry has raised over the years has gone to vital improvements for the club, incuding:
- Junior football uniforms
- A club quickshade
- Adding shelving to improve storage
- A new freezer for the canteen
- New footballs and netballs and other training equipment
Beechworth FNC Co-President, Emma Carey thanked Garry for his dedication and commitment.
"Garry’s selfless efforts, including over 40 years as a central umpire in local footy, reflect his passion for community sport. The Beechworth FNC is incredibly grateful for everything Garry does — he truly embodies the spirit of the Bushies," she said.
AFL Victoria thanks Garry for his dedication and committment to supporting Beechworth FNC.
