After more than two decades as a volunteer of the club, Lorraine Joiner was last week awarded Werribee Life Membership.

Starting out in 2000, Lorraine first gave her time to wash, repair and alter playing jumpers and still provides her skills as seamstress.

She has since fulfilled numerous other roles, most notably as the club’s merchandise manager at Werribee home games.

Werribee CEO Mark Penaluna recalls his first encounter with the long-time volunteer.

“My first meeting with Lorraine was back in March 2004,” he said.

“I turned up to work and here’s Teddy Goodall our property steward in the car park with this lady. I soon found out Lorraine catches up with Ted every Monday after a match to collect the jumpers.

“She would take the jumpers home - the ones that were bloody, the ones that were torn, the ones that needed numbers stitched back on. Lorraine would do what she needed to and then have the jumpers back on Wednesday ready for the weekend.

“In addition to that Lorraine volunteered behind the bar and has now spent many years as our merchandise manager on match days.

“As you can appreciate it’s hard to find people that want to work while the game is going on, but she’s now done that for 12 years without seeing much footy and with no heating too.”

In recent years Lorraine has been joined in the club’s merchandise hut by daughters Sarah and Jess and said it was an extremely proud moment to be awarded life membership.

“The Werribee Football Club is a very family orientated club and one I was welcomed into from day one,” she said.

“I’ve loved coming back every year to see old and new faces and I am very honoured to receive life membership with this fantastic club.”