Local cricket fans may have noticed a familiar name on the shirt of Australian player Aaron Finch during the recent one-day international series against India.
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Nulkaba resident Peter Torenbeek was named as a winner of Victoria Bitter’s ‘Earn a Place in the Australian Cricket Team’ promotion.
His prize was to have his name displayed on a shirt of one of the players during the ODI series against India as well as two free tickets to the final game at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Coincidentally, Mr Torenbeek said the day he was called to be told he was a winner, he had VBs in the fridge and the cricket was on TV.
He said that he noticed there were 15 winners and only 12 players on the field, so thought his name wouldn’t make the TV screen.
But he was pleasantly surprised to see his name on one of the opening batsman’s shirts.
“When it turned out to be Aaron Finch I thought, that’s fantastic!” Mr Torenbeek said.
“I was over the moon.”
“He [Finch] is certainly a capable player when he gets going.”
Mr Torenbeek’s name and a brief outline of his achievements was read out on national TV by commentator Mark “Tubby” Taylor who also mentioned cricket legend Arthur Morris (who lived in Cessnock for many years), Andrew 'Joey' Johns and the wonderful wines of the Hunter Valley, which he said was a great plug for the area.
He was nominated for the competition by his son Chris, who described his father as “a true legend who gives more back to his local community than anyone I know”.
Mr Torenbeek was a member of Apex from 1968 and became a life member in 1986.
He has been a Justice of the Peace since 1972.
Joining the Lions Club of Guyra in 1989 before transferring to Cessnock in 1994, he has held positions of president, secretary and is now treasurer of the Cessnock club.
Mr Torenbeek received Lions Clubs International’s highest award – the Melvin Jones Fellowship – in 2005.
He is a past board and life member of Kolora Aged Care Facility, Guyra and a current member of Endeavour Group Australia since 1995, having also held positions of treasurer, vice-president and president on the board.
He became a member of Cessnock Men’s Shed and Community Garden in 2005 where he has been president since 2009 and a life member since 2015.
Due to his involvement in the Men’s Shed, Mr Torenbeek was on the front cover of the Hunter Valley White and Yellow Pages telephone book in 2011/12.
He has been president of the Commonwealth Bank Hunter Area Retired Officers Association since 2006, having worked with the Commonwealth Bank for 34 years.
In 2009 he was honoured with an Appreciation Award at Cessnock’s Australia Day Awards and in 2012 he was named Cessnock’s Senior Citizen of the Year.
He was the recipient of a Federal Government National Volunteer Award for community service in 2012 and 2015 and is a committed blood donor, having made over 50 blood donations.
But despite all of these achievements, Mr Torenbeek doesn’t consider himself to be a legend.
“I’m a community supporter but I don’t think I qualify myself as a legend,” he said.
“This is what I do and I’ve done it since 1968.”
Nevertheless he was appreciative to be recognised, and delighted knowing it was by his son.
Carlton and United Breweries spokesperson Louise Thiele said the Earn a Place in the Australian Cricket Team campaign allowed every day Aussies to celebrate the unsung heroes in their lives.
“Often, there are people in your life who need more than a thank you,” she said.
“We wanted to offer Australians the chance to give back to the people who have inspired them to be their best by celebrating their hard work in a meaningful and momentous way.”