Greater Shepparton Secondary College teacher Vincent Branigan has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal as part of the Australia Day honours.
He will be known to many as a beloved teacher and mentor, having spent two years at McGuire College prior to moving to GSSC in 2020.
Before that he held teaching roles in Swan Hill, Benalla and Euroa.
He is receiving the honour for services to the community of Benalla where he has been involved in a number of local groups, volunteering for many years.
Mr Branigan heard he was being considered for an Australia Day honour back in September 2021.
“I got an email asking if I would accept an OAM,” Mr Branigan said.
“Naturally I emailed back and said yes, I’d be honoured.
“I’m not sure who nominated me but I suspect it was my daughter. She was the one who nominated me when I was Benalla Citizen of the Year in 2017.”
Mr Branigan has been involved in a number of volunteer roles in Benalla, where he still lives.
“I was the lawn tennis and croquet club president for 12 years and secretary for three,” he said.
“In that time I had a lot of involvement with junior tennis, particular the Hot Shots program.
“I was president of the St Vincent de Paul Society Benalla, for four years, and a member for seven.”
Mr Branigan has also been a member of the Benalla Festival organising committee since 2012.
“In that role I’ve instituted writing competitions, historical walks, and cemetery walks,” he said.
And since 2015 I’ve been involved with Tomorrow Today’s Connect 9 mentor program.
“That is a great initiative which is really good at keeping kids on track and getting them through to Year 12.”
Mr Branigan was also awarded the Teacher Who Matters award from the Victorian Institute of Teaching in 2011.