Former St John paramedic and Justice of the Peace Peter Gibson was "quite shocked" at his Queen's Service Medal for services to the community - despite a record of serving the region since his teenage years.
While he knew about his nomination via a friend, the letter of confirmation a few weeks later still came as a surprise.
"You do these community things for so long they just become part of who you are," Mr Gibson said. "I didn't think I would ever end up with this sort of recognition."
The Napier 76-year-old began his enduring tenure with St John as a 14-year-old volunteer while living in Waipukurau.
After a promising start as a cadet, he spent 36 years as a full time paramedic and a further six years as a part-time volunteer. He was also superintendent of cadets in Napier and Havelock North, and started the senior division in Napier in the 1980s.