Roxburgh resident Doug Dance joined St John when the Roxburgh station was started in 1957 and has not stopped helping out since.
Southland Otago district operations manager Pauline Buchanan presented the award, which she said was unusual.
His community had always been at the heart of Mr Dance’s service, she said.
Mr Dance said the ceremony and dinner on Saturday night was a far cry from the arrival of his 60-year service medal, which he received during Covid.
"It arrived in the mail."
As an 18-year-old, Mr Dance drove the town’s first ambulance. St John was formed in the town following the completion of the Roxburgh hydro development and the loss of the Ministry of Works ambulances which had covered the district.
In 1957 Roxburgh had a hospital, now a rest-home, and an ambulance was seen as necessary.
Mr Dance attended the public meeting and had been serving his community ever since with no intention of slowing down.
While he stopped driving ambulances in 1999, his involvement with the organisation, including chairing the area committee for more than 30 years, continued.
His service was recognised with the honour of being a Commander of St John, and he was entitled to wear the dramatic black cape befitting his status.
