"IT'S like Topsy - it has grown."
That is Joyce Johnston's description of her 22-year involvement with the Waitaki district committee of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind.
Mrs Johnston (81) and Joan Illingworth (63), who has been involved for 20 years, have stepped down from their positions of responsibility on the committee, although they remain committee members.
A function was recently held in the Foundation of the Blind hall in Oamaru to thank them for their service.
The pair were presented with gifts and a certificate in recognition of "outstanding service" as a volunteer.
Mrs Illingworth said they were astonished by the function.
"We didn't expect anything like that.
''It's just something we have done because we thoroughly enjoy it."
Mrs Johnston said: "We've done it for the community."
She had "loved every minute" of her involvement, which stemmed from when she was working at Iona Home.
Mrs Illingworth's husband was registered as blind, and she decided to give something back after all the service the couple had received.
Both women had been involved with in a variety of ways.
Mrs Johnston had taken craft classes and issued talking book machines and mobility vouchers, while Mrs Illingworth had been minute secretary and later secretary, and involved with management of the committee.
One of Mrs Illingworth's highlights was seeing people who had been registered as blind grow in confidence.
The two women had worked well as a team.
"We see the needs and we do it," Mrs Johnston said.