Wānaka scouts leader Huw Phillips, now 58, has been involved in scouts since he was 7 and has worked with thousands of children since becoming a leader as a teenager.
At a celebration of his involvement over the last 24 years last Thursday, Mr Phillips said being a scout was amazing for children as it teaches them how to work as a team in different environments.
"It’s the best organisation for everyone, every ethnicity, religion, disability, everything, you just have to have respect for everybody."
Mr Phillips said being a leader has been a rewarding position but the organisation needs "new blood" to come through.
"With an old head its hard to keep up a little, there’s lots of computer work and paper work that’s a bit much."
For Mr Phillips the highlight of the last 24 years has been seeing older scouts and the joy they have had while they were involved in the scouts,
Wānaka scout leader Sam Thomas said Mr Phillips has been a pillar of the scouting community in Wānaka.
"He has always stepped up and put himself into roles that needed him, he is what kept scouts going and has been at the core of so many things for a long time.
"He’s going to be a big loss and hopefully we can keep him still involved in some capacity because the kids react really well to him.
"The influence he’s had on so many young people over that period of time is huge," Mr Thomas said.
With more spare time Mr Phillips said he looks forward to tramping and spend more time with his family.
Wānaka cubs and scouts meet once a week at the Eely Point scout den and are open to children of any age group.
The Wānaka group is currently looking for more leaders to allow them to take on a higher number of children.
