It has given her life skills, an understanding of co-operation, confidence and lifelong friendships.
And the skills she learned starting from when she was 15 years old are still relevant to women today, despite a difference in lifestyles.
''The WI is a way of meeting people and learning new skills. Today there are still a lot of lonely people out there that need something but haven't found it.''
Mrs Wilkins has just taken over as the Mid Canterbury Federation of Women's Institutes president but, at its recent annual meeting, was given her 50-year pin as recognition of her time with WI.
It started when Mrs Wilkins, then 15, was taken to the Rangitata WI by her mother, the late Betty Mahan, who was also a lifelong member.
It was 1967.
She was already familiar with the workings of the WI, as she, along with her three siblings, had spent their childhood in and around the WI, hanging out with the children of other WI members.
She learned life skills, including handiwork, cooking and social skills, which held her in good stead, she said.
She eventually went into nursing but kept attending WI meetings when she could.
By late 1973 she had married and moved to Lowcliffe.
''WI was something all country women seemed to go to. It was part of each district's culture. Everybody participated,'' Mrs Wilkins said.
Especially as then most women stayed at home, raised the family and were often used as the extra pair of hands on farm when needed, which was ''more often than not''.
She said rural women enjoyed getting together at WI, as they were were in similar situations.
A noticeable change over the years had been that more women were working outside the home. But the skills learned through the WI were still relevant today, as friendship, the sharing of ideas and knowledge were always needed, Mrs Wilkins said.
She noted that an increasing number of migrant workers were settling in the district who could benefit from the local insights and friendship offered through WI, especially if they were unable to drive or language was a barrier.
