Lindsay Wright, 71, has been looking back on 38 years with Gore Toastmasters, as he prepares to move to Dunedin.
The skills he learnt in the club were crucial to his years of impactful service, he said.
"Everything I did through that 20 years was only because of what I learnt in Toastmasters, that’s what gave me the confidence," Mr Wright said.
Mr Wright first joined the Gore Toastmasters club, which gave public speaking and leadership training, in 1988.
In May, Mr Wright was awarded a King’s Service Medal for service to the rural community and mental health, as part of the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours.
Mr Wright has held at least five leadership roles with Toastmasters.
In the 1990s, Mr Wright was the Gore Toastmasters president twice.
He later became the area governor and then regional and national training officer.
He took part in the educational charity’s national and regional public speaking competitions for 14 years.
In 2008, Mr Wright was an inaugural trustee of the Rural Support Trust, and a dozen years ago, set up the GoodYarn mental health workshops.
Mr Wright was farewelled at the club’s meeting at the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church hall last week.
At the evening event, he delivered his winning address from the 2003 national Toastmasters humorous speech contest, titled "Hairless under pressure" — a story of a simple shave gone wrong.
Toastmasters Gore president Robert Young said Mr Wright had made a lasting impression.
"He’s been our anchor and ... he gives guidance, he gives confidence," Mr Young said.
"He’s so welcoming to people that come in, and it makes you feel like coming back."
The Gore Toastmasters club, chartered in May 1974, meet on the first and fourth Mondays of each month at the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Hall, in Devon St.
Mr Wright will finish up farming at Wendonside, about 50km from Gore, in July.
