It was fitting that he should receive the Otago Rugby Volunteer of the Year award for 2012.
Wheeler (57), the dispatch manager for Marlow Pies, received the Ray Byrne Memorial Trophy yesterday.
He will be Otago's nomination for the New Zealand Rugby Union's National Volunteer of the Year Award which will be made in Auckland in December.
The selection committee for the award was ORFU life member Tuppy Diack, and former presidents Bill Trevathan and Fred Daniel.
The runner-up was Willis Patterson of Lawrence, a member of the Country board.
Wheeler's key roles this year have been as chairman of the Alhambra-Union Club, and deputy chairman of the Metropolitan committee. He has also been recognised for his work when Dunedin hosted World Cup matches.
His work ethic has impressed ORFU general manager Richard Kinley.
"Gary has played a pivotal role on the Metro committee to make sure our town rugby competition has continued and he has had a close involvement with rugby throughout Otago," Kinley said.
"Gary had three important roles and did them all to a very high standard."
It is fitting Wheeler should receive the award this year, his 50th with the Alhambra-Union club that he joined as a 7-year-old in 1962. He finished playing at the age of 36.
Wheeler has been heavily involved with committee work with the club and the ORFU all his adult life.
"The ORFU is reliant on the excellent work of its volunteer base and this was evident in the tough 2012 year," rugby manager Richard Perkins said.
"We could not achieve as much as we do during the season without the support of our volunteers." A wish of Wheeler's father, Ron, was fulfilled when Alhambra-Union won the Dunedin premier banner in 2006. It was the club's first premier championship win since 1939.
"Dad wanted the club to win the banner and for me to be chairman at the time," Gary Wheeler said.
The Wheelers had been important people in the Alhambra-Union club for more than 60 years. Ron, Gary, and his wife Sandi have all been made life members.
Gary had four sons who played for Alhambra-Union, and Allan and Shaun were members of the 2008 team that won the premier banner.
Wheeler was a member of the ORFU's Metropolitan Rugby Council for the past 15 years, and a liaison officer for visiting representative teams.
He set up the Alhambra-Union club's rugby academy and has worked hard to make the North Ground a rugby hub at the north end of town.
He was the key driver behind activities the club held during the Rugby World Cup last year.
