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Stan O'Brien from Papatoetoe is the first of the nominees for the Herald's Unsung Heroes series, which rewards some of New Zealand's invaluable volunteers with a P&O cruise. His daughter Maree Peary, who nominated him, says he goes out of his way to do what he can, but 'he wouldn't sing his own praises'.
Stan O'Brien, or "Stan-O" as he is known to neighbours, will do anything he can to help someone in need.
He is the first port-of-call when the widows on his street lock themselves out of their homes or have a leaking tap.
And he is also the person the Manukau Super Clinic can rely on when it is short of volunteers.
Mr O'Brien regularly drives the community bus, picking up patients from their homes and dropping them to their appointments at the clinic. Whenever another driver doesn't make it, Stan-O steps in.
"I'm pretty much on call," the 74-year-old said.
For five years, it was Mr O'Brien who was the patient. He had a spate of cancer scares and it was then that he realised how desperately the hospital system needed volunteers.
Sometimes, Mr O'Brien drives cancer patients into Auckland City Hospital for treatments and says he is able to speak to them about what's going on since he has "been there" himself.
Other days, he helps out in the mail room, delivering parcels all over the super clinic, and he will help out with any other odd jobs that need to be done, such as filling the water bottles.
Mr O'Brien says it's important to stay busy when you are retired "it keeps you out of mischief".
When he is not working with the clinic, he can be found tending to his vegetable garden.
And whenever there are too many for his household to eat, he can be found delivering the vegetables to his sick or elderly neighbours.
He and Alma, his wife of 53 years, have six children and 12 grand-children who also keep them on their toes.
And Stan-O keeps an eye on his pocket of Papatoetoe - watching out for any undesirables and keeping any lonely neighbours company.
"These days you have to be community minded no matter what," he says.
