It's a shock, a surprise and "a bit of a thrill" to be awarded a Queen's Service Medal for her many roles in the Whanganui community, Margaret Campion says.
She's been a key member of Alzheimers Whanganui since 1989, serving as president for much of that time. But she's also been busy with Zonta, the National Council of Women (NCW), had a stint on Whanganui District Council, finished a BA degree and written a few histories.
She's proudest of her time with Alzheimers.
"I've worked long and hard with those people, and they're a great group."
She got involved when her own mother, Mollie Neilsen, got dementia. She had no idea what it was all about and she and her father went to a course about how to handle it.