Lionel & Lynette Wilson – Lives Dedicated to Community

In South Canterbury, community is not a buzzword. It is a way of life. We meet people who live that idea every day. Lionel and Lynette Wilson are two such people. Their story weaves family, adversity, leadership and years of quiet, effective volunteering into a powerful example of what it means to give back where you live.

The highlights interview that this article is based on is here, click below:

From small town roots to a lifetime of service

Lionel and Lynette grew up in the deep networks of rural New Zealand. Lionel’s childhood was shaped by surfing, local friendships and a family culture of service. Lynette grew up in a surrounded by rugby clubs around South Canterbury, a place where practical kindness was a daily occurrence. For both of them, community was not something adopted later in life. It is the lens through which they have always viewed the world.

Their meeting was a slice of ordinary serendipity. A summer camping holiday, a shared hammer loan and a phone call that turned into a decades long partnership. Their early years involved commuting and letters, long before instant messaging existed. The relationship that began around surfboards and family holidays evolved into more than five decades of marriage and a life devoted to family and community.

Adversity that sharpened purpose

Life did not come without hardship. When Lionel was diagnosed with bone cancer in his late twenties, the family faced a sudden, overwhelming challenge. The diagnosis required amputation and was a turning point that could have led to isolation. Instead, Lionel and Lynette found the community support that helped transform a traumatic event into a source of strength.

Lionel’s response to his amputation reveals a mindset we can all learn from. He prepared himself mentally for life with one leg, asked for crutches early on and made a deliberate choice to focus on recovery and purpose rather than despair. That determination had ripple effects across the family and community. As he put it, getting up and moving forward was part of his recovery.

“The worst thing I could do for my own recovery is to dwell on what has happened. Getting busy, getting focused is how I recovered.” – Lionel

Lynette’s family history reinforced that instinct to serve. Her father volunteered as a fireman and a St John ambulance officer, stepping into emergencies often in the middle of the night. Those family examples of practical community service taught both Lionel and Lynette that being present in times of need is not optional, it is essential. One of Lynette’s many contributions to her community is serving as Secretary on the Cplay Committee, which developed the new playground at Caroline Bay in Timaru. Cplay (Caroline Bay Playground) offers an epic play experience designed to include children of all ages, stages, abilities, and sizes, fostering truly inclusive play.

Leadership forged in community organisations

Leadership for Lionel and Lynette grew organically from their involvement in community groups. Lionel’s early career with the Junior Chamber International gave him opportunities to train people in leadership, team development and motivation. That work expanded beyond the local region to New Zealand and into Asia, showing how skills developed in small towns can scale to an international stage.

Rotary as a vehicle for practical impact

The Rotary Club of Timaru offers a practical, project based way of addressing local needs. With Lionel and Lynette’s involvement, the focus has been both local and international. They have translated Rotary values into tangible services that make life better for people in South Canterbury.

Some of the ongoing projects that characterise their work include:

• Wood deliveries – Reclaimed offcuts and donated firewood are bagged and delivered to elderly people, people with disabilities and former refugee families who need heat in winter.
• Fundraising through community events – A hot dog van and event support help fund youth leadership and driver awareness programs.
• Youth development – Support for Rotary Youth Exchange and the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards which give young people overseas experience and leadership training.
• International sanitation and health projects – Funding toilets and small health hubs in Nepal to enable girls and rural populations to access education and basic health care more reliably.
• Driver safety education – Local programmes that focus on young drivers and passengers to reduce harm on the road.

These projects show a pragmatic model: combine fundraising, local volunteer labour and international partnership to achieve meaningful outcomes. The Wilsons emphasise that Rotary’s work is not about recognition. It is about meeting needs, creating opportunities and doing the small things that compound into large benefits.

Integration and inclusion in action

One of the most compelling parts of the Wilsons’ approach is how they use volunteer work to integrate new community members. The wood delivery project provided an unexpected bridge to former refugee families. What began as a charitable delivery quickly became an opportunity for interaction and mutual support.

Volunteers and newly arrived families would carry bags together, exchange stories and practice English. The simple act of delivering warmth turned into a cultural exchange. These efforts help former refugees feel seen, build local networks and gain confidence.

“They pick up two bags, I pick up one. We have a bit of banter. It helps with their English. It gives integration into our community they might not otherwise have.” – Lynette

That sentence captures the double benefit that small community projects can deliver. The recipients receive a practical need met. The volunteers gain new perspectives, new friendships and the satisfaction of inclusion.

Why South Canterbury works for them

Lionel and Lynette speak passionately about why they chose to live and invest their time in South Canterbury. Their reasons are practical and sentimental. They like the climate, the golf courses and the ability to step onto a green domain with little hassle. They like the access to sporting and recreational opportunities for their grandchildren. They value the region’s high quality schools and a strong sense of pride.

But beyond amenities, they see potential. They notice that South Canterbury does not always promote itself well enough, and that collaboration is the missing ingredient in unlocking further prosperity. For them, collaboration means council, chamber of commerce, community groups and businesses aligning to create events and facilities that bring visitors and investment without destroying what they love.

“Collaboration is the key. Because we are so small we need to collaborate.” – Lionel

That view points to a simple plan. Use local strengths and add an intentional coordination layer. That can mean more effective tourism, better use of facilities and stronger, shared promotion of the region. It would not erase the character of South Canterbury. It would amplify what already works.

Lessons from a lifetime of service

If we step back and look at the Wilsons’ lives, a few consistent lessons emerge. These are not flashy. They are steady habits that compound.

• Show up – Being present at games, meetings and events builds trust over time.
• Take opportunities – Say yes to new experiences even when they are inconvenient. The path forward often opens once you start.
• Lead with inclusion – Organisations work better when they mirror their communities.
• Collaborate – Small communities need coordination and shared effort to thrive.
• Be practical – Simple solutions like delivering firewood meet immediate needs and create long term relationships.

Their final piece of advice is striking in its simplicity and obvious wisdom.

“Don’t stress. Take every opportunity.” – Lynette

That advice is rooted in a life lesson learned early. Lionel’s health scare at 29 reframed how they approached risk and time. The result is a family and a community legacy built on action rather than worry.

How to get involved or replicate what works

If we want to take practical steps based on the Wilsons’ example, here are clear next steps for individuals and groups.

1. Volunteer with local service clubs. Rotary, Lions and similar groups welcome help with hands on projects.
2. Partner with social agencies to identify tangible needs like firewood, food storage or transport for elderly residents.
3. Support youth programmes. Donate or sponsor places for young people in leadership weeks and driver awareness programmes.
4. Invite newcomers to help. Inclusion can be built by asking people to carry out small tasks alongside volunteers.
5. Join the chamber or attend local business networking events. Knowledge sharing is an often overlooked form of civic investment.

These actions do not require extraordinary resources. They require time, consistency and an open attitude. The Wilsons remind us that the most effective civic projects are the ones everyone can pitch in to accomplish.

Closing thought

Lionel and Lynette Wilson teach us that community is an everyday practice. It is not always glamorous. Often it is lugging a bag of wood up a driveway, scanning tickets at a gate, mentoring a teenager, or planting a tree on a cycleway. Those small acts add up. They knit communities together. They create opportunities that would not exist if no one said yes.

If we take one idea from their example it is this. Choose presence over perfection. Take the opportunities you are offered and lean into the work of building your place. The result is not just projects completed. It is a region that thrives because people cared enough to do the small things well.