The long-standing volunteer retired after 24 years with the group at its annual meeting on Friday.
He was made the first lifetime member of the North Otago branch.
Mr Kerby said he never intended to stay as long as he did.
"I hadn’t put a fixed time on it really, but it just went on and on. I just like helping people."
When he retired from working due to health reasons, a friend of his encouraged him to get involved.
"I had a year off and a friend was already working in the bureau and said ‘why don’t you come along and have a look?’
"Within a year of being here I was chairman."
He served eight years in that role as he had only been chairman for four years before the national body instituted a maximum four-year term.
"Every time it came to try and get somebody else to take over from me, nobody wanted the job. In the end . . . ‘two heavies’ from head office from Wellington came down and said ‘Alan is doing a great job but you can’t keep him going forever’, so I just came off the chairmanship then."
Mr Kerby said he was going to miss it.
"It’s been a big part of my life.
"The job is really interesting. You feel good helping people and you learn a lot too."
However, at the end of the day it was the people he was working alongside that made it an enjoyable 24 years, Mr Kerby said.
"I know they’re going to keep me involved in the social events."
