The ''backbone'' of Central Otago Grey Power is now taking more of a back seat.
Jackie Goyen, of Alexandra, stepped down yesterday as secretary of the organisation but will remain on the committee.
New Zealand Grey Power president Terry King, of Invercargill, chaired yesterday's annual meeting of the Central Otago branch in Alexandra and paid tribute to Mrs Goyen's 24 years' service.
Mrs Goyen and her husband, Jack, had been ''tireless'' workers for Grey Power.
''Jackie was an advocate for the association's Otago Southland area and was zone secretary for many years and has done an outstanding job. She's proven to be the backbone of the Central Otago association,'' Mr King said.
Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper also praised Mrs Goyen for her ''fantastic service - she's always been good to work with''.
She took on the secretary's role 20 years ago and said it was now time to scale back her involvement.
The annual meeting was to have been held in May but it failed to attract a quorum. About 40 people attended yesterday's meeting and Eileen Rawlings, of Alexandra, was re-elected president.
She faced a challenge from Allan Jackson, of Alexandra, so a vote was taken to determine the top role.
''I'm 93, turning 94 this year but my brain is only about 40,'' Mrs Rawlings told the meeting.
Mr King said she was the oldest delegate at the national conference but was a great advocate for the area.
Grey Power was in good heart, with a national membership of about 70,000.
The sacking of the Southern District Health Board had been concerning for the organisation's members throughout Otago and Southland.
''We hope it doesn't signal that the Government wants to see health services centralised in Christchurch. What we have here, we want to hold on to, so it's very important that we fight to retain what we have.''
Grey Power was an active lobby group and had chalked up many successes, Mr King said.
These included low user tariffs for domestic power, an increase in hearing aid subsidies and spot audits being introduced for rest-homes.
