June 19, 2009
Media contact: Patty Wellborn
Office: 604-795-2819
or 604-504-7441, local 2819
patty.wellborn@ufv.ca
The Reach’s Milt Walker wins Betty Urquhart Community Service award
Milt Walker well knows the difference between business and pleasure. He has a tough job, so when he’s ready for a break from work, or he wants to focus on something completely different, he turns to the arts.
Walker has lived in Abbotsford for 26 years and has been connected with the Kinghaven Peardonville House Society for much of that time. The society has two residential addiction treatment facilities and many programs to help adults cope with, and hopefully recover from, addictions. It’s serious work that deals with what can be life-and-death situations. He’s seen people at their lowest and could write a book about the many lives he’s seen affected and even destroyed by addictions.
That might be part of the reason why he has immersed himself in something so totally different for those hours when he is away from the office. A long-time community advocate, Walker has a healthy list of volunteer credentials and hours including the role of president of Abbotsford’s B.C. Summer Games in 2004.
It’s this second job, away from his day job, that led to his nomination for the University of the Fraser Valley’s Betty Urquhart Community Service award, an honour presented annually at UFV’s convocation ceremonies each June to people, or groups, who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities in the UFV region. Betty Urquhart was one of the first five employees at Fraser Valley College and she continued to work at FVC, which by then was UCFV, until her retirement in 1992. She embodied the dream of lifelong learning and dedicating oneself to better one’s community.
Walker is the chair of the Reach Gallery Museum board and played a key role in bringing the facility from dream stage to fruition. The Reach opened last September and is already housing some amazing artefacts and hosting gallery exhibits.
“I was just a member of the steering committee,” he recalls, agreeing he then spent more than 18 months putting ideas together and meeting with other stakeholders. “When the referendum passed, it was determined that an independent board was needed to run it.”
Walker is the inaugural chair of the board, and while he takes very little credit for the day-to-day-management of the facility, he does note that they “hired well.”
“Knowing absolutely nothing about running a museum and art gallery, we did a very smart thing and hired a tremendous staff.”
The Reach has energized Abbotsford’s cultural community and while the $10 million facility is barely a year old, it’s a busy, lively, place that is the talk of the town.
“It opened in September and it’s already too small,” he says with a laugh. “It’s a very busy place.”
Indeed, there are art shows, lessons, displays, public dialogue sessions, artefacts and much more. It’s a place for all people, all ages. And it’s free.
“It’s a very diverse place, and a very exciting place to be,” Walker says. “And we were quite determined as a board that you can come to the Reach and see some amazing art work but not have to spend any money. That’s what makes it so special.”
Walker is quick to admit he is passionate not only about the Reach, but about arts in general. It’s this passion and drive that led to his nomination for UFV’s Betty Urquhart Community Service Award. UFV professor Madeline Hardin, who sat on the initial steering committee and who nominated Walker for the award, says he has all the qualities that Betty Urquhart admired.
“There aren’t too many places where we can honour someone as selfless, tireless, capable, and giving as Milt,” she says. “The Betty Urquhart award is one way to acknowledge someone of his capacity.”
After watching Walker in action and seeing the Reach turn from a dream to a thriving art gallery and museum, Hardin says it was time to give something back to Walker.
“I know Milt embodies the principles that Betty held so dear. He teaches, he helps those in need, he’s steady, and he gives tirelessly to the community,” she says giving him much credit for the Reach’s early success. “Under his capable leadership, and by force of example, Milt is ensuring that this wonderful resource and its governance are off to a solid beginning.”
Walker, on the other hand, feels he has only done what was asked of him as a volunteer. “It’s therapy for my day job,” he says with a laugh.
“It’s so wonderful to be able to do something so totally different,” he adds. “Our community is just full of really wonderful citizens. I was quite surprised by the nomination and can honestly think of many other people who are more deserving. ”
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