Wade Walker had only one item on his bucket list:  Twenty years ago he made a promise to himself that involved remembrance and paying it forward, and last year he completed that goal.

Walker established a Southern Okanagan Secondary School Enrichment Fund Memorial Scholarship in the name of his brother Ivan, who was diagnosed with an extremely rare and fatal degenerative disease called Niemann-Pick, a liver disorder.

Ivan moved to Oliver in 1966 with his parents Loyde and Barbara, three brothers (David, Norman and Wade) and two sisters (Diane and Noreen). All of his siblings attended SOSS.

In 1969 Ivan and his older sister Diane were both diagnosed with the liver disorder. Diane passed away at St. Martin’s Hospital at the age of 19. Ivan spent the last three years of his life in Penticton extended care, and died in 1980 at the age of 23.

Ivan struggled in accepting his fate but never gave in to his illness. With the helping hands of the people of Oliver, he managed to find some peace and acceptance in the short life he was given.

At the age of 17, citizens of Oliver and the Lions Club raised enough money to send Ivan to Disneyland for his dream vacation. His mother, Barbara, wrote a letter to the Oliver Chronicle after the passing of Ivan, thanking the club for their love, support and generosity.

“Carpe Diem” (seize the day) was Ivan’s motto and in his waning years he counselled young people who  shared a common challenge at the Penticton Training Centre and the Easter Seal Camp in Winfield. He returned to other people the kindness and understanding that the Town of Oliver had given him, especially the teachers and counsellors of SOSS.

Last year Wade was in the position to make a generous donation to the SOSS Enrichment Fund Society. He contacted John Echlin, an SOSS Enrichment Fund board member and discussed his plan. After careful thought, Wade and his brother Norm decided that they would like the scholarship to be awarded to a graduating student who has successfully faced challenges (physical, mental, or economic circumstances) with determination and courage to do his or her best.

This graduating student would have shared hope, understanding and compassion with others, through words and deeds. The first recipient of the Ivan Walker Memorial Scholarship for the graduating class of 2013 was Isaac Nazaroff. Wade was at the award ceremony to present the scholarship.

Wade graduated in 1976 from SOSS, and in 1979 received an Okanagan College business administration diploma.

His three sons attended SOSS, and he is presently the owner and manager of Greenwood Forest Products (1983) Ltd.

The SOSS Enrichment Fund is a registered charity that awards approximately $17,500 per year, spread over 23 scholarships for students enrolled at SOSS.

The Enrichment Fund’s board comprises of volunteers from the communities of Oliver and Okanagan Falls. The fund is under professional administration with the Vancouver Foundation and the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen.

Earnings from the capital are distributed annually for student awards.  Official tax receipts are issued for all donations.

Thanks to Wade Walker the fund can now offer another student a great start in his or her post secondary education.

For more information contact: Southern Okanagan Secondary School Enrichment Fund Society, Box 1445, Oliver BC, VOH 1T0 or www.sd53.bc.ca/soss

Janet Shannon

Special to the Chronicle