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Women's Centre co-founder earns Good Citizenship medal by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff 17 | Thursday, November 14, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Oakville resident and Executive Director of the Halton Women's Centre, Melvina Walter, received the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, recently, during a ceremony at Queen's Park. The medal, which recognizes people who have made exceptional long-term contributions to the quality of life in Ontario, was presented to Walter, who for more than 25 years has worked as an advocate for women in Halton, serving as the co-founder of the Halton's Women's Centre and eventually as its executive director. "I must admit I was pretty surprised I was not only nominated, but given the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship," said Walter. "It's pretty amazing really." Walter credited her father, Beaton Smith, as the person responsible for her living a life others deem worthy of accolade, she said. He raised his family according to the principle: `Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' "I consider myself to have been blessed with such a role model and as I said, if there has been anything of my community life others would award to me, any honour, it is because of an amazing man who laboured to have his daughter inherit his beliefs as a way of life. "That is the reason I give back to my community whenever I can, through service to others." Walter was raised in Newfoundland where the local church was a big part of her life. At a The Halton Women's Centre has evolved considerably since then and now assists between 1,500-2,000 women per year, with everything from crisis support to setting women up in business and providing legal advice. The goal, said Walter, is to empower women, to get past what has happened to them so they can begin starting anew. Since the centre's inception, Walter has served in various capacities including on steering committees and the board, as program co-ordinator and for the last 16 years, as the centre's executive director. Walter said her work at the women's centre has brought her close to achieving her child- hood dream. "I think that when I found the women's centre I had come full circle because for me being at this women's centre all these years is like doing missionary work in Oakville," she said. "It's my passion that drives me to support other women. My passion keeps driving me to support and empower... to do the work that I do." The Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship is not Walter's first award for her work. She was awarded the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal this year, has been nominated for the Order of Ontario and received the Province's Leading Women Building Communities Award in 2010. B N Pa oar ew ck din ag g es ! W C el at co s m e! Melvina Walter young age, Walter was interested in becoming a missionary, but the dream took a back seat as she grew up, moved away and entered careers in the small business and banking fields. That changed in 1989 when Walter decided to co-found a centre dedicated to providing aftercare services for abused women leaving shelters. At the time, Walter said, such services were exceedingly rare as abused women had little alternative but to return to their partners. With very little funding available, the centre began in the basement of St. John's United Church and remained there four years. Eventually the group raised $850, which allowed them to establish a centre at Hopedale Mall where it remains today. Now Booking For Christmas! We are open Christmas Day and New Year's Day ABBEY LANE KENNELS Ask about our New Doggie Day Care & Home Cooked Meal Choices! Only one day minimum stay! Sorry no doggie day care available on these two days Get $ * 1 per family 10 OFF* your next stay with this ad. Complimentary Bath with 3 day boarding stay! Veterinarian Owned & Operated 1093 Lower Base Line W. Milton www.abbeylanekennels.com 905-693-0506 Dr. Janet E. Walters D.V.M.