Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
By Sonya Muhammad
Communities within Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County would like to wish Mr. William Charles Walker, Sr., a very Happy 75th Birthday, as he continues into his 76th year with the same enthusiasm for life and the determination to be relevant in his community, that he had thirty or forty years ago. Unlike Cinderella, Mr. Walker’s life story has not been a fairytale or a story for the faint at heart. Born in Upland, California, and raised in Pomona, California, Mr. Walker was exposed to a vast variety of lifestyles with some intriguing him more than others.
The importance of decisions, choices, and taking responsibility for one’s actions are topics of interest to Mr. Walker, as he shares it was the decisions and choices made in his earlier days, that cost him 26 years of his life with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). However, it was this experience that made him realize the seriousness of this wake-up call that demanded his immediate attention, and he recognized his survival and future were depending on his ability to navigate and master the many life lessons on the table then and now.
Every prison in the world has become proficient at robbing minds, bodies, dreams, and souls. So, it is no small task to maintain a sense of wholeness, as one attempts to quiet the silent tears inside to restore clarity and vision. Mr. Walker never forgot how his church and his community stood by him during his days of darkness, which was his motivation and inspiration to stand strong, so that he could one day give back to those who had given to him.
And equally, if not more importantly, Mr. Walker’s two sons, Robert and William Jr., became his reasons for living and maintaining a more purposeful life. Mr. Walker clearly recalls the day the gates of freedom opened, and he was handed $200 to start a new life. He remembers the promise he made to never return, and he made that promise to God in reverence of the mercy and leniency that had been extended to him, and that was a promise kept for more than thirty years and will be forever.
His word is his bond, so no matter what challenges or setbacks step onto his path, he trusts in God for the answers which always come without fail. So in gratitude, it makes sense to do whatever he can to share his blessings with others. 777 Community Warehouse and Services was founded by Mr. Walker for the purpose of providing food, clothing, job skills and opportunities, and mentoring services for the homeless community, veterans, juveniles in distress, and people who are reintegrating back into society after various periods of time of incarceration.
777 Community Warehouse and Services, is a 501 (c )(3), nonprofit public benefit organization, that serves as a liaison between 777 Community Warehouse and Services and other nonprofit organizations, collaborating to distribute products to those in need and serving as a resource center for other nonprofit organizations. Many lives have been touched by the mission and commitment of the 777 Community Warehouse and Services team over the years, so it seems very appropriate at this time to show our appreciation for Mr. Walker’s dedicated work in the community by sending monetary gifts and donations of food, clothing, toiletries, and any items considered essential for human survival and support, in a collective celebration of Mr. Walker’s 75th anniversary of life.
Thanking everyone in advance, donations may be directed to:
Mr. William C. Walker, Sr.
777 Community Warehouse and Services
1377 South Lilac Avenue
Suite 115
Bloomington, CA. 92316
