The parable ending, “Teach a man to fish and he can eat for a lifetime,” sums up Susie Walters’ work and philosophy for helping others in her hometown community. Through the years of teaching (including a few summers of literally teaching fishing), raising her and her husband, Cliff’s, two children, and many years on nonprofit boards of directors, she worked to provide services, programs, and education enabling others to help themselves. Her love of education led her to teach 1st grade, Title 1 Reading, religion, creative writing. She served on Selby Foundation’s Scholarship committee and chaired Asolo Theater’s education committee. Her interest in retailing and education of adults lead her to Beall’s Department Stores where she created its Training Department. “My passion for creating opportunities for people to change their and their families’ quality of life has fueled my love and work for organizations striving toward that end.” She was the founding president of Manatee’s Habitat for Humanity affiliate and board member for many years, director and chair of Turning Points (aka Homeless Coalition) as its Galvano Center was funded and built, and director and chair of Catholic Charities for the ten-county Diocese. As Advisory committee chair of Knight Foundation for many years, she encouraged many new programs including Realize Bradenton. She is a sustaining member of the Service club and Jr. League. She is actively grandmothers a baby and assists her father, at 92, in maintaining his independence.
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