Early November is a time of the year when the service and sacrifice of Canadian military veterans comes to the forefront.
Jim Walters served our country for 36 years. After his military time ended, his service to the community continued.
Following his retirement from the forces, Walters worked security at the Rockyview General Hospital and now he's a volunteer in the E.R. at the medical facility.
For many patients, a visit to the hospital emergency room can be an intimidating experience. Jim Walters does what he can to make the process a less frightening ordeal.
“Many people, after you've assisted them, come and thank you and say what a relief it was to have us show them around and help them out,” says Walters.
During his time in the Canadian military, Walters served in Cyprus, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights. Walters’ skills as an administrator prompted numerous trips back to CFB Calgary where he worked in logistics finance.
At the time of his retirement, Walters had risen to the rank of Major and was base controller.
These days, the former Major is bringing smiles to the faces of patients and staff at the hospital. Sue Prior, the coordinator of volunteer resources at the Rockyview, says the triage nurses love having him around.
“Someone like Jim, who knows the area and is so good with the patients and their families, is a wonderful ambassador for our volunteer program,” says Prior.
Jim's contributions extend past the emergency room. The maternity ward also benefits from his generosity.
“He's our beanie man,” explains Prior. “He makes all the stocking caps for the newborn babies and he's made close, very close, to 80,000 caps.”
“They had another old guy making the hats and he wasn't able to any more and they were looking for somebody, so I jumped into the gap and have been doing it ever since,” says Walters.
For his military service, his assistance with emergency room patients, and providing warmth for the heads of newborn babies, Major Jim Walters (retired) is the CTV Inspiring Albertan.
