By Karen Bresler
What do you do when you’re snowed in and customers can’t even find your front door? If you’re Dr. Richard Walton, automobile detailer extraordinaire, you find a way to help your fellow citizens.
Walton, better known as Doc to his friends, used social media and the local radio station, Juice FM during last week’s snowstorm to let the Valley know he was available to drive his 4x4 vehicle to take anybody anywhere.
“It is said that one person can’t make a difference, and I suspect that this is the fallacy that leads many people to take a position of ‘why bother?’” Doc explains.
The snow blanketed our world in February in more ways than one. The elderly, the disabled and those without adequate transportation in the recent snow storm were stranded by the silent white scape that enveloped us.
Doc, owner of RIBA, a Duncan-based company, is being called a knight in shining armor to those he rescued from their inability to get the assistance they required during the snow storm. His ever shiny, superbly detailed black Honda Pilot, his willing partner. A nurse who needed to get to her night shift; a dog owner with a sick dog requiring medication; a grandmother, whose granddaughter had run out of formula while the baby’s parents were away for work; a woman who needed transportation to and from eye surgery and the pharmacy, among others.
A handicapped elderly woman who asked to remain anonymous said Walton arrived just in time.
“Doc was a godsend because I had completely run out of food and I don’t know who I would have turned to as my friends were also snowed in,” she said, adding Walton picked up an order of groceries and delivered them to her.
Upon arrival he asked: “How are you?” and they talked about him being a knight in shining armor to which he responded “you are the damsel in distress”, causing her to laugh and cheer up.
Lisa Siatecki, a nurse, said she saw the Facebook post and with her car being snowed in and three days of night shifts in Chemainus ahead, she took a chance and emailed Doc.
“He was so kind and made me feel at ease right away. He picked me up at 9:30 p.m. and took me right to the door. It got me thinking about what I can do to help others.”
Teresa Carlin explained that her dog was sick and required medication. Doc was there in 20 minutes after she sent the first text. The dog has recovered, and Teresa says of Doc that “he brought a sense of humanity to the experience.”
Mackenzie Chisholm from Juice FM announced on air and on Facebook that Doc Walton was offering this service during the snowstorm and said the station received numerous calls and emails asking how they could thank him. The following day she said others were inspired to follow Doc’s lead and contacted the station to offer their assistance.
“When Doc showed up, he took a load off everyone. It reminded people we have an amazing community.”
Chisholm also noted that the announcement of Doc’s services on radio happened on World Radio Day.
“I want to live in a society where those who need assistance…receive it. And those who can give assistance…provide it. We need to look outside of ourselves, and start taking care of one another,” Walton suggests.
Doc Walton, whose day job includes doing detailing of vehicles, boats and, lately, leather saddles, has been described as a saint, a status he dismisses.
“I want to inspire others to follow my lead. Before we can save the planet, we need to learn to take care of each other. And we’re going to save the planet!”