Growing up in a small town where “everybody knows your name,” as Cheers so accurately put it, isn’t for everybody. Many long to trade the quiet of community for the hustle and bustle of a big city.
But for Bristol Borough native Ron Walker, who fondly remembers his childhood years growing up on Spruce Street, his hometown passion seems to only grow with age.
On Saturday, Nov. 23, Walker will be honored as “Person of the Year” at the ninth annual Bristol Fall Classic, hosted by the Academic Oversight Committee, the volunteer leg of the local Bristol Borough Learning Centers. Proceeds will benefit afterschool and summer camp programming for youth in grades K-12 attending the borough’s public and parochial schools.
Walker is being singled out at the event for his longtime involvement in helping the borough become a better place for residents of all ages. The theme of the evening is “All-In” and, after taking into consideration Walker’s volunteer resume, it’s clear he’s “All-In” for Bristol.
He is a member of Raising the Bar’s economic development committee, which works to promote the town to visitors; the Bristol Lions Club, which provides low-income students with eyeglasses and scholarships through funding raised at the Italian Day Festival; the St. Mark School Advisory Board; and the Bristol Borough Education Fund.
For the AOC, Walker participated in a roundtable discussion, during which Bristol sophomores could ask him and other business owners questions about their careers.
As far as Walker’s full-time endeavors, he has served as president of Allied Electronics, located at 1414 Radcliffe St., since 1992, though he’s been with the company for 40 years.
Additionally, Walker oversees the E store of Allied Electronics, a site that offers more than 60,000 gas station parts, and UV Blockers, which he founded in 2003 after being diagnosed with melanoma. The latter company sells special umbrellas that block 99.9 percent of UV rays, allowing individuals who have melanoma or are undergoing chemotherapy to still enjoy the beach/outdoors.
Currently, Walker happily resides on Radcliffe Street with his wife in a house they built 20 years ago.
“We love everything about Bristol. We like the walkability, we like the diversity, the small-town community,” he said. “My kids grew up here, and I actually have one set of grandchildren who live in town, too.”
According to Gene Williams, Academic Oversight Committee adviser and Grundy Foundation executive director, it was a no-brainer to select Walker as the 2019 “Person of the Year.”
“Ron is ‘All-In.’ He went to Bristol High, graduated in ‘74,” Williams said. “He lives in the borough, his business is in the borough, all his philanthropy and charity is in the borough. So he’s really all about Bristol Borough.”
The Bristol Fall Classic is one of two annual fundraisers hosted by the AOC in order to raise money for the Learning Centers. As part of a 21st Century double grant established in 2006, Learning Centers were formed at Bristol High School, Bristol Middle School and St. Mark. Programming takes place during the academic year on an afterschool basis.
“It’s geared more toward the maintenance of where the kids are grade-wise, and hopefully just allowing them to experience other things, other opportunities, that the grant does not pay for,” Williams said.
Proceeds from past Fall Classic events have helped fund field trips, a Microsoft Office certification program in conjunction with Bucks County Community College, job fairs, career development and a six-week summer camp program.
“The purpose of that program is to keep the kids at their grade level, and hopefully they can advance over the course of the summer,” Williams said.
One-hundred percent of proceeds from the event are utilized by the AOC for these programs, which encompass 300 kids and teens annually.
During the Fall Classic, the following borough educators will be recognized as “Teachers of the Year:” Kathleen Chapman (St. Mark Catholic School), Dawn DeLuca (Snyder-Girotti Elementary School), Robert Moyer (Bristol Middle School) and Heather Quattrocchi (Bristol High School). There will also be a “Student of the Year” award.
If you go: The 2019 Bristol Fall Classic is taking place Saturday, Nov. 23, from 6:30 to 10 p.m., at the Bristol Borough Public Works Building, 92 Maple Beach Road, Bristol. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at BBLearningCenters.com, Bristol Borough Tax Office, Great IDs by Anne and Mignoni Jewelry Store. Every ticket purchased is automatically registered in the AOC raffle, with the winner receiving $1,000. Winning ticket will be selected at the Bristol Fall Classic; winner need not be present. Catering will be provided by King George II Inn.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
