‘The more you’re involved, the more you’ll know what’s going on’

(Editor’s note: Each week during Black History Month, we’ll run a profile of an African-American who is a positive role model. This is the fourth part in a five-part series.)

Jesse Osbourne

Willie Ellery is a long-time Chamber of Commerce supporter and city council member.

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Springfield City Council member Willie Ellery learned by watching others, and now he’s quietly leading by example in the city where he was born and raised.
Ellery has been on the board of directors with the Chamber of Commerce since the late 80’s. He’s served four or six terms, he can’t remember, on the city council.
He’s involved with his church (Holy Rosary) and the Knights of Columbus.
He used to play adult-league softball when the sport was still thriving.
Ellery laughs deep when asked about playing against a local coach. There are good memories lingering on the softball diamond.
After serving eight or 12 years, Ellery has seen big projects and change come through the city.
One of the biggest, he said, is the revitalization of High Street.
Ellery describes the East High Street project that began under former mayor Mike Haydon.
Grants came through from the state and federal levels, and “everything fell into place,” he said.
Old properties were demolished.
Residents got a new house if their property had to be torn down. Tenants of demolished properties were relocated.
There’s an open lot on High Street now. Ellery said it will probably be turned over to a non-profit organization of some sort.
Ellery said he worked for the local Housing Authority for almost 40 years doing day-to-day maintenance of the apartments.
Now he works for Springfield Heating and Cooling, but he still does contract work for the Housing Authority.
Putting community first is a big part of Ellery’s life, he said. He learned from other community-minded people.
“What got me into it was all the people that I knew that were involved in the community, like Mr. Charles Richard Spalding, Paul Walker, (and) Ms. Martha Spalding,” he said. “They were all community-minded people. They worked with the NAACP and human rights stuff back in the 60’s and 70’s and everything.”
Their example would lead him to serving his community.
“They didn’t know I was doing it, but I was watching them,” he said. “Then, next thing you know, now somebody is watching me.”
Ellery said he would like to scale back his involvement with the Chamber some. After the banquet on Thursday, he’ll be stepping down from the board of directors.
“I’m stepping back, but I’ll probably always be a Chamber supporter,” he said. “They know my number, so they’ll be calling and I’ll still be doing stuff. I just won’t be on the board of directors.”
He said he’s going to focus most of his energy on the Jim Beam BBQ Classic.
Ellery said he would like to see more young African-Americans step into leadership roles in the community.
“I would love to see more of our young blacks getting involved because some of us are getting older and may want to step back just a little bit,” he said. “We need some of the young kids to step in and take a leadership-type role.”
Getting involved, he said, has major benefits.
“The more you’re involved, the more you’ll know what’s going on,” he said. “That way when you hear about stuff, it won’t be secondhand. If you’re right in the middle of it, then you know what’s going on.”
Ellery also gets involved outside of his community, as well.
He and his wife, JoAnn, have served as ushers for the University of Louisville athletics department for the past three or four years.
He tends to section 110 in the Yum! Center when he’s working, a lower-level section.
“Once everybody is seated, then nobody can stand in front of me,” he said, grinning. “But, we have to stand during the whole ball game, too.”
Ellery said he and his wife work approximately 25 sporting events every year, including softball, tennis, women’s basketball and field hockey.
“I don’t usher for the football program because I like tailgating, but I do all the other sports,” he said.
He said he’s always been a Louisville Cardinals fan.
While Ellery said he’s slowing, maybe to enjoy time with his daughter, Launie, or two grandchildren, Zy and Kobe, it’s hard to imagine him doing anything except quietly leading community organizations.