Willie Sellars
Part of a series of People Making a Difference for National Indigenous Peoples Day
Making a difference in your community takes a lot of effort. Fortunately for Willie Sellars, he has seemingly boundless energy. Originally elected in 2008 at the age of 24, Willie is now in his third term of Council for the Williams Lake Indian Band (WLIB). In addition to his political duties, Willie is also employed by the WLIB as Special Projects Coordinator and has played a critical role in the renovation of WLIB’s governance structure and its major accomplishments in the area of business and economic development.
Willie’s community efforts don’t stop when the business day ends, though. He is also passionate about sports, and serves as goaltender for the Williams Lake Stampeders. Recently, Willie competed in the bull riding competition at the Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo and was paired with another local hero, Carey Price, who held Willie’s rope as he prepared for his ride. Willie also spearheaded major renovations to the WLIB’s outdoor baseball facility as part of a project funded by the Jays Care Foundation.
Willie is on the Board of Directors for numerous entities, including the Williams Lake Business Improvement Association, the Indigenous Business and Investment Council, and Borland Creek Logging. During the forest fires of 2017, Willie was seconded to the BC Wildfire Service where he served as a crew leader.
In 2014, Willie authored the best-selling children’s book “Dipnetting with Dad,” which tells the story of traditional fishing practices from the perspective of an aboriginal youth. His second book “Hockey with Dad” is due for release in late 2018.
Willie lives on WLIB’s Sugar Cane reserve, and has three children aged two, eight and ten.
