"Flying Phil" St. Luke was a familiar figure to all of us who live in the Oceanside Area and also to those who visit here regularly or who have lived here at any time in the past fifty years.

 

We have all seen him as he strides through Parksville and the Oceanside community.  He visited many of the downtown businesses on a daily basis, spreading cheer and inspiring everyone he meets.  In his younger days, his walks took him weekly to Nanaimo and Port Alberni.

 

We honk our horns and wave to him, shout "Hi, Phil!" and stop our walks to talk with him.  We hear his cheerful whistling from time to time all over town.  Smiling from ear to ear, he signals us all with a cheery wave or a double "thumbs-up".  He was our "man about town" and Parksville's greatest ambassador.  The Canada Day Parade would not be the same without Phil marching at its centre, playing a tattoo on his drum.

 

He loved all people and all animals and has a genuine desire to do good and to help others.  For twenty five years, he was a highly-decorated Special Olympian and brought many medals home to Parksville.  He has volunteered for many local causes such as the S.O.S., the Salvation Army, the S.P.C.A., the Downtown Cleaning Crew,  food drives for the Fire Department and has participated in too many fundraising walks to list.  In 2008, Council unanimously passed a motion to name March 7th "Flying Phil Day."

 

Phil has been and remains an inspiration to three generations of children growing up in Oceanside.  We all know him: we all love him and he loves us back!  He truly is "The Spirit of Parksville."