By Sherry Koonce

The News staff writer

It’s one thing to have a dream, and quite another to turn that vision into reality. It takes determination, courage and ambition — all qualities Hilton Kelley displays on a daily basis in his quest to make Port Arthur a better place to live.

Kelley, 48, was nominated for The Port Arthur News 2008 Citizen of the Year because of his work as a community activist. His good deeds run the gamut: Helping the elderly, inspiring young people, championing environmental justice rights for Port Arthur citizens.

“He has a burning desire to make a difference in the lives of people. He has dedicated himself for eight years to fight the underserved people in the city of Port Arthur,” Warren A. Field, said of the man he nominated as the city’s top citizen.

A Port Arthur native who grew up in the projects, Kelley attended local schools and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1978. When he was 18, Kelley’s mother was killed, leaving a mark on his life that would ultimately result in his moving to California.

“After Mother was killed, I had to go to work full-time. I had a position in a warehouse delivering furniture, but knew that was not for me,” Kelley said.

In 1979, when the U.S. hostages were held by the Iranians, Kelley’s desire to do something pro-active first surfaced. He joined the U.S. Navy and was sent to San Diego for boot camp.

From 1980 to 1984, Kelley was an enlisted man, serving in the Navy foru four years until he was honorably discharged.

He stayed in California, married first wife Dorren and started a family. To support his family, Kelley worked first for Federal Express, then started his own maintenance repair service by using electrical skills learned in the Navy.

In 1988, opportunity knocked when he had occasion to become involved in the movie industry.

“I’d always had a desire to be in the movies. I was in drama in high school,” Kelley said.

For the next few years, Kelley stayed busy playing extras and bit parts in movies and television productions. He was cast as Michael T. Williamson’s (Bubba from the movie Forest Gump) stand-in and had a recurring role in Don Johnson’s Nash Bridges television series.

In 2000 Kelley attended Mardi Gras festivities in Port Arthur — an event he remembers as a catalyst for things to come.

“I had such a good time, but realized the city had changed dramatically. So many families had moved away, or gravitated toward the west end of town,” he said.