By BILL FARRELL
Observer-Dispatch

UTICA — If there’s one piece of wisdom that Barry Depot has learned and taken to heart, it’s the following:

To be happy for an hour, go fishing; to be happy for two hours, go golfing; to be happy for a lifetime, help somebody.

The people and organizations that Depot, personnel manager at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Marcy, has helped over the years is much too extensive to list.

They range from directing community involvement efforts for and financial support to the community’s nonprofit organizations, to teaching communication and interview skills to prisoners at local correctional facilities who are on pre-release programs.

In 1998, Depot, 35, was instrumental in coordinating local relief efforts to the North Country when it suffered the worst ice storm in a century. Trailer loads of donated merchandise were brought to Wal-Mart’s distribution center, where company associates helped sort, consolidate and ship the goods north to help families in need.

Laurie Depot thought her husband’s efforts on behalf of others was worthy of nomination for an Accent on Excellence award. Not only does he rarely say “no” when people ask him to be on a committee, she said, but he never lets those activities interfere in his personal life.

But there’s a more important reason why she felt Barry deserved the award. “He had a life-threatening challenge he had to overcome.”

In 1996, Depot was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and his battle with cancer began. Still, he remained active at work, in the community and at home. The Depots are parents of two sons, ages 7 and 9.

During eight months of chemotherapy, he continued to work a full day, then coached his kids and others on their soccer teams. His wife worked a night shift at a local hospital and often depended on him to help with the household chores.

“He never let the disease get him down or distract him from what was important,” Laurie Depot said. His cancer has been in remission for two years.

Depot grew up south of Boston, graduated from West Point and served in Operation Desert Storm with the First Infantry Division. Today, he remains as active locally as he’s always been.

On a recent morning, a caller to Depot’s office in Marcy learned that he was in Utica attending a meeting of the United Way of Greater Utica, where he serves on its board of directors. After returning to the office for little more than an hour, Depot returned to Utica for another community organization meeting.

While most of his days are spent on Wal-Mart business, he admits that some days are spent almost entirely on community activities. “Wal-Mart allows me free reign to do what seems right,” he said.

As personnel manager, Depot oversees the hiring, training, coaching and development of 1,110 hourly associates and 82 managers. It’s a big responsibility, and he doesn’t hesitate to impart his own bit of wisdom on those in his charge:

Be as good a person as you can be. When you’re a better person, other things follow.

“I like Wal-Mart and I like what I’m doing there. I feel strongly it will be there for me, and I’ll be there for it for as long as I can,” he said.