Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewa Champion Elmo Walton (left) attends a game at McGuirk Arena with his son Lennon.
Donor Spotlight: Elmo Walton
4/7/2020 1:53:00 PM | Chippewa Fund
A point of pride for Max & Emily's owner
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – For Elmo Walton, it's always been about and will continue to be about being supportive.
Walton, the owner of Max & Emily's Bakery Café in Mount Pleasant, has been and remains a strong supporter and benefactor of Central Michigan University Athletics and its role in strengthening the community.
"In supporting anyone, it's about a relationship with them and being there for them for whatever they need," Walton said. "It's a college town and for Max & Emily's it's about providing, whether that's donations or sales or activities or sponsorship -- that's just part of people helping people."
Walton, a CMU alum and a Chippewa Champion, began working at the eatery two decades ago when it was owned by the late Tim Brockman. Brockman purchased the business in 1996 and it became a landmark establishment on Broadway in downtown Mount Pleasant, forming sustained strong partnerships with CMU Athletics along with the university in general.
Walton purchased the business shortly after Brockman's unexpected death three years ago and has continued to foster the partnership through generous gifts-in-kind to CMU Athletics.
"Mount Pleasant is a wonderful place to live, it's just the right size and it's safe," said Walton, a native of East Grand Rapids. "And obviously CMU sports is a huge aspect of this community."
Walton, like so many Chippewa Athletic Fund benefactors, holds dear the direct person-to-person connections that he has made with those in and around CMU Athletics, including the coaches, the student-athletes, and even the parents and family members of the student-athletes, many of whom frequent Max & Emily's.
"We don't have customers we have guests," Walton said. "Everybody is a guest. We strive to get to know all of our guests on a first-name basis, and who they are.
"I'll see several student-athletes at the restaurant for lunch, for dinner, for breakfast, and that means a lot to me. You get to develop those relationships with different people, the student-athletes; 'What do they do? What classes are they taking?'"
Walton said a key factor in his continued support of the Chippewa Athletic Fund and CMU Athletics is tradition. The Chippewas' always-strong programs are a major point of pride, not only across the campus but to alumni and the community.
"You can look at what they do and the teams that they put out on the field, whether it's football, basketball, lacrosse, track & field – they're all at the top of their game," he said. "Lacrosse went from a startup program to having a championship in three years. That's a testament to the caliber of coaches, the administration, and the student-athletes that they bring in.
"The fact that we can be a very small part of their success, we take a lot of pride in that."
Walton, the owner of Max & Emily's Bakery Café in Mount Pleasant, has been and remains a strong supporter and benefactor of Central Michigan University Athletics and its role in strengthening the community.
"In supporting anyone, it's about a relationship with them and being there for them for whatever they need," Walton said. "It's a college town and for Max & Emily's it's about providing, whether that's donations or sales or activities or sponsorship -- that's just part of people helping people."
Walton, a CMU alum and a Chippewa Champion, began working at the eatery two decades ago when it was owned by the late Tim Brockman. Brockman purchased the business in 1996 and it became a landmark establishment on Broadway in downtown Mount Pleasant, forming sustained strong partnerships with CMU Athletics along with the university in general.
Walton purchased the business shortly after Brockman's unexpected death three years ago and has continued to foster the partnership through generous gifts-in-kind to CMU Athletics.
"Mount Pleasant is a wonderful place to live, it's just the right size and it's safe," said Walton, a native of East Grand Rapids. "And obviously CMU sports is a huge aspect of this community."
Walton, like so many Chippewa Athletic Fund benefactors, holds dear the direct person-to-person connections that he has made with those in and around CMU Athletics, including the coaches, the student-athletes, and even the parents and family members of the student-athletes, many of whom frequent Max & Emily's.
"We don't have customers we have guests," Walton said. "Everybody is a guest. We strive to get to know all of our guests on a first-name basis, and who they are.
"I'll see several student-athletes at the restaurant for lunch, for dinner, for breakfast, and that means a lot to me. You get to develop those relationships with different people, the student-athletes; 'What do they do? What classes are they taking?'"
Walton said a key factor in his continued support of the Chippewa Athletic Fund and CMU Athletics is tradition. The Chippewas' always-strong programs are a major point of pride, not only across the campus but to alumni and the community.
"You can look at what they do and the teams that they put out on the field, whether it's football, basketball, lacrosse, track & field – they're all at the top of their game," he said. "Lacrosse went from a startup program to having a championship in three years. That's a testament to the caliber of coaches, the administration, and the student-athletes that they bring in.
"The fact that we can be a very small part of their success, we take a lot of pride in that."
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