6
street roots
April 29, 2011
Exploring every day
as a new journey
Rick Wagner is charting new tu r f with Street Roots
BY KAISA MCCROW
C O N T R IB U T IN G W R ITER
A common narrative for Portland’s
ZA many new inhabitants is that they
X A have visited once and resolved to
Darrold Dilly
Feb. 1,1956-March 23, 2011
Street Roots vendor Darrold Dilly passed
away on March 23. He sold the newspaper
at Starbucks in the Pearl District, where he
had many friends. Services were held in
Spokane, Wash.
He had worked as a chef and in the
construction industry. He is survived by
two sons, a stepdaughter and a grandson,
along with his mother and twin sister.
Dilly, as he was known, was a kind and
warm-hearted member of the Street Roots
team. He will be missed by many.
VENDOR
good, local, food.
Rick Wagner
ALBERTA
C O O P E R A T IV E
GROCERY
1500 NE Alberta S t.-'"
Portland/OR 97211 '
503.287.4333
w ^ w ^ lb e rta a ro c e ry x o o D _ ^
open to everyone 9 -W daily
C EN TR A L CITY
« is *
Changing Lives
Building Communities
Creating Opportunities
www.çentralcityconcem.org
5 0 3 -2 9 4 -1 6 8 1
For stories you missed
and notices you don’t
w ant to miss, visit us
a t w w w .streetroots.
wordpress.com
move here, or arrived temporarily but
decided never to leave. Rick Wagner, less
than a month out of 12 years spent In the
Army, may just fit that description. He left
Fort Lewis and his entire military life with
his two dogsonApril 1. Bound for his
mother’s in Wichita^ Kap., he was ready to
start a new life chapter. CailKiuble and a
lack of funds quickly altered his rotite.and
landed him in Portland, which he describes
as practically, “a foreign country.” Within a
few short weeks though, he’s already
become both a Street Roots vendor and a
Trailblazers fan, so it appears he may be a
Portandler in the making.
“I’m excited to get to know the people in
this area and to learn the names of their
days. That is what Rick is hoping for as he
dogs — that’s an important one,” says Rick.
sets up shop here and gets comfortable. He
He notes that he has already met quite a
advertises copies of the two most recent
few colorful people on
issues of the paper by attaching them to a
Mississippi. As if on
tree at eye level along the sidewalk. His
PROFILE
cue, a man in a
dogs, Sarge and Patches, rest in the grass
Blazers jersey stops
behind him, two chocolate labs doing their
M to make predictions
part to attract people to the comer.
about the upcoming
Rick’s attitude toward this new chapter in
playoff game; he
his life is positive. With all of the skill he
thinks the Blazers will win by 6 points.
has acquired in the military, he feels
“See,” points out Rick, “I’ve never met that
prepared to take on the new challenges that
guy before. Now I’ve made a friend.”
he sees before him. He is equipped with
Everything is new for Rick right now. Life both the survival skills and ¿he patience to
looks a lot different than it did just one
take life one day at a time, and to trust that
month ago. In the Army he was a medic,
his hard work now will pay off. Eventually
and throughout his car e er ho non had
numerous deployments in the first and
Bill to go back to school. In the meantime,
second Iraq Wars. He says if he had stayed
he’ll get to know Portland a little better and
in the Army longer, he would be gearing up
see
how the summer goes., He’s trying to
for another.
get to know the lay of the land, particularly
Rick splits his time selling papers
places where he can take his dogs off leash
between the TA truck stop off 1-84 in
and let them run around.
Troutdale and his new perch just off the
He’s saving up money now to head back
cornerof Mississippi and Shaver in North
to Kansas, but he does admit that so far, he
Portland. The first vendor to sell at this
is seeing more opportunity and community
spot, he is still working out the kinks. It
right where he is today.
hasn’t worked to stand directly on
“It sort of seems to me that there are
Mississippi and Shaver, in front of The
more opportunities here than in Wichita,”
Fresh Pot, but the space he is at just up the
he says, “We’ll see how the summer goes.”
street is serving him well. The space is a
Regardless of the outcome, he’s out
grassy area containing a few food carts,
working every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
benches, and a space for a garden. It
establishing himself as a vendor and
appears ready for growth, and has the
working on making himself at home.
potential to be a hub of life and people on
“I’m happy to be here. It is hard work,
one of those dazzling Portland summer
but it’s a whole new journey.”
For j u s t $
month, you
help suppor
Portland's c
street paper
homeless an
lowfncom e
vendor
program. L i
easy a nd safe recurring
at www.streetroots.com.
c$o
VENDOR WORK ADS
Cassidy Morse: Looking for work. Will do
most anything, light and heavy. $10 an
hour, four hour minimum, References
supplied. Please call 503-224-5398 or
Street Roots at 503-228-5657.
Pete Marshall W. and Julie W.: Pleasant
mannered and experienced at labor. Odd
jobs. Yard work speciality. Repairing
household losses. Pay back huge debts.
Leave call back number and detailed
message: 503-946-3959, or Street Roots,
503-228-5657.
Vincent Bartlett: Laborer for hire, any
type of work - painting, yardwork,
moving, handyman, light or heavy.
Honest and dependable. Call Street Roots
at 503-228-5657 and leave message for
Vincent.
HEALTHY
STREETBEAT
Bicycle
Transportation
Alliance .
Look fo r the next colum n on
transportation justice M ay 13!
LOOKING FOR AN
AFFORDABLE PLACE TO RENT’
Y our o n lin e housing search ju s t g o t easier.’
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s