Street Roots • Oct. 14-20, 2016
Vendors
Page 6
2 0 1 6 VENDOR OF THE YEAR: Bettyjo
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By Michone Nettles
‘Remember that there is hope’
The title to this poem is unknown
Topics are in a world of their own.
Like names
Joe Joseph Jimmy James and so forth
Michael Mike Mikey and more
Juan John Johnny for sure.
Jesus “Heyzus”
Richard Dick Rich, Rick Rickey
Donald Don Donny with a dee.
Ronald Ron and Ronny with a B.
Joseph Joe Joey and more
Howard Howie him and them.
David has gone around the corner
With Jack John Johnny and James.
Robert Bob Bobby the same.
Samuel has met Pamela and Pam.
Arthur sees Art, Arturo and Arty.
The topic of this poem is unknown
Topics are in a world of their own
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ever.
My customers work in all different
places in the courthouse. I think it is so
super cool to say my customers are
lawyers, judges, DA, family services and on
and on. I am so very fortunate to become
friends with people who see good in me.
Who took a chance to believe in me. To
trust me. Like my friend and customer Judy
Moyer. Judy has been so good to me. She
totally has been amazing to me.
I don’t worry anymore about losing my
home. Because now I rent a room in my
friend’s house, and I earn money to pay the
r e n t It makes me smile to pay the re n t
Life today is full of happiness, and I am so
grateful for everything I have. I’m only
getting better everyday. This whole
experience has made me more
appreciative, more loving, better
understanding of myself and others. So I
stand, wave and throw out the peace sign
because I’m truly happy and want to share
that feeling with others.
Thank you, Street Roots, for the hand
up. I would have never experienced all the
things I have learned and am still learning.
To all my fellow vendors, I am proud to be
I out there with you.
I Thank you for being my brothers and
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sisters. Life is getting better every day.
Thank you.
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Answers to puzzles on page 15
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remember that there is hope. And I thank
Street Roots for th a t
All these brilliant and dedicated hard
working men and women that produce this
amazing paper week after week. All the
vendors who write their beautiful poems
and true-to-the-heart stories, the volunteers
who come and help in the office every day.
his is by far the most exciting thing
I am very proud and honored to be a part
that has ever happened to me. I
of all this. Had it not been for Street Roots,
can’t believe I am standing in this
I never would be vending in front of the
room and having breakfast with all you fine
Multnomah County Courthouse. I have met
folks. Thank you so much for taking time
so many awesome, talented, caring people
out of your busy day to be here with all of
us. To our community leaders, thank you
for all your hard work you do every day to
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help and protect us.
I am truly in awe and am overjoyed to
receive this award. I have been vending for
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Street Roots for four years now, and I have
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to say it’s been the best years of my life.
When I first came to Street Roots, I had
lost everything, and all I had left was a
beat-up RV that had to be moved
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around all the time so that people
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didn’t know we were living in i t I was
up super early every morning and
backdate at night to sleep. I was
always in fear that my only home
would be taken at any time, worried
about a hot meal, warm clothes, a
shower, hoping every day that
something good would happen, always
praying that the good Lord would hear
my prayers and send me help.
I wasn’t living; I was surviving
every moment of every day. I was
truly at the lowest point of my life.
One day a friend told me about
Street Roots. At first, I didn’t
think I would be a good
..
vendor. I didn’t believe
that people would
want to buy
anything from me.
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Little by little, I
started to like
meeting new
people, but I
was also
understanding
what Street
Roots really
B o B u r
stands for. It’s
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w
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not just a
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means to
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earn an
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income - it’s
far more
than th a t
It’s all the
hard work,
dedication and
the desire to
believe in
something bigger
than yourself. To
have faith and hope
and, most of all, love in
your fellow man. That
even if you do lose
everything and things look
and feel hopeless,
Bettyjo Griffiths was honored Oct. 6 with
the 2016 Vendor o f the Year Award. She
received her award in fro n t o f nearly 400
people a t the a n n u a l Street Roots Family
Breakfast a t P ortland’s Sentinel Hotel, where
she gave the following speech.
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■ ■ H b
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MEET BETTYJO
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You can view BettyJo’s story
on Street Roots’ YouTube
page, youtube.com/
L • streetrootsvideo.