FROM THE CROTCH !

Reedway Rally .. and the Legend of Tommy Salami!

You all remember the Reedway Rally. That was when Nick Fish was scouting the Lents area looking for a place to put a camp. We were given a heads up by our source and the 4 locations. Thomas and I went out to all of them and came to the conclusion that Reedway would be the spot.

Thomas then made several night trips to that area to talk to campers. I remember we found that there were at least 2 maybe more LNA board members that were aware of this but did not disclose it to the neighborhood. One of those folks resigned within months, the other just last month.

We printed up 500 flyers and Tom, Jessica Ard and myself handed them out at Fred Meyer for 3 days straight. We posted them on every page we could and we spread flyers even outside Lents.

Thomas took another 300 flyers and drove all over Portland giving folks flyers and it paid off the day of the rally. We had well over 300 folks show for that and with the help of Neola Larsen we had every news station as well as some radio stations and neighborhood papers.

It was a big success and it killed any further attempts to move a camp in Lents. We came up with the slogan "No Tents in Lents" and they knew we meant it.

Folks like Thomas Legg never cared about recognition. Some months later a person would claim they put that rally on.

Tom's reaction was let them, our goal was to stop it...not to benefit from it. I can attest as can dozens of others that the person had zero to do with anything except show up at Reedway and walk with us through the neighborhood for 5 minutes

The majority of work done on that Rally was the footwork of a man despite being sick with cancer made sure that the word got out and folks showed. You folks in that area should never forget the reason there are no tents in your neighborhood.It was because of the effort Tom put in. Don't get me wrong others were involved but Tom was a driving force in that rally being a success.

I remember the smile he gave me at the rally when the streets were packed with folks and signs telling them we were not going to allow it. He smiled that Thomas smile and said “Brother we did good!”

Later this month we will have a Memorial for Thomas which will be listed on the page. I hope that anyone who was touched by this man while he was alive attends this on October 20.

I plan on posting more information and stories about my time with Thomas and invite you to do the same. I only knew Thomas for 3 years but he had a hell of an impact on this old fat mans life. I lost a true friend and brother and we all lost a very dedicated advocate for Lents when he left us. Please come out and remember him.

Next Story : Thomas and I meet the Brood!