Raymond Thornton, your Street Roots vendor at Peet’s Coffee at Northeast Broadway and 15th Avenue, received top honors with the 2012-13 Vendor Community Award from the North American Street Newspaper Association.
Thornton has sold Street Roots for the past three years. In that time his customers, neighbors and now the national street paper network, have recognized him as a positive, grounded force in the Irvington community.
Open to the more than 40 street newspapers in the United States and Canada, the Vendor Community Award was designed to recognize a vendor who has taken extra steps to connect with the community around him while selling the newspaper.
“What we learn from the very first day here is to keep in mind that we are ambassadors of Street Roots and we represent something that’s bigger than us. I really enjoy what I do at Peet’s,” says Raymond. “I try every day to shake the hand of somebody new who I’ve seen a lot but I don’t know their name. I always give them my name. I don’t miss an opportunity to open a door for a stroller or somebody with their hands full.”
Raymond’s award was substantiated by a nomination by Street Roots staff and a letter of recommendation from a regular customer. A volunteer panel of professional journalists in the Denver, Colo., area, selected the award winners.
