Vendors Max McEntire and Deanna Handley tied the knot at our office in Old Town, while guests watched from a distance
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt on what most would consider the “norm” in today’s society. What it didn't put a halt to was the union of Street Roots vendors Max McEntire and Deanna Handley.
“We decided to get married about two and a half weeks ago. I came to Street Roots looking for Pastor Dan. I was going to have him come to our camp and marry us there. That’s when Andrew (Street Roots Development Director) said he can do it,” McEntire said.
McEntire and Handley met just over a couple of months ago. Handley was asleep on the sidewalk with a single blanket. There wasn’t much of an encounter initially. The following night, McEntire walked by Handley again. This time, the two conversed in the rain. McEntire decided that he didn’t want to go back to his camp during the rainy weather conditions, so he unraveled his tarp and cover and stayed with Deanna. The two have been nearly inseparable ever since.
“When I wake up we’re happy, I giggle all the time,” Handley shared with Street Roots. “I’m surprised I said yes.”
Excitement circulated among the Street Roots community once the wedding was scheduled and made public. McEntire has been a part of the Coronavirus Prevention and Action Team, which is comprised of Street Roots vendors doing essential work to assist the homeless community in Portland during the pandemic. Several members on the action team took on the responsibility of making sure that the decor and music aligned with what the couple requested for their small ceremony inside of the Street Roots vendor office.
“We appreciate everything that Street Roots has done for us,” McEntire said. “From the middle of October, up until today, I would probably have died if it wasn't for Street Roots. I had absolutely nothing.”
When McEntire and Handley arrived at the Street Roots office this morning, they were asked to either wait outside or on the editorial side of the office to ensure that they didn’t see the set up for their ceremony until they entered to be wedded. When asked about how they were feeling leading up to the ceremony, Handley promptly responded “nervous, but happy.”
As they entered the decorated office, the song “All of Me” by John Legend played in the background and McEntire sung the lyrics from start to finish to Handley. Following the song, Andrew Hogan entered to officiate the service.
Handley wore a purple dress as her wedding gown, draped in a purple shawl to match while carrying a fresh bouquet of her favorite flowers, lilacs. McEntire, the groom, wore a green western-style shirt, black jeans, brown boots and a white fedora style hat.
A handful of members from the Street Roots action team and staff were on site to witness the wedding, spaced apart, while the ceremony was live-streamed online for other wedding guests to watch from home. A few of their personal friends attended as well. Love conquered the quarantine on this day.
DeVon Pouncey is the vendor program manager for Street Roots and a freelance writer for the newspaper.
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